Talking to each other or adults encourages the child’s communication, language and literacy. They learn communication skills and listening skills. Children should enjoy and explore new words through text promoting their reading and writing skills. Mathematics gives children the opportunity to develop their understanding of numbers, measurement, shapes and space.
Understanding the world is a significant part of a child’s learning, It enables them to predict, explore and find out about themselves and other people. Physical development encourages the child’s fine and gross motor skills, how their body works and giving them knowledge of health and safety. Creativity gives the children an opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings through activities such as painting or drama. (Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage 2000 QCA a).
Continuity was one of the five main areas for research by the Department of Education and Science (DES). The Management Committee funded a group of studies for the Nursery Research Programme. The DES from 1977-81 funded research on continuity. (Clark, M., 1991 a). It is always disruptive for a child to move from setting to setting, e.g. nursery to primary school. Educators need to recognise that children are entitled to continuity in the curriculum. The Children Act (1989) and the Rumbold Report (DES, 1990a) indicates there should be more co-operation between services and expertise should be valued. The most valuable of these are parents who are seen as primary educators and the ‘link people’ between settings, Pugh, G. (1996).
Local authorities are required to make provisions for all children and statement records for those whose special educational needs require continuing reviews. Children are often treated as objects of the law rather than the subject. (Hill, M., Tisdall, K. 1997 a)
Breadth and balance plays a significant role in early learning. Local rather than National authorities should ensure they have a wide variety of experiences to develop positive attitudes, knowledge and discipline. For example, paint or paper for creative learning. Another example is the child should not get too much maths at the expense of language. By observing the range of activities in which the child engages, people become aware of the breadth, balance and the strengths and weaknesses of a group’s provision.
Lady Plowden (1967) produced a report titled ‘Children And Their Primary Schools’. It advocates that play is the main activity in all nursery and many infant schools. The report states
“Adults who criticise teachers for allowing children to play are unaware that play is the principle means of learning in early childhood.”
It believes there should be no distinction between work and play. If children become fully absorbed in play they are learning to concentrate, consequently developing new skills. The report believes that by using materials to construct and destroy things, children gain a sense of height and weight. Emotional and moral development was included.
“When teachers enter into the play activity of children, they can help by watching the connections and relationships which children are making and by introducing, almost incidentally, the words for the concepts and feelings that are being expressed.” http://www.newman.ac.uk/c.v.squires/plough.html.
Plowden’s recommendations have been supported by other’s, e.g. Curtis said play is a major part of a child’s education. (Curtis, A. 1998) The entitlement to play comes under the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child. (Moore 1986). The provision for this pre-school care has been premised on the needs of working parents and children’s need of company and stimulation which promotes their cognitive learning and their social learning. (Petrie 1994; Hawthorne-Kirk 1995; Hill, M., Tisdall, K. 1997 b)
The Early Learning Goals are underpinned by ‘stepping stones’. These help practitioners to understand what the Goals mean to the children and to identify previous knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Stepping-stones are not age related, however they focus on the ability of the child. Colours usually show progression.
Yellow, blue, green then the grey band where the child should ideally be at the end of the foundation stage. It is likely that a child of the age of three will be in the yellow band. The green band will usually reflect children at the end of reception year. http://www.qca.org.uk/ca/foundation/the stepping_stones.asp
Some children may move beyond the Early Learning Goals whilst others will be working towards them. These are mostly children who have not had as high a quality early life experience, e.g. special educational needs or speak English as a second language. When possible practitioners should work together with other agents such as the health service, parents, and language services to provide the child with the best opportunities. For those who are in need of help with communication, language and literacy skills practitioners may use signs and symbols or written and visual aids such as large print, symbol text or Information and Communication Technology (ICT). (Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage (2000) QCA b) For children with English as an additional language they should provide opportunities to build upon the child’s existing experiences at home, providing opportunities to use their home language so that their developing use of English and their home language will support each other. Bilingual support and Early Literacy Support may be provided to broaden their vocabulary. Books and displays may be used in both English and their home language to provide variety. (Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage 2000 QCA c)
Ethnicity and faith need to be established to define experiences as jumping off points for learning. No child should be excluded due to ethnicity, race culture or religion. Materials should be used that reflect the community the child’s lived in and materials that display other areas of the world. The environment should be free of stereotypes or discrimination. Article 30 of The Convention on the Rights of the Child states.
In those states in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities or persons of indigenous origin exist, a child belonging to such a minority or who is indigenous shall not be denied the right, in community with other members of his or her group, to enjoy his or her own culture, to profess and practise his or her own religion, or to use his or her own language.
Other agencies involved in supporting curricula include speech therapists, nurses, health visitors etc. These partnerships promote previous learning, e.g. The British Association of Teachers of the Deaf (BATOD) Good co-operation is essential between teachers and speech therapists to ensure that therapy compliments the learning. This assumes that all teachers and speech and language therapists hold additional qualifications. Guidelines prepared by the BATOD improve working relationships between teachers and speech and language therapists. They should include familiarity with the structure of the Local Education Service for hearing-impaired children. E.g. heads of school for hearing impaired children take responsibility for co-ordinating peripatetic services. .
For the future The Foundation Stage Profile is a statutory assessment for children who reach the end of the foundation stage. It has replaced the Statutory Baseline from September 2002 and the first profiles will be completed by summer 2003.
“Appropriate support should be building upon what the child already knows and putting knowledge across in a way that will motivate the child to aid future development’, as they are ready to move beyond the Foundation Stage”. (Pollard, A. 1996).
In conclusion, children are required to be provided with an appropriate curriculum as a base for their learning and to avoid difficulties later in life. In support of the Children’s Act (1989) I believe that this can only be achieved through both supportive guidance and co-operation through teachers between support staff and other agencies, not merely as a legislative right. Several groups need to be involved. All the involved groups need to involve parents to make education of the young child completely inclusive. Thus assisting the practitioners’ task to build on already existing knowledge and experiences of the child so they are motivated to learn
References
l.
Clark, M, M. (1991) Children under five: Educational Research and Evidence. Gordon and Breach Science Publishers. London.
Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage (2000) QCA
Curtis, A. (1998) A Curriculum for the Pre-School Child Learning to Learn (2nd ED) Routledge: London.
Ennew, J. (1995) ‘Outside childhood: Street children’s rights’, in B. Franklin (ed.) The Handbook of Children’s rights, London: Routledge.
Hawthorne-Kirk, R. (1995) ‘Social support and early years centres’, in M. Hill, R. H. Kirk and D. Part (eds.) (1995) Supporting Families, Edinburgh: HMSO.
Hill, M., Tisdall, K. (1997) Children & Society. Longman. London.
Moore, R. C. (1986) Children’s domain: Play and Place in Child Development, London: Croom Helm.
http://www.newman.ac.uk/c.v.squires/plough.html.
Petrie, P. (1994) Play and Care After School, London: HMSO.
Pollard, A. (1996) An Introduction To Primary Education. Cassell.
Pugh, G. (1996) Contemporary Issues in the Early Years NCB.
Joanne Turner Childhood Studies 6 May, 2007