Foundation Phase: National Curriculum For Wales
Within Wales, it is important that children within the Foundation Phase have an awareness and knowledge of their country, the heritage of Wales, Welsh history and the cultural identity that is unique to Wales. To make sure that all children were able to have this experience, the Curriculum Cymreig (CC) was introduced as part of the National Curriculum for Wales. The Curriculum Cymreig was introduced in 1988 as part of the Education Reform Act and was conducted by the Welsh Assembly Government. Before this there was just a National Curriculum for both England and Wales, with Wales having emphasis on some subjects which linked in with the Welsh context. This was then revised in 2008 to help focus on the learner’s wellbeing and also skills development.
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http://cw.routledge.com/textbooks/9780415478724/downloads/wales-english.pdf 08/12/14. The five main aspects to the CC are cultural knowledge, economic, environmental, linguistic and also historical knowledge of Wales.
It is important to ensure that within the Foundation Phase, the CC is a part of the different lessons and topics that are taught within your classroom.
This is so children begin to understand and celebrate their Welsh culture, feel a sense of belonging in their local Welsh community but also identify and become aware of their own feelings towards ‘Welshness’. (School, n.d.). But also, within the classroom it’s important to take into consideration Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. This is a five stage model that people, with different stages to reach the top result of ‘self-actualization’. This is where a person realizes their full potential, identity, belonging and positive self-image. The first four stages …show more content…
are:
1. Physiological needs
2. Safety Needs
3. Love and belongingness needs
4. Esteem needs
It is important to help children to go through these stages whilst within the classroom so they can hopefully meet the highest point within Maslow’s hierarchy. (McLeod, 2014)
To help children understand the CC within the classroom, you could do this through theme of Mari Lwyd. The Mari Lwyd is a Welsh tradition that usually happens around the Christmas time and is thought to bring good luck. People within the community would come together to make a horse figure, made from a horses skull (which had been painted and decorated), bells, ribbons, colourful reins and white sheet over held up by a pole so the Mari Lwyd was able to move. Once the Mari Lwyd had been created it was then go door to door with the community to a battle of rhyme and afterwards the Mari Lwyd and its ‘party’ will be invited in for refreshments. This is a pre-Christian tradition. (Goverment, 2014)
Developing the CC through Creative Development (Art)
The theme of Mari Lwyd can be developed through the area of Creative Development of Art, Craft and Design.
Within the Foundation Phase, making use of Creative Development as a generalization other than just art, helps the children to express “individual ways of representing their ideas, feelings and emotions imaginatively.” (DCELLS, 2008). This is helped by the curiosity of the child and also through stimulating activities. Within creative development children should be able to experience a range of resources, develop communication skills, express views and finally reflect on their work. (DCELLS, 2008).
As thought by NACCCE, when being imaginative in art, it should be of a non-routine form. This non-routine form will help the children to become more creative and also will help them to express themselves. Being able to express themselves and to be independent within their work helps to build on the ‘esteem needs’ of Maslow’s hierarchy. Also within imagination, children are beginning to use originality and thinking of ideas themselves, this helping them to realize their own identity. (Wilson,
2009).
Within the art section of creative development, this could be developed within the Foundation Phase provision area ‘messy area’. The theme of Mari Lwyd could be developed here as children could make their own horse puppets, using a range of materials in order to create the puppets. Creating puppets is a benefit to the children in a variety of ways, this including communication skills and creative skills. This is because once the puppets have been made it allows children to describe what they have done on their puppet and using key words from the Mari Lwyd story to describe, this bringing in some of the Welsh language. It also helps to create the children creative skills, not only physically but also because it is helping to build up the imagination of the child and express feelings. For example the children could be discussing how they may think that the Mari Lwyd party are feeling when they are having a party. This bringing in the personal and social development of the child. Within the messy area it allows the child to become creative in their own way, without the lesson being completely ‘teacher initiated’. This freedom for the child helps to develop a child’s esteem needs as they are likely to have a sense achievement in what they have created, linking to Maslow’s theory. (Basics, n.d.). Within the messy corner, whilst making the puppets of the Mari Lwyd, the children could be working together, to help assist one another within the production of their puppets. Whilst working in a group, it is likely the children will work together to help achieve goals that they all have individually, producing high quality work. Whilst also working in a group, children are able to share ideas with one another, which may help other children in the development of their puppet which is fulfilling the love and belongingness needs of the child within Maslow’s hierarchy. (summary, n.d.)
Curriculum Cymreig could be nurtured through this area of learning, as children are growing an awareness of the history of Wales and developing their cultural knowledge, as they are retelling the story with their puppets.
When creating the puppets, there are many skills that the children will develop. This including the skills “explore and experiment with a variety of techniques and tools”, “make choices when choosing materials and resources”. (DCELLS, 2008) The children will develop these skills because the children are making their own choices, from the materials given, of how they would like to decorate their Mari Lwyd. Because there is a range of materials available, it is also developing the skill of making choices of their own and choosing which materials they believe will be suitable.
Developing the CC through Creative Development (Music)
The theme Mari Lwyd could also be developed through the area of Creative Development of Music. Within the Foundation Phase music is important because it is helping children to respond to different sound sources, explore different sound sources and also help to develop confidence skills. Confidence skills can be developed by joining in during group chants, songs and nursery rhymes. (DCELLS, 2008). Within music, it is also important to encourage motivation of the student. This is because motivation helps children to want try and discover something new, develop new ideas and also find something that interests them. (Wilson, 2009).
Within the music section of creative development, this could be enhanced through the provision area of the dressing up corner. The theme Mari Lwyd could be developed here, as the children could dress up as Welsh people, and sing traditional welsh songs or rhymes whilst being a part of the Mari Lwyd party when spreading good luck. With children dressing up in a traditional Welsh way, it is helping children to develop their cultural and also historical knowledge of Wales within the CC. This is because they are learning the traditional way that people used to dress within Wales. With singing Welsh songs it is helping the children to become familiar with Welsh traditional songs that may be sang. Whilst singing the songs, children could use musical instruments to accompany the songs, and also learn about rhythm of the music. With children using the musical instruments and creating their own tune it is giving the children independence and also prestige over their instrument which is fulfilling the esteem needs within Maslow’s hierarchy. Children using musical instruments within their learning opens them up to many benefits. Children using musical instruments helps them to expose their cultural history. This is because, when listening to a variety of traditional songs and using an instrument to accompany, the children are learning about music from different times as each piece of music has a historical background. Other benefits of using a musical instrument include, helping a child’s concentration, improving listening skills and also promotes happiness to the children and others around them. (Matthews, 2011). This self-positivity helping to contribute to the esteem and also belongingness needs of Maslow’s hierarchy.
There are many traditional Welsh songs that the children could sing along too, whilst within the Mari Lwyd party, this including the Mari Lwyd song. With having a song about Mari Lwyd for the children to sing along to, makes it much more interesting to learn about the Mari Lwyd, as singing usually encourages motivation to learn for the children. Singing traditional Welsh songs, helps the children in many ways with their development. Whilst singing songs, children are developing their Welsh language development. This is because singing songs in Welsh, is helping the children to learn new vocabulary but also is helping them to become in touch with their ‘Welshness’ and cultural identity within Wales.
When using the musical instruments, there are many skills that the children will develop. “explore a range of sound sources” “create their own musical ideas” “sing a range of songs with others (DCELLS, 2008).
http://cw.routledge.com/textbooks/9780415478724/downloads/wales-english.pdf 08/12/14. The five main aspects to the CC are cultural knowledge, economic, environmental, linguistic and also historical knowledge of Wales.
It is important to ensure that within the Foundation Phase, the CC is a part of the different lessons and topics that are taught within your classroom.
This is so children begin to understand and celebrate their Welsh culture, feel a sense of belonging in their local Welsh community but also identify and become aware of their own feelings towards ‘Welshness’. (School, n.d.). But also, within the classroom it’s important to take into consideration Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. This is a five stage model that people, with different stages to reach the top result of ‘self-actualization’. This is where a person realizes their full potential, identity, belonging and positive self-image. The first four stages …show more content…
are:
1. Physiological needs
2. Safety Needs
3. Love and belongingness needs
4. Esteem needs
It is important to help children to go through these stages whilst within the classroom so they can hopefully meet the highest point within Maslow’s hierarchy. (McLeod, 2014)
To help children understand the CC within the classroom, you could do this through theme of Mari Lwyd. The Mari Lwyd is a Welsh tradition that usually happens around the Christmas time and is thought to bring good luck. People within the community would come together to make a horse figure, made from a horses skull (which had been painted and decorated), bells, ribbons, colourful reins and white sheet over held up by a pole so the Mari Lwyd was able to move. Once the Mari Lwyd had been created it was then go door to door with the community to a battle of rhyme and afterwards the Mari Lwyd and its ‘party’ will be invited in for refreshments. This is a pre-Christian tradition. (Goverment, 2014)
Developing the CC through Creative Development (Art)
The theme of Mari Lwyd can be developed through the area of Creative Development of Art, Craft and Design.
Within the Foundation Phase, making use of Creative Development as a generalization other than just art, helps the children to express “individual ways of representing their ideas, feelings and emotions imaginatively.” (DCELLS, 2008). This is helped by the curiosity of the child and also through stimulating activities. Within creative development children should be able to experience a range of resources, develop communication skills, express views and finally reflect on their work. (DCELLS, 2008).
As thought by NACCCE, when being imaginative in art, it should be of a non-routine form. This non-routine form will help the children to become more creative and also will help them to express themselves. Being able to express themselves and to be independent within their work helps to build on the ‘esteem needs’ of Maslow’s hierarchy. Also within imagination, children are beginning to use originality and thinking of ideas themselves, this helping them to realize their own identity. (Wilson,
2009).
Within the art section of creative development, this could be developed within the Foundation Phase provision area ‘messy area’. The theme of Mari Lwyd could be developed here as children could make their own horse puppets, using a range of materials in order to create the puppets. Creating puppets is a benefit to the children in a variety of ways, this including communication skills and creative skills. This is because once the puppets have been made it allows children to describe what they have done on their puppet and using key words from the Mari Lwyd story to describe, this bringing in some of the Welsh language. It also helps to create the children creative skills, not only physically but also because it is helping to build up the imagination of the child and express feelings. For example the children could be discussing how they may think that the Mari Lwyd party are feeling when they are having a party. This bringing in the personal and social development of the child. Within the messy area it allows the child to become creative in their own way, without the lesson being completely ‘teacher initiated’. This freedom for the child helps to develop a child’s esteem needs as they are likely to have a sense achievement in what they have created, linking to Maslow’s theory. (Basics, n.d.). Within the messy corner, whilst making the puppets of the Mari Lwyd, the children could be working together, to help assist one another within the production of their puppets. Whilst working in a group, it is likely the children will work together to help achieve goals that they all have individually, producing high quality work. Whilst also working in a group, children are able to share ideas with one another, which may help other children in the development of their puppet which is fulfilling the love and belongingness needs of the child within Maslow’s hierarchy. (summary, n.d.)
Curriculum Cymreig could be nurtured through this area of learning, as children are growing an awareness of the history of Wales and developing their cultural knowledge, as they are retelling the story with their puppets.
When creating the puppets, there are many skills that the children will develop. This including the skills “explore and experiment with a variety of techniques and tools”, “make choices when choosing materials and resources”. (DCELLS, 2008) The children will develop these skills because the children are making their own choices, from the materials given, of how they would like to decorate their Mari Lwyd. Because there is a range of materials available, it is also developing the skill of making choices of their own and choosing which materials they believe will be suitable.
Developing the CC through Creative Development (Music)
The theme Mari Lwyd could also be developed through the area of Creative Development of Music. Within the Foundation Phase music is important because it is helping children to respond to different sound sources, explore different sound sources and also help to develop confidence skills. Confidence skills can be developed by joining in during group chants, songs and nursery rhymes. (DCELLS, 2008). Within music, it is also important to encourage motivation of the student. This is because motivation helps children to want try and discover something new, develop new ideas and also find something that interests them. (Wilson, 2009).
Within the music section of creative development, this could be enhanced through the provision area of the dressing up corner. The theme Mari Lwyd could be developed here, as the children could dress up as Welsh people, and sing traditional welsh songs or rhymes whilst being a part of the Mari Lwyd party when spreading good luck. With children dressing up in a traditional Welsh way, it is helping children to develop their cultural and also historical knowledge of Wales within the CC. This is because they are learning the traditional way that people used to dress within Wales. With singing Welsh songs it is helping the children to become familiar with Welsh traditional songs that may be sang. Whilst singing the songs, children could use musical instruments to accompany the songs, and also learn about rhythm of the music. With children using the musical instruments and creating their own tune it is giving the children independence and also prestige over their instrument which is fulfilling the esteem needs within Maslow’s hierarchy. Children using musical instruments within their learning opens them up to many benefits. Children using musical instruments helps them to expose their cultural history. This is because, when listening to a variety of traditional songs and using an instrument to accompany, the children are learning about music from different times as each piece of music has a historical background. Other benefits of using a musical instrument include, helping a child’s concentration, improving listening skills and also promotes happiness to the children and others around them. (Matthews, 2011). This self-positivity helping to contribute to the esteem and also belongingness needs of Maslow’s hierarchy.
There are many traditional Welsh songs that the children could sing along too, whilst within the Mari Lwyd party, this including the Mari Lwyd song. With having a song about Mari Lwyd for the children to sing along to, makes it much more interesting to learn about the Mari Lwyd, as singing usually encourages motivation to learn for the children. Singing traditional Welsh songs, helps the children in many ways with their development. Whilst singing songs, children are developing their Welsh language development. This is because singing songs in Welsh, is helping the children to learn new vocabulary but also is helping them to become in touch with their ‘Welshness’ and cultural identity within Wales.
When using the musical instruments, there are many skills that the children will develop. “explore a range of sound sources” “create their own musical ideas” “sing a range of songs with others (DCELLS, 2008).