Early Years Teaching and Learning

Denise Reardon, Dilys Wilson, Dympna Fox Reed

• Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781473934467
• Edition: 3
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Elementary Education

Covering all routes to early years teaching, this essential textbook provides students and practitioners with everything they need to know to deliver outstanding Early Years practice.

Previously titled Achieving Early Years Professional Status, this new edition is completely revised to include recent research and practice guidance for those studying:

- Early Years Teacher Status

- Teach First Early Years

- Early Years Educator

- Early Years PGCE

New case studies, illustrating best practice, make this text highly relevant for experienced professionals teaching and leading practice in Early Years settings and schools, and anyone interested in helping Early Years children learn and develop.

Denise Reardon, Dilys Wilson and Dympna Fox Reed will be discussing ideas from Early Years Teaching and Learning in Doing Your Early Years Research Project, a SAGE Masterclass for early years students and practitioners in collaboration with Kathy Brodie.

1 Getting Started – An Introduction to Teaching and Learning in the Early Years

Denise Reardon

Chapter overview

This first chapter seeks to provide a historical overview about the evolving roles of the Early Years Teacher and Early Years Educator (the EYT/E). It explores the concept of teaching and learning for babies, toddlers and young children and why it is so important for the EYT/E to explore a number of seminal early years policies and reviews initiated by previous and current governments and to understand the way they have contributed to the role of the EYT/E today. Seminal research evidence presented in this chapter includes, for example, Field (2010), Marmot (2010), Allen (2011), Munro (2011), Tickell (2011), Nutbrown (2012) and government policy that took place over the last decade. The significant body of evidence (Callanan et al., 2017; OECD, 2017a; Sylva et al., 2010) that suggests the presence of a graduate pre-school teacher has an impact on both the quality of pre-school learning and on child outcomes (social, behavioural and cognitive) will also be explored. The chapter concludes by reviewing the significant transformations that have led to the EYT/E in practice today, tomorrow and in the future.

Introduction

Teaching babies, toddlers and young children refers to a very precious time in children’s lives when all the necessary foundations for well-being, learning and development are made. Children develop rapidly in their early years and a child’s experiences between birth and age 5 will have a major impact on their future life chances (OECD, 2017b). Good parenting and high-quality early learning that gives children a broad range of knowledge, skills and understanding, together provide the right foundation for good future progress through school and life (Callanan et al., 2017). From the very first moment a baby enters the world they start developing and learning through their senses. Teachers, parents, carers and other professionals must make sure that early learning experiences are playful, joyful, active, stimulating and safe in order to support each child’s early development, care and learning needs. Chapter 6 critically explores ways in which the EYT/E can promote effective learning in the early years. In essence, parents are the child’s ‘first teacher’. Parents and carers teach their children through everyday activities, for example, the way that they speak and interact with their child, through dressing, feeding, bathing and bedtime routines. Also by making daily chores playful and fun, for example, laying the table, sorting washing, walks outdoors, counting steps and trips to the local shops. These playful, everyday activities are just as much about teaching as learning to read, write and use numbers. To enhance learning, all of these everyday activities should be accompanied by conversation, direct comments related to the task or a running commentary.

Point for reflection

Setting up teaching and play as opposites is a false dichotomy. (Ofsted, 2015a)

• How can play be used to engage early years children in learning?

It is the role of the EYT/E to work hand in hand with the child’s parent or carer to promote their learning and development and prepare them for what lies ahead, albeit, starting school or in their personal life. Sadly, the reality is that not all children are treated fairly or experience what they are entitled to. Teaching early years children requires EYT/Es to be vigilant and inclusive in their practice. In England, there are clear mandatory requirements set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework (2017a), as well as in the Equality Act 2010, to support the needs of all children, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and those at risk of harm and neglect. The significant aspects of safeguarding and children’s welfare are critically examined in Chapter 10 of this book. Promoting children’s rights and inclusive practice is critically explored in Chapter 11.

Recent social changes have challenged the purpose of early education and the consequences for what is expected of those who work with young children (OECD, 2017a). EYT/ are tasked with making a lasting, positive impact on children’s well-being and development, opening young children’s minds to new concepts and ideas on a daily basis. Research demonstrates that the quality of early education and childcare provision is substantially raised when practice is led by specialists (Callanan et al., 2017).

There is much to learn about teaching babies and young children from past and present reading, research and initiatives, for example the Macmillan sisters (1860–1931), Maria Montessori (1870–1952), Freidrich Froebel (1882–1952), Reggio Emilia (1950s) and more recently Ferre Lavers and Margy Whally, the Director of The Pen Green Centre for Children and their Families at Corby in England. The fact that many of these ways of working come largely from past generations does not make their opinions any less relevant today. In fact, it makes their work even more valuable because they come from those who have learned much through their years of devotion to teaching young children. Chapter 3, Early Years Movers and Shakers, seeks to critically explore the influences of alternative education systems on teaching and learning in the early years.

All references made in this book to teaching and learning in the early years recognises the fact that teachers, educators, parents and carers all teach young children in their own particular way. In England, the nature of teaching can be affected by the size and type of early years setting, school, service or network that professionals work in, for example, a larger private, voluntary and independent (PVI) setting and children’s centres may offer more direct opportunities for EYT/Es to work collaboratively with colleagues, other agencies and parents; whereas if you work as a childminder you may be teaching children all by yourself.

Point for reflection

• How do the qualification levels of early years staff in your school, setting or network compare with the results of the Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (EPPE) study (Sylva et al., 2010) discussed in the OECD Research Brief ‘Qualifications, Education and Professional Development Matter’ (2017a)? This shows that the key explanatory factors for high-quality ECE are related to staff with higher qualifications, staff with leadership skills and long-serving staff; trained staff working alongside and supporting less qualified staff; staff with a good understanding of child development and learning.

Background to the Professionalisation of the Early Years Workforce

The chapter authors featured in this book feel very privileged to have supported so many early years graduates and practitioners to gain qualifications and develop the necessary professional competencies required to work with young children and their families. Much of our work has been driven not only by a passion for the early years but also were developed during many of the past and present reforms that are critically examined below. It is good to have taken part and witnessed all the research, time, money and expertise that have gone into transforming the early years sector and making it what it is today. Undeniably, the evidence suggests that there is still more that must be done by the EYT/E to make sure that all children get the best start in life. Research led by Sandra Mathers for the Nuffield Foundation looked at provision for disadvantaged 3- and 4-year-olds (Hillman and Williams, 2015). This research showed that, where settings employ specially trained graduates, quality is higher and the gap between settings in disadvantaged and more affluent areas is narrower. Chapter 11 explores this topic in more detail.

Early education and care received considerable attention in England between 1997 and 2010 under a Labour government who pledged to ensure the availability for parents of more childcare places, better quality early education and care, and greater choice and accessibility. During 2006, the first ever legislation specific to early childhood education and care received royal assent. The Childcare Act 2006 places a statutory duty on Local Authorities to take lead responsibility for childcare in partnership with others, to raise quality, improve delivery and achieve better results (see DCSF, 2006). A further priority is to develop more integrated provision that seeks to improve well-being and reduce inequalities. The aspiration to change the early years workforce was initially outlined in The Children’s Plan: Building Brighter Futures (DCSF, 2007) and Every Child Matters: Change for Children (DfES, 2003). Running parallel to this were many early years research initiatives, including the DfES-funded longitudinal study of Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (EPPE; Sylva et al., 2004), which influenced a commitment to providing high-quality, pre-school childcare provision for children, parents, carers and society in general, as recognised in the Choice for Parents, the Best Start for Children: A Ten-year Strategy for Childcare (DfES, 2004). The strategy not only championed the development of high-quality childcare provision, but also signalled the notion that working with pre-school children should have as much status as a profession as teaching children in schools and an early years graduate level programme called Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) was introduced to raise the bar.

During 2011, public sector spending cuts became a glaring and unpleasant reality in England, however, at the same time there were increasing calls for the early years services to do better in addressing the needs of children and families with the most complex needs (Goddard and Temperley, 2011). Despite the early years in England being caught up in the financial constraints imposed during a time of austerity, the then Coalition Government (2010–2015) announced its intention to continue to fund those working in the early years sector to achieve graduate level as well as introduce the role of the Early Years Educator. These decisions were mainly influenced by the research evidence presented in the series of seminal reviews, namely: Field (2010), Marmot (2010), Tickell (2011), Allen (2011), Munro (2011) and the Coalition Government’s policy statement ‘Supporting Families in the Foundation Years’ (DfE/DH, 2011), and the Nutbrown Re...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Publisher Note
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Acknowledgements
• Contents
• About the Authors and Contributors
• Authors’ Acknowledgements
• 1 Getting Started – An Introduction to Teaching and Learning in the Early Years
• 2 A Principled Pedagogical Approach to Teaching and Learning in the Early Years
• 3 Early Years Movers and Shakers
• 4 Reflective Practice and Practice-Based Inquiry
• 5 High-Quality Early Years Teaching and Learning
• 6 Planning for Effective Teaching and Learning in the Early Years (EY)
• 7 Communication, Language and Literacy in the Early Years
• 8 Promoting Babies’ and Young Children’s Physical and Emotional Well-being
• 9 Developing a Creative Approach to Teaching and Learning in the Early Years
• 10 Safeguarding and Promoting the Welfare of All Babies and Young Children
• 11 Responding to the Strengths and Needs of All Babies and Young Children
• 12 Undertaking Wider Professional Responsibilities
• Appendix 1.1: Teachers’ Standards. (Early Years) From September 2013. National College for Teaching and Leadership
• Appendix 1.2: Early Years Educator (Level 3): Qualifications Criteria. National College for Teaching and Leadership (2013)
• Appendix 2: EYFS (2017a) Staff: Child Ratios – all providers (including childminders)
• References
• Index