Paste your essay in herD1) When supporting children’s emergent mathematical development, it is important that early years practitioners use a positive attitude, both in their own attitudes to mathematics, as well as children’s ideas and attempts at developing and using mathematical skills. Practitioners should gain an understanding of children’s mathematical development from reflecting on observations and through discussions with their team. Positive relationships and enabling environments highlight how practitioners support children’s emergent mathematical skills. Positive relationships can be promoted by playing games, talking to children, helping them and being encouraging and consistent. Enabling environments can be provided by effective use of resources, displays, labelling, sensory opportunities, encouraging experimentation and exploration.
There are seven areas in which children can improve their mathematical development. These are counting, shape space and measure, problem solving and reasoning, sorting and matching, making connections and seeking patterns, data representation and calculation. Counting can include activities such as counting objects or using their fingers to count other children. For example, in my setting, practitioners encourage children to count how many chairs are needed for circle time. From 30 to 50 months, children show an interest in shape and space by playing with shapes or making arrangements with objects and show awareness of similarities of shapes in the environment. Practitioners can adapt children’s shape, space and measure by carrying out activities, such as colouring in objects ‘bigger or smaller’. Problem solving can include activities, such as role play, for example, children could perform a scenario based on adding and subtracting, i.e., using their favourite resources to adapt their mathematical vocabulary. Sorting and matching can be using puzzles to ‘sort’ and ‘match’ different sized pieces together. Making connections can include ‘tessellation’ (putting shapes together without any spaces). The EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) states, “Mathematics involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems, and to describe shapes, space and measures.” [1]
“There are many opportunities for mathematical learning during the daily routines in a setting. For example, self registration; children can make a mark or add their name to a list. Also, snack and lunch time; the children can count how many pieces of fruit are cut, count the cutlery and glasses, how many chairs will be needed or how many children will be having lunch.
From 40 – 60 months, children are beginning to use mathematical terms to describe objects, for example, they can order them by length or height, or even weight or capacity.” For example, in my placement, I carried out an activity where the children completed worksheets of ‘big or small’ animals; they had to colour the animal that was the biggest or the animal that was the smallest.
D2) Emergent literacy recognises the importance of early language experiences in supporting literacy development among children. For example, speech, reading stories, mark- making and play, i.e., the home corner promotes children’s speech and communication and helps to develop their social skills, as they are developing the confidence to interact with their peers and role play ‘mummies and daddies’ or pretend to read a story, helping to develop their imagination. Emergent literacy consists of communication, language and speech. Communication is one of the most important ways in which we develop and learn through life, it is the exchange of words or phrases. We use all of our senses, i.e., you use eye contact when someone is communicating with you, your ears to listen to what someone is saying, your mouth to speak and your hands to use hand gestures or maybe a person who is deaf and dumb will use their hands for sign language. Language is more formal than communication; it allows us to express new ideas and meanings. Speech is vocabulary which is used to communicate with words and sentences in spoken language. Children obtain the ability to use speech as they gain the knowledge of vocabulary from adults and older children in their surroundings. During role play, children use a variety of language in order to communicate. They enjoy using their imagination, for example, they like being someone else and acting out a situation, e.g., being a shop keeper. Children naturally use role play in their own language situations, for example, “I will be mummy and you can be daddy.” Children often copy from others’ around them and act it out in a scenario. For example, they could pretend that their Nan or Grandad is in hospital and could act this out, pretending to be a nurse or a doctor.
D3) Continuing professional development (CPD) and reflective practice are both essential to those who work with children. Being a part of professional development has a positive influence on Early Years Practitioners, as they are able to share their examples and ideas of effective practice with others’, for example, they may discuss a child’s needs in a planning meeting and arrange an activity for them to participate in, i.e., painting could be an effective activity, as it stimulates their intellectual development, i.e., they develop their hand eye coordination. Reflecting on practice with others’ can help to improve their professional knowledge.
CPD is essential to your role of an Early Year’s Practitioner because it gives you information that may help you to deal with difficult situations, i.e. having a professional attitude when dealing with inappropriate behaviour. Practitioners must support children through transition, as it provides children with the stability that is needed when going through a transition, e.g., one to one support from social workers due to a bereavement in the family.
D4:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335504/EYFS_framework_from_1_September_2014__with_clarification_note.pdf
Author: Carolyn Meggitt et al Book: ‘Childcare & Education, Early Years Educator’. Year: 2015
C1) As an Early Years Practitioner, you must refer to the ‘EYFS’ (Early Years Foundation Stage) in your practice. For example, the EYFS states that “Literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading materials, i.e., books, poems, and other written materials to ignite their interest.” [2] Mathematics involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems; and to describe shapes, spaces, and measures. All Early Years Practitioners must follow the EYFS, ensuring that they provide consistency in early year’s settings, so that every child makes good progress and no child feels isolated. They must do this by planning around each child’s interests and assess them regularly to promote their learning.
Every child is a unique and individual child; they learn to be independent through positive relationships with their peers and role models, i.e., parents and practitioners. Children learn best when they are in enabling environments, i.e., posters on the wall of their work can stimulate them and motivate them to work harder. Having a strong bond between practitioners and parents can help children develop and learn in different ways, as they can have as much support as possible, i.e., one to one support or resources provided depending on their needs, i.e., an audio book for those with a hearing impairment. Practitioners must follow the planning cycle, which consists of planning activities to suit the needs of individual children. It is through observation, monitoring and assessment; the Early Years Practitioner observes a child through play, then they assess the observation and decide what it tells us about the child, and finally they plan an activity based on the child’s interests and monitor their progress.
Planning should focus on the process and efforts that children make, i.e., the process of learning. An example of this could be finger painting, rather than hand printing, so that the children can freely make their own patterns in the paint. The Practitioner then may display the children’s work on the wall to remind them of their achievements and decide on their next steps.
C2) The EYFS states that, “providers must work in partnership with parents and/or carers to promote the learning and development of all children in their care, and to ensure they are ready for school.” [3] The learning and development requirements are ways in which children should learn and progress. They include the prime and specific areas, which are included in children’s early learning goals (ELG’s) (targets that should be achieved by the end of the academic year). The prime areas are communication and language, physical development and personal, social and emotional development. The specific areas are literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts and design. Practitioners should assess children frequently and share the child’s progress with parents or carers weekly.
Every child learns best when they feel safe and secure within an environment. At an early years setting, practitioners must hold a DBS check, ensuring the safety of all children and recognise children’s health and well-being as a priority. They must be professional and ensure children are supervised at all times, remove hazards, such as those implicated (bleach and medication are locked away); this links with the legislation ‘Control of Substance Hazards to Health 2002′ (COSHH). They need to be aware of signs and symptoms of abuse, such as bruises on arms and legs and if the child feels nervous or withdrawn from the class. Practitioners must require the knowledge of food allergies for certain children, i.e., a nut allergy. “Staff must ensure that they follow the ‘Health and Safety at Work Act 1999′, as this will ensure procedures are followed for keeping themselves and the children safe.” [4] For example, ensuring that there are adequate and accessible fire exits for all children and staff.
Each child must be assigned a key person. Providers must inform parents and/or carers of the name of the key person, and explain their role when a child starts attending a setting. The key person must help ensure that every child’s learning and care is adapted to meet their individual needs. The key person must engage with parents in order to help support their child’s development at home. They should also help families engage with more specialist support if appropriate, i.e., SENCO. Practitioners must ensure that they keep every child’s records confidential.
They should be stored in a separate folder in a filing cabinet, ensuring that their records are not stored with another child’s records. Parents should only have access to their own child’s files and records, as this is part of the confidentiality policy within my setting.
C3) Reggio Emilia’s international approach is child centred. Practitioners ensure that they plan around the child’s interests and observe them in order to plan further activities. All children are looked after, including those with disabilities as they are considered to have ‘special rights’, rather than ‘special needs’. Practitioners often work one to one with the children, focusing on their individual needs, whilst the rest of the class engage in a variety of self chosen activities, such as colouring and exploring with the blocks. Projects begin with teachers observing and questioning children about the topic of interest, relationships. When the practitioner observes the child’s interests or method of play, they then introduce materials and opportunities that may provoke the child to further explore the area of learning, for example, they child could have an interest in the sand pit and the practitioner could introduce measuring jugs to help develop their mathematical skills, as well as their intellectual development. Also, Children are encouraged to show their understanding through symbolic languages, such as drawing, role play, writing or marking making. Teachers then observe a child and discuss any difficulties that a child may encounter. For example, they may find it challenging to hold a pencil correctly, as they struggle with their hand eye coordination.
C4:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335504/EYFS_framework_from_1_September_2014__with_clarification_note.pdf
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1999/3242/regulation/12/made
Author: Carolyn Meggitt et al Book: ‘Childcare & Education, Early Years Educator’. Year:2015
B1) Scaffolding is adult support of the child’s learning, but as the children extend their capability and control of the situation, the adults support, i.e., scaffolding is removed until it is no longer needed. Practitioners may give clues, hints, reminders, encouragement, an example or breaking a problem down into smaller steps. For example, in my setting, I carried out an activity where the children had to understand the concepts of pounds or pence. I asked them to make a sum of a number and I encouraged them to do it alone, as I knew their capability, i.e., making 50p with 20p and 30p. Bruner believed in the importance of scaffolding in helping children to learn.
He believed children learn by doing. There are three ways in which scaffolding can be used to support learning. For example, the practitioner may give an example to the children and then ask them to ‘follow’, i.e., singing number rhymes up to 5, 10 and 20; this example of singing can help to develop children’s intellectual skills, as they are copying the practitioner, but they are also learning how to count. They may also work together with a child; letting them start the number sequence and the practitioner finishing it. For example, the child is confident in the counting routine; you say ‘one’, two’ and then wait to allow the child to say ‘three’. Finally, the practitioner can encourage the child to demonstrate the concept on their own, for example, when a child knows a number sequence confidently, they can recite a rhyme or song in a group.
B2) A Language or literacy – rich environment are in important in order to support children’s emergent literacy. These include; environmental print, e.g., posters, opportunities for children to read independently, i.e., a reading corner, a one to one with the child, and opportunities for early writing, i.e., phonics. A literacy – rich environment should reflect children’s interests and encourage them to write. The environment should enable risk – taking so that children are not afraid of getting things wrong, for example, there should be a writing corner for mark making and encourage children to write a letter depending on the topic. Conversations with adults will encourage children to express their ideas and will help to extend their vocabulary and sentences.
Practitioners should follow the EYFS requirements in order to meet the needs of individual children.
This includes their “communication and language development which involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves and to speak and listen in a range of situations.” Each individual should be given the equal opportunity to be fully engaged. For example, those with special needs or children with an additional language should have the appropriate resources, i.e. picture cards or foam mats. They should also have support from specialists, i.e., speech therapists in order to help develop their vocabulary and grammar. There should also be parental involvement, for example, they should read at home with their child and also be involved in the committee, i.e., attend ‘world book day’ or read to a group for guided reading.
B3) Maria Montessori’s approach is child centred. “A Montessori environment is to help develop child’s learning, which includes their physical, social, emotional and cognitive abilities.” [5] The Montessori approach shows that children learn best by doing; Montessori believed that children enjoy learning holistically, i.e., painting teaches them how to develop their hand eye coordination by following the paint brush with their eyes. All furniture in settings are appropriately sized, and materials are placed to be accessible by the children, as Montessori believed that this teaches children about life, as the furniture is ‘at their level’. The environment is arranged with appropriate materials designed to help stimulate children’s learning, these are blocks and letters. Blocks help with children’s hand eye coordination as they may make a tower and balance them, and letters help with child’s cognitive development as they may begin to learn the alphabet or spell their name. All materials in a Montessori classroom have a place, and it is the responsibility of each child to put away their materials when they are finished with them to maintain order, which is very important to this philosophy.
Steiner’s approach is focused on natural resources. He encouraged play through materials such as clay and wooden blocks. The design on children’s environment is very important, for example, the space around them should not overwhelm a child, and so the rooms are decorated suitably to create a gentle, secure feeling, i.e., soft tones of colours and pictures of their work to help build their self-esteem. Steiner believed that children pass through three phases, which are; the period of will, the period of the heart and the period of the head. The period of will is from birth to seven years, this is when the active aspect takes control. “Within this period there are three stages, which are birth to three years: the main features are walking, speech and the ability to think in words. Three to five years: the development of the imagination and memory is also important. Five to seven years: the stimulation for play tends to come less from external objects but more from ideas generated within the children.” The period of the heart is seven to 14 years, which is the feeling phase. The child is ready for formal learning, although their imagination is very important. The period of the head is 14 years onwards, which is the cognitive phase. The adolescent stage is considered to be the period of thinking and at this stage; children have a certain belief about a religion or sexuality and may be very sensitive about their feelings.
B4: http://www.spielgaben.com/comparison-froebel-montessori-reggio-waldorf-part-1/
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335504/EYFS_framework_from_1_September_2014__with_clarification_note.pdf
Author: Carolyn Meggitt et al Book: ‘Childcare & Education, Early Years Educator’. Year:2015
A1) A transition is a change from one stage to another. Children go through many stages as they grow and develop. For example, they will be expected to cope with changes such as moving from nursery to primary school, and from primary to secondary school. Transitions can affect all areas of development, for example their emotional development consists of personal experiences, such as parents separating, bereavement or entering or leaving care. Their physical development involves moving to a new school, home or care setting. Their intellectual development could involve moving from nursery to primary school, or primary school to secondary school. When a child is experiencing a transition, they must be able to deal with their feelings, as this change can be very challenging for some children. For example, those who may have a special need, such as Down syndrome could possibly cry for hours or sit in silence and not communicate with their peers or adults around them.
Some children may enjoy the change and could take every opportunity to display their current stage of development. Some children are less able to cope with change and may display different behaviours, such as regression in their development, be withdrawn and become less involved in learning activities or play with other children. They can show signs of frustration through their behaviour or cling to and become more dependent on parents or practitioners. For example, in my setting, a child was settling into the Nursery and she would whine and cry for hours, but she would cling to me and would always point to the door to say that she wanted to go home.
Children must feel comfortable within the environment when going through a transition. It is important to support children through transitions, for example, when a child starts nursery, practitioners can encourage parents to stay with their child until they have settled in. It is the role of the child’s key worker to have a ‘one to one’ session regularly in order for them to feel secure and settled within the environment. The effects of transition can impact on children’s development and learning. The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning. Enabling environments encourage children to participate in activities because they feel comfortable within their surroundings.
When children feel emotionally safe and secure they are able to explore and find out about the environment they are in by manipulating resources. The emotional environment is created by the people in the setting, i.e., practitioners must ensure that it is warm and accepting for everyone. They need to sympathize with children and support their emotions if a child is upset, for example, they should give them a hug or praise them when they think that the child has done something right. When children know that their feelings are accepted they begin to express them and are confident that practitioners will help them with how they are feeling. When children feel confident within the environment, they are willing to try things out, knowing that their efforts are valued, for example, if a child has Dyslexia, they may try and write their name and will feel proud of their achievement.
A2) Effective Practice is about ensuring that all children get the best possible benefit from their experiences in the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage). This can be achieved by practitioners working together to support their key children so that they can observe their play, development and learning. Practitioners must work in partnership with parents in order to support children with their transition. “Working in partnership will help the child to understand why changes are taking place and will support parents and carers to develop strategies to support the child at this time, e.g., home visits, stories and play activities. Depending on circumstances, i.e., learning difficulties or disabilities, other practitioners, social workers or health professionals may be involved in transition planning and support.” [6] Multi-agency working provides benefits for children and families because they receive efficient support. The benefits of this include: early identification of any issues, i.e., learning difficulties and support for parents and children from ‘SENCO’.
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