Introducing Prep: Curriculum implications

1. Introducing Prep:Curriculum implications

2. Outline of presentation • Differences between preschool and Prep • The curriculum • Approach to teaching and learning • Continuity • Implications for the early phase of schooling • Continuity with the middle phase of schooling

3. Differences from preschool • children at least six months older • full-day, five-days-a-week program • curriculum built around identified factors for success in schooling • identified learning expectations that lead to the Year 1 curriculum • expanded learning situations include investigations, real-life situations, play, routines and focused learning and teaching situations • children’s progress monitored using an earlylearning record with phases of learning that lead into Level 1 of the KLA syllabuses

4. The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines • is research-based • provides information about: • curriculum and teaching • assessment • reporting on learning progress.

5. Curriculum decision making

6. Planning • is collaborative • ensures continuity of learning • incorporates children’s interests • includes planning for assessment.

7. Interacting Teachers: • model and demonstrate • scaffold learning and provide prompts • make learning explicit • use teachable moments • break down tasks • collaborate with children • work alongside children • give feedback • challenge thinking.

8. Monitoring and assessing Teachers: • plan for assessment • collect evidence of learning • manage folios • use assessment information to link to future learning • involve children in reflecting on their learning • make judgments based on evidence of learning • use monitoring to inform conversations.

9. Reflecting Teachers reflect: • on how children are responding to the learning experiences • on the evidence of children’s learning progress • on how they are covering the curriculum • with children on what they have learnt • with the teacher aide on children’s responses to the learning.

10. What are the key components of an effective early years curriculum?

11. Contexts for learning

12. Various types of play • socio-dramatic play • fantasy play • exploratory play • manipulative play • physical play • games with rules Most of these types of play are relevant beyond Prep.

14. Function of play in learning in early primary:building up the brain Play extends and elaborates understandings of: • social roles • ways people interact — negotiating and cooperating • properties of objects and materials • ways of solving problems • language conventions • use of symbols • planning, carrying out plans, reflecting.

15. Real-life situations • Fathers’ Day event • making a garden • celebrating a birthday, new baby, etc. • sending news to Grandma • sharing what we’ve doneand learnt this week, or plans for the week • community visits • etc.

16. Investigations • Use children’s questions and things that arouse their curiosity. • Involve children in: • inquiring, exploring • assessment • testing ideas • solving problems.

17. Routines and transitions Routines • Include daily experiences, e.g. reading to children, reflection times, music experiences. • Develop independence and responsibility. Transitions can include short games that focus learning, provide practice and recall information, etc.

18. Focused learning and teaching • take place during play, real-life situations, investigations and routines and transitions • can be planned • can occur at the teachable moment.

19. What are the factors associated with later success in school? • social and emotional competence • health and physical wellbeing • language development and communication • early mathematical understandings • active learning processes • positive disposition to learning.

21. Learning statement overview: example

22. Assessment and reporting in Prep The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines helps teachers: • plan for, monitor and make judgments about children’s learning in partnership with others • build an overall picture of a child’s learning and development as they make the transition to Year 1 • report to parents and colleagues on a child’s learning.

23. There are four phases: becoming aware exploring making connections applying. A continuum of learning Children’s learning progress is recorded on the early learning record (ELR) using a continuum describing learning from Prep to Level 1.

24. Step 1 Gather evidence of children’s learning in relation to learning statements. Step 2 Organise evidence in folios. Step 3 Interpret evidence. Step 4 Record judgment of phase of learning in early learning record. Assessing in prep

25. Early learning record (ELR)

26. Sample phase descriptors

27. Continuity

28. Continuity in the early years Continuity in views of children • viewing children as capable and coming into the new setting with knowledge Continuity of assessment • articulation of the early learning record with the KLA framework • using information from the early learning record (ELR) to inform planning in Year 1 Continuity of curriculum • consider similarities in learning and teaching • consider similarities in the learning environment

29. Implications for the early phase of schooling

30. What does Prep mean for Years 1 to 3? • Children will be older. • Prep is the beginning of the early phase of learning in schools. • Continuity of learning and teaching are important if the gains of Prep are to continue. • Year 1 programs will be different. • Children will have learnt how to plan and discuss what they have learnt. • Different resources may be needed for different learning and teaching approaches.

31. How does the content of the Prep Year curriculum relate to Year 1?

33. Using the early learning record (ELR) in Year 1 As children make the transition to Year 1, consider the information on the ELR. Plan learning experiences to progress children to the next phase (refer to the booklet of phase descriptors for teaching advice): • becoming aware • exploring • making connections • applying • Level 1 of the KLA syllabuses. Continue folio.

34. Continuity with the middle phase of schooling

35. In the early phase of schooling Effective practices include: • planning learning experiences for active engagement — emotionally, socially, physically and cognitively • using a plan–do–reflect sequence of learning and teaching • interacting to extend learning and provide feedback • providing opportunities to learn independently and with others • collaboratively planning with opportunities for children to make choices • developing a sense of shared ownership • being flexible • providing opportunities to use all sensory channels • building a sense of connectedness • using learning experiences that invite attention, exploration, manipulation, elaboration and imagination.

36. In the middle phase of schooling Effective practices: • focus on students’ needs, interests and concerns • recognise and accommodate student differences • have an emphasis on self-directed and co-constructed learning • challenge and extend students • promote complex thinking and problem solving • form connections to the community and use partnerships • make learning expectations explicit • encourage students to use their learning in real-life situations • reflect justice, respect, care and concern for others. National Middle Schooling Project

37. More information about the early years curriculum and a copy of the Early Years Curriculum Guidelines can be found at QSA’s website: www.qsa.qld.edu.au