Teaching Across the Early Years 3-7

225 Pages·2002·2.07 MB·English

by  Hilary Cooper

Afterword i
11 Teaching across the
Early Years 3–7
11
11 This practical and accessible book explores ways of developing continuity
and coherence in children’s learning from three to seven years old. It is based
around three case studies in which tutors on Initial Teacher Training courses
worked with Early Years practitioners in three different pre-school settings,
each linked to a primary school. The book describes how they successfully
managed to plan and teach integrated themes across the age-range in the
context of the requirements of the Foundation Stage and the National
111 Curriculum.
Each case study has a different focus:
• science, design and technology
• ‘the arts’ – including an ICT strand
• ‘the humanities’ – including a physical education strand
English and mathematics dimensions run through each theme. The book is
alive with discussion of children’s art, language, drama and music, captured
as field notes, writing, drawing, and as video tape. Each chapter concludes
111 with suggestions of ways in which readers can develop the ideas in their own
contexts.
This book will be invaluable reading for students on Early Years courses,
for Early Years practitioners, and tutors and mentors in early childhood
education.
Hilary Cooper is Reader in Education at St Martin’s College, Lancaster.
Her previous publications include Children’s Perceptions of Learning with
Trainee Teachers (2000) and Teaching History in the Early Years, 2nd Edition
(2002), both published by RoutledgeFalmer.
111 Chris Sixsmith is a Principal Lecturer at St Martin’s College, Lancaster.
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Introduction: setting the scene iii
11 Teaching across the
Early Years 3–7
11
Curriculum Coherence and Continuity
11
Edited by
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Hilary Cooper and
Chris Sixsmith
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First published 2003 by RoutledgeFalmer
11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by RoutledgeFalmer
29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005.
“To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s
collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.”
RoutledgeFalmer is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group
© 2003 Hilary Cooper and Chris Sixsmith, selection and editorial
matter; individual chapters, the contributors
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted
or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic,
mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented,
including photocopying and recording, or in any information
storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the
British Library
Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalog record for this book has been requested
ISBN 0-203-01870-2 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0–415–25472–8 (hbk)
ISBN 0–415–25473–6 (pbk)
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11 For the early years educator, therefore, the process of education – how chil-
dren learn – is as important as, and inseparable from, the content – what
children learn. We believe that this principle must underlie all curriculum
planning for the under fives.
(The Rumbold Report)
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DES (1990) Starting with Quality: A Report of the Committee of Enquiry into the Quality of
111 Educational Experiences Offered to 3–4 Year Olds(The Rumbold Report), London: HMSO.

Introduction: setting the scene vii
11 Contents
11
11 List of contributors xii
Acknowledgements xiv
1 Mapping out the project: aims, rationale, organization 1
HILARY COOPER AND CHRIS SIXSMITH
111 PART 1
Dalesview First School: books, stories and
rhymes 11
Introduction: setting the scene 19
2 Developing a scientific understanding of the world 25
CHRIS SIXSMITH AND LISA MELBOURNE
3 Design and technology: the danger of cutting corners 35
OWAIN EVANS
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4 Traditional stories and rhymes: ‘Goldilocks, don’t you
do owt!’ 46
KATHARINE LANGLEY-HAMEL
5 Sum stories: developing children’s mathematical knowledge
with meaning 56
MARGARET FOSTER AND ROBIN FOSTER
Dalesview: a happy ending? 62
111 PART 2
Clappersgate Primary School and Brantwood
Nursery School: Africa – music, art and drama 67
111 Introduction: an empty canvas 77
viii Contents
6 Music: feel the beat 83
KIRSTY KLIJN
7 Art: ‘Swirly! It’s all swirly’ 98
ANDREA BROOK
8 Finding a voice: drama and young children 106
NIGEL TOYE
9 The young shall inherit the technology 120
PETE SAUNDERS AND LIZ ELLIOTT
10 Out of Africa? Lullabies, riddles and stories 131
KATHARINE LANGLEY-HAMEL AND KEVIN HAMEL
Discussing the picture 137
PART 3
Market Gates Infants’ School and St Mark’s
day care unit pre-school playgroup:
our environment – history, geography and
physical education 141
Introduction: spying out the land 149
11 History: finding out about the past and the language of time 153
CHRISTINE COOPER
12 Developing a geographical perspective within an
integrated theme 168
NEIL SIMCO
13 Physical development into physical education: is it fair play? 181
JIM LAVIN
14 Numeracy all around: developing children’s mathematics
through role play and directed daily experience 189
MARGARET FOSTER AND ROBIN FOSTER
Looking back on ‘Our environment’ 196
Postscript 198
Afterword 200
Index 201
Introduction: setting the scene ix
11 List of figures
11
11 1.1 Reception class children’s drawings of nursery rhyme
characters 44
1.2 Ben, in (Year 2) was not yet able to reinterpret the story of
the Three Little Pigs 53
1.3 Donna’s vivid and detailed reinterpretation of the story
of Snow White 54
3.1 Alisa (Year 1) drew a picture of games children may have
111 played in Market Gates’ playground ten years ago 160
3.2 Sarah (Year 1) drew what was happening in the playground
today 161
3.3 Aanrah (Year 1) suggested ideas for the new playground 162
3.4 (Year 1) Roomana’s drawing shows symbolic representation
of tubs in the school garden 175
3.5 Zibya (Year 1) understands the distinction between buildings
and land and identifies changes which have occurred 176
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