Early Childhood Teaching and Learning Environment (ECTL6111)

Early Childhood Teaching and Learning Environment

• Course Title: ECTL6111
• Academic Year: 2025

Introduction

• The role of guiding principles in implementing a quality curriculum in Grade R is crucial.
• Definition of Curriculum: All activities in the school day that contribute to children’s learning and understandings from their experiences.

Five Guiding Principles of Early Childhood Education

1. Holistic Development
2. Thematic, Culturally Responsive, and Integrated Curriculum
3. Language as a Tool for Learning in a Structured and Stimulating Environment
4. Learning Through Play
5. Child-Centered Approach

1. Holistic Development

Definition and Importance

• Development encompasses multiple domains: physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and moral/spiritual.

Domains of Development

• Physical Domain:

  • Focuses on the whole body, gross and fine motor skills, nutrition, and sensory development.
  • Key development during preschool years includes significant brain growth.

• Cognitive Domain:

  • Involves intellectual functions such as perception, language, communication, reasoning, and information processing.
  • Creation of stimulating environments is vital for cognitive enhancement.

• Emotional Domain:

  • Development of emotional awareness, understanding and managing feelings influenced by socio-cultural backgrounds.
  • A stable learning environment is crucial for emotional development.

• Social Domain:

  • Enhances identity awareness and interpersonal relationships.
  • Encourages responsibility, turn-taking, and cooperative decision-making.

• Moral and Spiritual Domain:

  • Involves understanding right and wrong and active participation in moral decision-making.
  • Teachers should help nurture a strong moral sense in children.

Conclusion on Holistic Development

• Balancing all domains is essential to prevent unbalanced development.

2. Thematic, Culturally Responsive, and Integrated Curriculum

• Curriculum Approach:

  • Integration provides rich, age-appropriate learning opportunities through thematic approaches.

• Key Benefits:

  • Supports experiential, child-centered learning and matches school and home experiences.
  • Themes should be interesting and relevant to children’s development stages.

3. Language as a Tool for Learning in a Structured and Stimulating Environment

• Critical Years: Birth to six years are foundational for language development.
• A strong correlation exists between language development and cognitive development.
• Challenges arise with mismatches between home language (HL) and language of learning and teaching (LOLT).

Strategies to Enhance Language Development

1. Encourage conversations among learners.
2. Use word walls for commonly used words.
3. Conduct circle times for sharing stories and experiences.
4. Incorporate storytelling with props and puppets.
5. Create print-rich environments with labels and educational materials.
6. Foster reading sessions where children can select books from the library.

4. Learning Through Play

• Emphasizes active involvement and interaction with diverse materials, enhancing motor skills and socialization.
• Play allows integration of knowledge and real-life experience imitation.
• Teachers facilitate and mediate learning during play while providing necessary resources.

5. Child-Centered Approach

• Recognizes children's abilities and interests, enhancing engagement.
• Important to acknowledge individual learning styles to promote effective learning outcomes.
• Approach Types:
  • Child-Initiated: Encourages children to drive activities based on interests.
  • Teacher-Guided: Provides structured opportunities with specific objectives for skill development and assessment.

Principle Evaluation Comments

• Holistic Development: Adequate coverage in various domains.
• Theme Based: Themes carried throughout activities, but consider inclusivity for non-English speakers.
• Language: Use of multiple languages, but needs assessment strategies for non-native speakers.
• Play: Limited scheduled playtime, consider expansion.
• Child-Centered: Activities show effort but lack full child-centered focus.