News
Working together
15 Jan 2009
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (2005) states: "Early attachment relationships are crucial consideration in realising children's rights. Babies and infants are not passive recipients of care, direction and guidance. They are active social agents, who seek protection, nurturance and understanding from parents or other caregivers, which they require for their survival, growth and well-being." Young children are active social beings interested in exploring their immediate environment and satisfying their natural curiosity to learn from everything around them when they feel confident and loved. The EYFS supports practitioners in extending children's ability to think creatively and make sense of the world.
EYFS Card 4.2 Active Learning focuses on how children learn best through physical and mental challenges. Active learning involves other people, objects, ideas and events that engage and involve children for sustained periods. Young children, like everyone, need to relate their learning to their real-life experiences for it to have meaning. Furthermore, children do not make distinctions between play and learning. A huge amount of learning occurs as young children move around, and they need play opportunities that support physical activity indoors and outdoors.
Once engaged with an activity, the next challenge is to know when to speak and when to be silent. The practitioner and the child should be partners in conversation, taking turns and leaving space for thinking. Effective practitioners listen to the children talking and follow their lead in the conversation. If they do this skilfully, children's language, ideas, thinking and understanding are extended. These moments of shared sustained thinking (EYFS card 4.3) support quality learning.
Observation and tracking progress helps decide when and if additional support is necessary. Early support should include families and partner professionals, and practitioners need to listen and share how best to meet the needs of the child (EYFS card 1.2).
(Nursery World, 15 January 2009)
