Conceptualising progression in the pedagogy of play and sustained shared thinking in early childhood education : a Vygotskian perspective

This paper is concerned specifically with the pedagogies applied in supporting learning through children‟s play, and it is framed outside mainstream discourses on the nature of play. The development of the paper also represents one stage in a continuing effort to develop a better understanding of sustained shared thinking in early childhood education. The paper also focuses on the educational potential of shared playful activities. However, given the overwhelming consensus regarding the importance of play in early childhood development, even a diehard educational pragmatist must begin by addressing subjects that are most commonly considered by psychologists. The paper begins with an account of „sustained shared thinking‟, a pedagogical concept that was first identified in a mixed method, but essentially educational effectiveness study. Then a consideration of the nature and processes of „learning‟ and „development‟ is offered. It is argued that popular accounts of a fundamental difference in the perspectives of Piaget and Vygotsky have distracted educational attention from the most important legacy that they have left to early childhood education; the notion of „emergent development‟. Pedagogic progression in the early years is then identified as an educational response to, and an engagement with, the most commonly observed, evidence based developmental trajectories of young children as they learn through play

Effective Early Childhood Programmes

Published in collaboration with the Open University, Early Childhood in Focus offers accessible and clear reviews of the best and most recent available research, information and analysis on key policy issues, offering clear messages on core policy topics and questions. This publication, the fourth in the series, looks at the policy issues surrounding the early childhood education and care programmes: there is compelling scientific evidence showing improved long-term outcomes for disadvantaged children who participate in a high-quality programme, but realising this potential through policies and programmes is far from straightforward. It tackles the issue in three parts: The case for early childhood programmes; Evidence for early childhood programme effectiveness; and Challenges for early childhood programmes

Learning through making in the early years

Fifty four five-year-old children in three London Primary Schools were tested using the British Ability Scales (NFER). Every 'product' of the children's construction work for the term was photographed. Three intervention groups were withdrawn from their classroom for one hour per week for focused instruction. 'Access only' groups were also withdrawn but were not provided with instruction. The children in the second control group received no additional experience of making beyond that normally provided in the classroom. A total of 450 products were constructed by the children during the intervention phase and each has been categorised from an analysis of the photographs and according to principles of structures and mechanisms. The evidence suggests that while the intervention group constructions became increasingly complex, the performance of the 'access only' group actually deteriorated in terms of both quantity and quality. No significant improvement in BAS scores between the pre-test and post-test was found yet the evidence did suggest that learning had taken place, and that children in the intervention groups produced more elaborate constructions than any of those in the control groups

Različitost, inkluzija i učenje u ranoj dobi

Sva djeca imaju pravo na kurikulum koji uvažava njihov rodni, kulturni i jezični identitet i porijeklo. Od najranije dobi djeca grade svoj identitet i sliku o sebi i to pod utjecajem načina na koji njih i članove njihovih obitelji vide drugi. Kulturološki osviješten kurikulum i odgajatelji koji razumiju tu dimenziju čimbenika djetetovog razvoja u stanju su promijeniti postojeću praksu. Djeca će tako biti u prilici odrastati u sredini koja uvažava njihov materinji jezik, rodnu i klasnu pripadnost, istovremeno upoznajući novu kulturu i jezik

Različitost, inkluzija i učenje u ranoj dobi

Sva djeca imaju pravo na kurikulum koji uvažava njihov rodni, kulturni i jezični identitet i porijeklo. Od najranije dobi djeca grade svoj identitet i sliku o sebi i to pod utjecajem načina na koji njih i članove njihovih obitelji vide drugi. Kulturološki osviješten kurikulum i odgajatelji koji razumiju tu dimenziju čimbenika djetetovog razvoja u stanju su promijeniti postojeću praksu. Djeca će tako biti u prilici odrastati u sredini koja uvažava njihov materinji jezik, rodnu i klasnu pripadnost, istovremeno upoznajući novu kulturu i jezik