Quality Education in the Foundation Stage in Wales - Research Paper Example

Quality Education in the Foundation Stage in Wales Children are known to be the hope of the future. With that in mind, responsible adults and organizations have meticulously designed appropriate programmes. These aim to serve their needs in order for them to develop the skills they would be using to survive in a globally competitive world. In Wales, the school curriculum for children has taken into account their individual needs while in the context of the broader needs of Wales. The curriculum focuses on the learner ensures that he develops the appropriate skills interwoven throughout the curriculum. There is continuity and progression of the curriculum as the learner goes through the different Key Stages of his growth and development, building on the skills set during the Foundation Phase. The Foundation Phase replaces Key Stage 1 by the year 2011. (Welsh Assembly Government, 2008). Key Stage 1 curriculum is the one being referred to when the Foundation Phase term is used hereafter. Being the first stage in child education catering to the youngest learners (3-7 year old children), it establishes a strong base for learning. A balance between structured learning through child-initiated activities and teacher-directed activities is targeted. Children are encouraged to be active in their participation in the learning process and given ample opportunities to be “creatively involved in their own learning which must build on what they already know and can do, their interests and what they understand” (Foundation Phase, 2008, p.6). This is met by a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum jointly created by practitioners, with great consideration of the developmental needs, activity levels and interests of children. The direction envisioned by the national curriculum complies with developmentally- appropriate standards in education. Young children are expected to acquire and hone their skills through group and individual tasks in a variety of contexts and settings. They should progress from concrete tasks to more abstract ones, from simple basic skills to complex skills, from personal to outwards their social circles and from the familiar to the unfamiliar. They are to be supported when they are young and lacking experience until such time they become independent (Foundation Phase, 2008). The curriculum identifies seven areas of learning to support the development of children. These areas complement each other and are integrated and inter-related in a cross-cultural approach to form a practical relevant curriculum. These seven Areas of learning are as follows: • Personal and Social Development, Well-Being and Cultural Diversity: This area, being the heart of the Foundation phase should be developed across the curriculum. It helps children know more about themselves, and teaches them how they must relate to other people. It helps them develop their self esteem, personal beliefs and moral values. It broadens their perspectives about how other people may have differing backgrounds, needs, and viewpoints. It teaches them to accept these differences, no matter if they stem from cultural differences or abilities. They are also made aware of the traditions and celebrations of cultures within Wales. • Language, Literacy and Communication Skills: Young children become immersed in language experiences and activities to teach them to communicate their thoughts and ideas. They learn to express themselves through various media – verbally, in print, using ICT or the creative arts. • Mathematical Development: Skills, knowledge and understanding of mathematics are developed with oral, practical and play activities. Mathematics is lived out in their practical tasks, real-life problem-solving situations, use of ICT resources in obtaining data and knowledge about numerical facts, measurements, properties of shape, positions, etc. Children get to sort, match, sequence and compare objects and events and explore and create simple patterns and relationships (Foundation Phase, 2008) • Welsh Language Development: Being in a bilingual country, children in Wales should be able to use and communicate in both English and Welsh as early as in the Foundation Phase. They are provided with experiences that allow them to develop their reading, listening, writing and speaking skills in one language to support the development of knowledge and skills in another. • Knowledge and Understanding of the World: Children’s natural curiousity about the world around them is satisfied by the encouragement of investigation and discovery in both their indoor and outdoor environments. “Using all their senses, they should be encouraged to enjoy learning by exploration, enquiry, experimentation, asking questions and trying to find answers. They should learn to demonstrate care, responsibility, concern and respect for all living things and the environment” (Foundation Phase, 2008, p. 31). Experiential learning activities are given much importance in the curriculum. • Physical Development: Very active bodies with overflowing enthusiasm and energy for movement are common entities in the Foundation stage. Physical development is promoted by helping children use their bodies to discover space, balance, control and coordination with both fine and gross motor skills. They are encouraged to enjoy movement and be aware of important concepts of health, hygiene and safety (Foundation Phase, 2008). • Creative Development: Natural to children are imagination and creativity, and these are exploited across the curriculum. They engage in activities that stimulate their curiosity and self-expression. They explore a wide range of stimuli and learn productive ways to express their creative ideas through arts and crafts, design, music, dance and movement (Foundation Phase, 2008). More specific to the academic development of young children are the areas of language arts and literacy and mathematics. These will be discussed in more detail. The National Assembly for Wales (2000) presents a curriculum guide in teaching the National Curriculum. For the Foundation Phase, children learn to listen and respond appropriately and effectively to a range of stimuli, speak audibly with clear pronunciation and appropriate intonation. Communicating properly and effectively with others is one skill they need to learn at this stage. In terms of reading skills, they are taught the basic conventions of print and books and provided with ample opportunities to enjoy books and literature. The skill of writing is likewise learned, as they understand that writing communicates meaning and is a tool to express themselves with. Children are taught to be independent and creative writers with adequate knowledge in spelling, punctuation, grammatical organisation with legible handwriting. In learning to be literate, speaking, listening, reading and writing are integrated in the curriculum. Children’s oracy skills are developed by giving them opportunities to express themselves verbally. They should be trained use appropriate language in their play or when conveying meaning to others, as well as to listen and carry out instructions. This would require that they develop good concentration and attention span. Previous experience and knowledge should be built upon when they communicate, and they should learn to organize what they say, choose their words well and be coherent in their discussions, and not divert from the topic at hand (Foundation Phase, 2008).. Children also learn to adjust their language to the needs of their audience. They need to incorporate relevant detail in their discussions and know which ones to sort out or include. They need to learn conventions of discussion and conversation such as taking turns in speaking and structuring their talk in ways that are coherent and understandable (National Assembly for Wales, 2000). They need to understand that there is variety in the language they hear around them Knowing that the above-mentioned are the oracy skills that need to be acquired and develop, practitioners are recommended a variety of activities to provide the children. Since they derive much of their language expressions from experience, it would be worthwhile to let them experience a variety of activities in both indoor and outdoor settings. Play is one activity that provides different types of learning experiences, so practitioners should consider both planned play activities as well as spontaneous child-initiated ones. Simple rhymes, nursery rhymes, songs, stories (both real, imagined and written by others), information text, media productions (from TV shows, children’s CD’s, etc.) are just some of the tools used in encouraging oracy skills. These may be used in flexible ways, for and by the children. Practitioners should also allow children to ask and answer questions, express their thoughts, ideas and feelings, likes, dislikes and needs as well as their opinions no matter how silly they may seem. Engaging them in dramatic activities, imaginative play, improvisation and performances will most likely bring out their language skills and build up their vocabulary. With regards to their literacy development, their reading and writing skills are encouraged and developed through constant exposure to books and the availability of writing materials. Their natural interest in books and stories need to be nurtured by caring practitioners who read to them often and let them manipulate the books and explore the possibilities of the stories. A variety of themes in books should be provided including stories about their native Wales. A practitioner needs to be knowledgeable in choosing the appropriate literature for a particular age group and the activities that may supplement it. There is an abundance of story titles out in the market. However, it is important for a practitioner to choose the most appropriate ones that truly meet the criteria for overall development of children. Books that focus on repetition are good choices, especially for toddlers who need to master their language. The repetitive lines give children the opportunity to participate in the story by saying them out loud when the story calls for it. Another point for story selection is how the book revolves around the needs of the specific children the practitioner is working with (Giorgin & Glazer, 2008). For instance, very young children welcome stories that empower the characters that are limited in their skills because of their young age. A character who is considered “too little” to do many things may still have a healthy self-esteem by being able to set the table or change his own shirt. The characters in the story may be in situations that are relatable to the children. Simple plots such as going to school for the first time, managing to be friends with bullies, accepting the responsibility of being a sibling to a new baby or learning a new skill such as riding a bicycle capture the interest of children. Of course, the stories need to have a positive theme and a significant lesson to learn. The words used must be simple and understandable (Brewer, 2002). Exposing children to literature is one way of helping them learn to read. They not only learn to read words and sentences, but they also learn comprehension skills in doing so. The abundance of ideas that could flow in a teacher’s mind once she sets off to planning a rich literature program can be overwhelming. Exciting as it is to bombard children with stories and their corresponding activities, a teacher should be discerning in the implementation of her program (Brewer, 2002). She needs to make sure that the children are developmentally ready for all the activities planned. Since young children are concrete learners, a number of materials are necessary in the implementation of this program such as flannel boards, art materials, music, etc. to hold the interest of the children. These materials must be prepared beforehand so time is not wasted and the program runs smoothly (Shalaway, 1998). All children must be encouraged to participate in the activities. It would be best if each child would experience not only group reading of stories but one on one reading with an adult as well. Individual attention will go a long way in determining if the child has really gained the skills aimed and if the goals are met (Shalaway, 1998). Quiet listening and perceiving and active participation balance out the activities. These should be both educational and enjoyable – a perfect mix for a developmentally-appropriate program for very young children. Being more interested in literature makes children want to be authors. They excitedly make their own books by drawing some pictures and “writing” the stories on the page. They also enjoy dictating the words to their teachers who write the words in verbatim. Children should be allowed to explore writing, both mechanically, with various writing materials, and for self expression. Emergent writing pieces with missing letters for some words are encouraged since early attempts at writing naturally includes mistakes. The important thing is that children are supported in all their attempts at expressing themselves through drawings or printed words. Eventually, they would learn the correct writing conventions. With regards to Mathematics, children at the Foundation phase should be exposed to basic mathematical concepts such as numeracy and quantities, measurements, mathematical reasoning for patterns, sequences and relationships, time and days of the week, simple money concepts, shapes, positions and handling data (Foundation Phase, 2008). The study of Math incorporates the processes of questioning, reflecting, reasoning and proof. It is a powerful tool for solving familiar and unfamiliar problems both within and beyond mathematics. As such, it is integral to scientific and technological advances in many fields of endeavor. The inclusion of Mathematics in the curriculum is aimed at developing students’ mathematical thinking, understanding, competence and confidence in the application of mathematics, their own creativity, enjoyment and appreciation of the subject and their engagement in lifelong learning (Board of Studies New South Wales, 2002) Apart from the skills developed from the study of Math, values and attitudes are likewise emphasized. Students get to appreciate mathematics as an essential and relevant part of life. They show interest and enjoyment in inquiry and the pursuit of mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding. Children demonstrate confidence in applying mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding to everyday situations and the solution of everyday problems (DtEE, 2003). Math also aims to develop and demonstrate perseverance in undertaking mathematical challenges. Students recognise that mathematics has been developed in many cultures in response to human needs (Board of Studies New South Wales, 2002). Children in the foundation stage belong to the Pre-Operational period (two to seven years) of Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development. This period marks the time when a child becomes able to represent objects and knowledge through imitation, symbolic play, drawing, mental images and spoken language. Lack of conservation skills is also characteristic of this stage. “Conservation is defined as the knowledge that the number, mass, area, length, weight, and volume of objects are not changed by physically rearranging the objects.” (Brewer, 2001, p.318). That is why it is important to always give concrete materials to young children when teaching a math concept since that is how they understand things better. They need to be able to see things concretely first before they can be translated to abstract thinking. Mathematics is a hierarchical discipline where concepts build on previous concepts and more often than not, need full understanding before proceeding to the next, more complicated concept. (Ruthven, 1987). One cannot just jump and teach multiplication without the student understanding the concept of addition. However, in the foundation stage, the most basic mathematical concepts are taught, leaving out technical numeracy skills such as mathematical operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Only the basics of addition and subtraction are informally introduced when children are given story problems and more practical activities that may involve mathematical understanding of math concepts they shall take up when they are older (QCA, 2000). This is possible with the teaching of number songs that have stories of addition or subtraction (ex. Five Green Speckled Frogs; There Were 10 in the Bed and the Little One Said..Roll Over). Children also learn the concepts with more concrete activities that involve counting. With all the rich resources and strategies available, there is no excuse for schools to provide a developmentally appropriate curriculum for the early learners of the Foundation phase. It is heartening to note that children can now rely on supportive people and educational systems in their journey of learning. References Board of Studies New South Wales (2002) General Mathematics, Board of Studies, NSW Brewer, J. (2001). Introduction to early childhood education preschool through primary grades, 4th ed. Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon. Brewer, J. (2002) Early Childhood Education. Allyn & Bacon DtEE (2003) Excellence and Enjoyment A Strategy for Primary Schools Foundation Phase (2008) Framework for Children’s Learning for 3 to 7-year-olds in Wales. Welsh Assembly Government. Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills Giorgin, C. & Glazer, J. (2008). Literture for Young Childern: Supporting Emergent Literacy, Ages 0-8 (6th edition). Boston: Pearson Educational, Inc. QCA (2000) Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage QCA Foundation Stage Profit. Ruthven, K. (1987). Ability stereotyping in mathematics. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 18(3), 243–253. Shalaway, L. (1998) Learning to Teach. Scholastic Professional Books. The National Assembly for Wales (2000) English in the National Curriculum in Wales, Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales (ACCAC) The National Assembly for Wales (2000) in the National Curriculum in Wales, Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales (ACCAC) Welsh Assembly Government (2008) National Curriculum Key Stage 1. Retrieved on May 6, 2010 from http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/curriculumassessment/arevis edcurriculumforwales/nationalcurriculum1/;jsessionid=BtcWLvWJJTdm3G Y812HgTvpckXpxGzcYhvzRS4cJ4YybhmkGGryr!-318064021?lang=en Read More