© The State of Queensland (Queensland Studies Authority) 2006 Introducing Prep: Curriculum implications

© The State of Queensland (Queensland Studies Authority) 2006

Introducing Prep:Introducing Prep:Curriculum implicationsCurriculum implications


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


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 early learning record with phases of learning that lead into Level 1 of the KLA syllabuses


The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines

• is research-based• provides information about:

– curriculum and teaching– assessment– reporting on learning progress.


Curriculum decision making


Planning

• is collaborative• ensures continuity of

learning• incorporates

children’sinterests

• includes planning for assessment.


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.


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.


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.


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


Contexts for learning


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.



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.


Real-life situations

• Fathers’ Day event• making a garden• celebrating a birthday, new baby, etc.• sending news to Grandma• sharing what we’ve done

and learnt this week, or plans for the week

• community visits• etc.


Investigations

• Use children’s questions and things that arouse their curiosity.

• Involve children in:– inquiring, exploring– assessment– testing ideas– solving problems.


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.


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.


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.


Factors related to success in school (the early learning areas)

Specific focus in the early learning areas

Links to KLA syllabuses

Social & personal learning

Social learningSelf-identityIndependence

SOSEHPE

Health & physical learning

Making healthy choicesGross-motorFine-motor

HPE

Language learning & communication

Oral languageEarly literacy English

Early mathematical understandings

Early numeracy Mathematics

Active learning processes ThinkingInvestigatingImagining & responding

ScienceSOSETechnologyThe Arts


Learning statement overview: example


• 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.

Assessment and reporting in Prep

The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines helps teachers:


There are four phases:• becoming aware• exploring• making connections• applying.

Children’s learning progress is recorded on the early learning record (ELR) using a continuum describing learning from Prep to Level 1.

A continuum of learning


Assessing in prep

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.


Early learning record (ELR)


Sample phase descriptors

Writing and shapingBecoming aware

Exploring Making connections

Applying

Metalinguistic and phonological awareness

Enjoys listening to games, stories, chants using rhyming jingles.

Responds to rhythms/patterns by clapping, stamping feet, etc.

Can segment their own names and commonplace words into syllables, e.g. hap-py birth-day.

Can blend familiar single syllable words from onset and rime to words, e.g. c-at to cat.


Continuity


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


Implications for the early phase of schooling


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.


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


Factors related to success in school (the early learning areas)

Specific focus in the early learning areas

Links to KLA syllabuses

Social & personal learning

Social learningSelf-identityIndependence

SOSEHPE

Health & physical learning

Making healthy choicesGross-motorFine-motor

HPE

Language learning & communication

Oral languageEarly literacy English

Early mathematical understandings

Early numeracy Mathematics

Active learning processes ThinkingInvestigatingImagining & responding

ScienceSOSETechnologyThe Arts


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):

Using the early learning record (ELR) in Year 1

Continue folio.

• becoming aware• exploring• making connections• applying• Level 1 of the KLA

syllabuses.


Continuity with the middle phase of schooling


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.


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


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

Documents

© The State of Queensland (Queensland Studies Authority) 2006 Introducing Prep: Curriculum implications