Early learning refers to the abilities and concepts that children acquire before entering kindergarten. It is an essential component of development that establishes patterns for school and adult learning.
Childcare in Mascot is already taking new and innovative steps towards better early education. It can have a profound effect on their future as the first five years of a child’s life are critical for their development. It is during this time that they form the foundations upon which they will build the rest of their lives.
That is why early learning goals are so important. They provide a framework for educators to ensure that every child has the opportunity to reach their potential.
There are seven early learning goals in total that preschools in Mascot focus on. They are:
1. Communication and language
Communication and language are prime elements of everyone’s life and growth; children are no different. Their communication and language abilities highly impact their future endeavours and development.
Every goal on this list is important in helping a child reach their full potential. However, communication and language are often seen as the most important because they form the basis for all other learnings. Thus, it takes the first place in this list.
This area includes listening, speaking, attention, and understanding. When kids can do well in these areas, their growth and development are heightened. Some examples would be:
- Participating in back-and-forth conversations with their peers and their teacher.
- Making observations about what they heard and asking follow-up questions.
- Using full sentences to express their ideas and feelings about their experiences.
2. Physical development
Physical development includes gross motor skills and fine motor skills. Here, gross motor skills mean:
- Engaging in high-energy activities such as jumping, running, hopping, dancing, skipping, and climbing.
- Showing strength, balance, and coordination while playing.
- Safely negotiating space and barriers while keeping themselves and others in mind.
Whereas fine motor skills mean:
- Using various small instruments, such as scissors, paintbrushes, and cutlery.
- Sketching with precision and attention.
- Holding a pencil in a tripod grip.
- Ability to write fluidly.
3. Personal, social, and emotional development
Personal, social, and emotional development help youngsters learn how to interact with others.
PSED helps kids learn what is “right” and “wrong” and eventually feel good about themselves. They also learn to make friends by comprehending and expressing their emotions.
This, in addition, helps them gain independence. So, it’s important for parents and caregivers to nurture a child’s PSED from an early age. Some examples are:
- Being able to take care of their personal hygiene and needs, such as clothing and going to the restroom on their own.
- Co-operating with others while playing and working.
- Showing a grasp of their own and others’ feelings and learning to manage their behaviour accordingly.
4. Mathematics
Maths is one such aspect that exists across all phases of learning. It forms an essential part of both education and life in general.
And to clarify once and for all, mathematics is not only important for advanced education but also needed for early childhood education. Why? Because it promotes a lot of skills in children, such as:
- Problem-solving
- Numerical skills
- Critical thinking
- Telling time
5. Understanding the world
Ultimately, every skill is for navigating ourselves in this world without getting lost. UW — Understanding the world — helps youngsters make sense of the world around them. So, children will learn about various technologies, the environment, locations, people, and lots more.
To give a few examples:
- Being able to identify some parallels and contrasts between things in the past and now.
- Understanding people and culture.
- Understanding the similarities and differences between the country’s various religions and cultures.
6. Expressive arts and design
The next goal on the list is expressive arts and design. It is used to help children develop their imagination and creativity. There is nothing like imagination and creativity that can expand your mind to new heights.
It involves improving their capacity to work with materials and media. It could be producing music, singing, dancing, or experimenting with various colours, textures, and designs.
To name a few examples:
- Using and experimenting with a range of materials, tools, and techniques safely.
- Exploring different colours, patterns, textures, and shapes.
- Displaying their works and explaining the technique they followed.
- Acting out characters in tales and stories while using props and materials.
- Creating, modifying, and sharing tales and stories with teachers and classmates.
- Performing various well-known nursery songs and rhymes.
7. Literacy
Literacy is commonly defined as being able to write and read. But it covers a wide range of topics in early learning in North Sydney.
- Writing basic words and sentences that others can understand.
- Retelling tales and stories using their own words and newly introduced language demonstrate knowledge of what has been read to them.
- Understand and use newly presented vocabulary during talks about stories, nonfiction, rhymes, and poetry, as well as during role play.
Conclusion:
These are the 7 important early learning goals.
Early learning goals provide a framework for educators to ensure that every child has the opportunity to achieve success in life. Even for kids who cannot go to a high-end preschool, parents and caregivers can still help their development with these in mind. You can help them become strong in these areas from an early age.
A good start would be to engage in activities such as singing, reading, and talking with them. And for better growth, it is vital to make it a daily event rather than a once-a-month activity.
