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An Appropriate Curriculum An Important Tool For Children
Sharon White
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In this essay I am going to identify the structure of the foundation
stage curriculum, what it is and how it helps practitioners plan,
assess and teach children. I am going to identify theorists such as
Piaget, Vygosky and Bruner, and their theories that practitioners use
to teach.
The foundation stage curriculum commences when a child reaches the age of three until the end of reception. It is used to help educational
practitioners (those that work with children, for example; nursery
nurses, teachers, child minders) in all the different settings,
whatever their qualifications.
The aims for the Foundation Stage Curriculum are that all child
settings (nurseries, schools) that receive government funding for
children aged 3-5 are required to help children progress and develop
in their learning and development. This can be achieved through
planning activities and experiences.
Throughout the Foundation Stage, monitoring and assessing should be
undertaken to measure each child's progress. It is important to make
sure they are making progress, it is also necessary to see if the
children have any problems and if they do then practitioners can
identify and solve them before they get worse.
The process of monitoring the child's progress needs to commence way
before they join the particular setting. This is where practitioners
need to listen to parents to find about their child's development and
progress.
Practitioners need to listen and take into account what parents say,
for children, parents are their first and most enduring educators.
Parents and educational practitioners need to work together as it has
positive results on their child's development and progress in
learning. This is what is known as partnership with parents. There has
to be a two way flow of knowledge and information and expertise if the
partnership is to be successful.
There are a few pointers and factors that result in effective
practice, practitioners should listen and take into account the
parent's experience of their child's progress and development. They
need to understand how important the relationship and duty is between
parent and child in the child's education. Parents need to feel
important and that their presence is welcome through the range of
opportunities there would be through interaction between children,
parents and practitioners. Parents should be kept fully informed about
any changes in the Foundation Curriculum. This can be achieved through the use of brochures, booklets or information leaflets.
The principles of the Foundation Stage Curriculum are all found in
good and effective practice in the early year's settings.
Practitioners need to be able to understand the curriculum
requirements and put them into practice. They need to learn to
understand that children develop rapidly during the early years, and
every child should be included and not disadvantaged just because of
their culture, gender, ability, family background. In order for the
children to have confidence and to feel secure, practitioners need to
make sure they work with parents, as it has a positive effect on the children. The Curriculum should build on what the children have
already learnt and on what they already know.
In order for the curriculum to be effective it needs to be well
planned and organized, content needs to be relevant so that it
co-insides with the different abilities of children. Practitioners
need to learn how to have an understanding of how children develop and learn and how to move the children onto the next level of development and learning.
In order for the children to progress in their learning, practitioners
need to make sure what they teach is well planned; intervention by the
practitioners needs to be appropriate. The learning setting of the
child needs to be caring in order for the children to have learning
experiences that are stimulating. Practitioners need to know that high
quality care and a good education develops effective learning and
development of the child.
The diversity of needs that children acquire need to be met by the
practitioners who need to set out realistic opportunities for the
children. Early learning goals need to be set for their level of
ability. Practitioners need to know, meet and understand the range of
special educational needs that children may have. Diversity may
include children with disabilities, children from different ethnic
groups, culture and religion, refugees and travelers.
Stepping stones were introduced to help practitioners plan. In order
for children to achieve the early learning goals for each area of
learning, knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes are the main
focus of what children need to learn. This has to occur during the
foundation stage. Stepping stones is not age related, meaning it
allows children to progress at their own rate of ability. Three
colors are used to show the progress made - yellow, blue and then
green. Most three year olds would be best suited to the yellow,
progressing through blue then green at the reception year.
Practitioners need to know how to assess; the guide helps them by
identifying when the main focuses are being achieved by children,
individually or with groups of children. The focuses are knowledge,
skills, understanding and attitudes.
Early learning goals are introduced to help teachers teach, they
establish expectations for most children to reach by the end of the
foundation stage. Practitioners need to know how to support the
children in achieving it and progressing.
Personal, Social and Emotional development is all about the emotional well being, children having a sense of themselves. They need to know about feeling good about themselves. It provides experiences to enable children to get the best opportunities for personal, social and emotional development.
The early learning goals that practitioners need to follow for
personal, social and emotional development are; dispositions and
attitudes, making relationships, self care, confidence and self
esteem, behavior and self control and a sense of community.
Communication, Language and Literacy includes the child to read a
variety of different books, being able to communicate in different
ways, such as facial expressions and eye contact used in non verbal
communication. Children should be able to communicate in order for
them to participate in their society. Children should also receive
simple reading tasks and texts and writing for different purposes.
The Early Learning goals that practitioners need to follow for
Communication, Language and Literacy are; language and communication, language for thinking, linking sounds and letters, reading, writing and handwriting.
Mathematical Development encourages children to solve problems,
counting and sorting out numbers, adding and subtracting, multiplying
and dividing. By the end of the Foundation Stage, children should be
able to say and use number names in order in familiar contexts, count
reliably up to ten everyday objects, recognize numerals 1-9, in
practical activities and discussion begin to use the vocabulary
involved in adding and subtracting,
The Early Learning goals practitioners need to follow for mathematical
development are; numbers as labels and for counting, calculating,
shape, space and measure Knowledge and Understanding of the world, in this area of learning children are developing an understanding of the world; this will help them in later life with subjects such as science, geography, history.
The Early Learning goals for Knowledge and Understanding of the world are; exploration and investigation, designing and making skills,
information and communication, and technology, sense of time, sense of place and culture and beliefs.
Children learn about co-ordination and movement in Physical
Development. By the end of the reception year, according to QCA,
"Children should know how to move with confidence, imagination and in safety, move with control and coordination, show awareness of space, of themselves and of others and to be able to use a range of small and large equipment".
The Early Learning goals for Physical Development are; movement, sense of space, health and bodily awareness, using equipment, and using tools and materials.
Creative Development is used to enable children to make connections
between one area of learning and another. This includes art, music,
imaginative play and role play.
The Early learning Goals for creative development are; exploring
materials and media, music, imagination, and responding to
experiences, expressing and communicating ideas.
Teachers need to learn the many different ways a child can learn and
how they can adapt to teach the children. One of the few ways children
learn is through their own mistakes and experiences. Psychologist
Piaget believed that children learnt by 'doing', they construct their own thinking by acting in their
environment. Anning (1996) page 21 cites that Piaget thought all
children are seen to develop through a series of clearly defined stages towards logical thinking. He also believed that children are lone scientists, meaning they develop
through experience, discovery and investigation, and adults should
provide stimulating and varied experiences.
Vygotsky was a psychologist who challenged Piaget's views. He believed
that teachers should help children learn by guiding them through
concentrating and learning effectively, Gross, (1998). Vygotsky
believed in the child centered approach, he thought the idea of sitting
at desks and completing exams were totally irrelevant for children and
their learning. Children worked with their peers who were maybe more
or less advanced than themselves, this is known as Collaborative
Learning. The child is seen as an apprentice meaning they learn
through others. Vygotsky believed that the support of teachers and
other children builds on the child's understanding; this is formally
known as scaffolding.
It is cited in Anning (1996) page 22 what Bruner thought of children's
learning; "It is only when research helps one to see with ones own
eyes that it gets beneath the skin". He believed children's learning
could be enhanced through adult intervention. He agreed with Vygotsky
that they support and structure children's thinking.
Children are entitled to be provided with an appropriate curriculum,
the Foundation Stage provides children with an education that
practitioners can provide allowing them to progress at their own rate
of ability whilst setting them realistic goals in order for children
to have a head start in life.
About the Author:
The article was produced by the writer of masterpapers.com.
Sharon White is a senior writer and writers' consultant in management term paper writing.
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