Health And Social Care Level 3 Unit 3 P1
Teaching and Learning in Schools
P1
The age range I have chosen is 3 – 7 years, and I have chosen communication as the main area of development for this age range. The main stages of communication development are verbal communication, where children of this age range start to use their language skills much more effectively; non verbal communication such as eye contact, facial expressions, body language, gestures, sign language and tone of voice. These too are often effective ways for younger children to communicate; proximity is especially important when considering communication with younger children, by getting down to the level of the child they are more likely to listen and do what they are told.
P2
There are several factors I have identified that can affect the communication development of a child aged 3 – 7 years, i.e. children with impairments such as sight, speech and hearing may find it harder to communicate with others.
Children with ASD have difficulty in …show more content…
relating to other people, they do not understand the thoughts, feelings and needs of others. In addition, they are usually unable to express their own thoughts, feelings affectively to others. This presents difficulties in acquiring communication skills and being able to understand the social world” (Kamen (2008, p263)
A child’s home life can contribute to a child’s breakdown in communication if the child suffers from abuse or the family unit has broken down. The religious and cultural back ground of a child can have significant affect on a child’s verbal communication.
P3
The importance of communication within the age range 3 – 7 years is that the child needs to be able to make sense of what is being communicated to them; this in turn encourages a child to use their own thoughts and develop ideas intellectually. Within this age range I have observed that children like to share tasks with other children however emotionally they still need to be reassured. Communication plays a big part in this role as a simply okay or you are doing fine encourages the child in their social and emotional development. Communication also affects the physical development of a child when listening to verbal instructions i.e. asking them to draw a picture of their parents this in turn helps develop their fine motor skills as they use a pen and paper.
P4
One of the activities I have chosen that helps support children within their communication skills is Moving an Egg. This activity encourages the child to discuss with each other how it feels to create a carrying implement and what obstacles they had to overcome.
The other activity I have chosen is Follow Me If You Can. The activity involves a map of a journey and children are encouraged to draw land marks that fit on to the map. In groups they must then decide and agree with each other what fits where. In turn this activity encourages children to develop their literacy skills and encourage creative development.
P5
The role of a teaching assistant in the activity Follow Me If You Can is to ensure that all materials are available for the children, and that the teaching assistant provides extra support to those who need it. It is important for questions to be asked to ensure the child’s understanding and possible demonstrations when needed. Confidence can be encouraged by giving praise to the children throughout the activity.
P6
The activity Follow Me If You Can links in to the curriculum of personal and social development as it helps the child to express and communicate their feelings and emotions with others within a group. It encourages confidence of exploring the outdoor environment which also links into knowledge and understanding of the world. It also covers language, literacy and communication skills as it helps the child to listen and carry out instructions as well as responding to others within a group
P7
One of the most important roles of the teaching assistant is observing the children within the classroom. The teaching assistant must be able to identify the child’s learning needs or behavioural changes, and feed this back to the teacher. This will help the teacher understand how to approach that need and what methods or materials that may be needed to assist each child in future classroom activities. The teaching assistant is then able to provide instructions where necessary and to ask questions to encourage the child to experience learning and to reflect on what they have learnt. Another important part is to ensure through observation that the child is progressing towards their expected development stage within their age range.
P8
Through my research of child care education I have already learnt the importance of play and how activities help with the development of children aged 3 – 7 years. The most important part of play is that it is fun, and I believe that this is when a child can be at its most creative stage as they do not realise they are learning through play. There are a multiple benefits of play. I agree with the physical benefits that help with gross motor movements. I have also realised how important my chosen development area of communication helps with play as children are encouraged to try out new phrases and words. The emotional benefits of encouraging play, is that it helps to develop confidence as it creates a safe environment as role play is naturally observed. Play also encourages and develops social skills, which in turn helps the child to develop within the community and environment which are important life skills that we use from childhood to adulthood.
P9
There will be times that a teaching assistant would need to support a child through a transition period within their school years. This starts at the very first day that a child starts school. The attachment theory is when a child is linked to their primary carer which can be the most challenging transition to overcome. If a primary carer is not identified to the child it can cause emotional harm and stress, formally known as separation stress. The teaching assistant needs to be able to identify some of the signs of distress which could be crying, anger and withdrawn from others. These signs of distress must not be ignored, a good relationship between a teaching assistant and a primary carer is important and through their discussions will be able to identify the child’s comforter and how to use this to help them feel more secure i.e. a child’s soft toy. A child needs to feel secure and they must look towards the teaching assistant as a reliable carer this can be encouraged by showing affection through smiling, showing interest to the child, talking to them in a kind and friendly voice and by observing the child the teaching assistant will get to know what activity the child enjoys doing.
M1 Motivating Children
By using resources and materials that are familiar to the age range 3 – 7 years old will help them to have a better understanding of the task that is to be learnt. Introducing colours and shapes or breaking a particular task up into bite size pieces will help young children to better understand what to do i.e. by referring to the colour yellow or a circle would symbolise the sun or even asking the child if they can link shapes or colours to a certain object. The teaching assistant is able to monitor the child’s progress this way and as a result this will help encourage the children to share and expand their own knowledge. The teaching assistant will be able to see how they are able to keep up with the task at hand or if any further support is needed. I have already learned that when children participate in activities that are connected to their natural environment this will aid in confidence building and a child willing to learn.
It is important that the teaching assistant fully explains the task at hand and must be careful not to use difficult words. I understand that by using scenarios can not only help the child to understand but would also lead to the child being interested and more engaged, this encourages questions and develops creative thinking.
The benefits of the use of demonstration to a child, is that some children have different ways of learning and prefer to observe practical demonstrations from the teaching assistant. This encourages the child to have a have a go approach and to learn through discovery. The support that is provided by the teaching assistant shows a caring nature and shows respect for the child, and gives them a sense of belonging. I strongly believe that every child has the ability to learn and by promoting a range of learning activated this will help to capture individual learning preferences.
M2
It is important that the teaching assistant’s role regarding observations consists of feeding back details of the child’s progress to the teacher. This is normally done through a written record which is agreed by the school i.e. a written descriptive account or a pre coded system. (Children’s Care learning and development p48). The teaching assistant’s observations provide a firsthand account as an eye witness to the teacher of what was observed. This information will help to form a topic of discussion with the teacher about the child/groups development, learning and behaviour within the observation. It also helps the teaching assistant develop their own knowledge and understanding of the classroom and how effective the tasks have been in meeting the children’s needs. The assessment then helps to determine further planning of tasks and any different approaches that may be considered, or needed.
It is imperative that the teaching assistant play’s an active part to support the teacher’s role when planning new tasks. This can be done by spending time with the teacher when devising new activities. The teaching assistant will be able to help influence the teacher through the feedback of their observations and behaviours of children and their abilities to adjust to new activities. It is also important that the teaching assistant has a clear understanding of the activities that are planned for the week so that they are aware in advance of what work they are required to do.
D1
Having a positive relationship with the teacher helps to maintain a good learning environment, this will benefit the children, parents and staff. The teaching assistant should have a strong commitment to the children, teacher and the school’s values.
It is important to have good team working skills and to be able to accept feedback from the teacher or others for my own development and practice. Communication is imperative between all parties within the school environment. The teaching assistant must remain professional at all times and choose the right time and place to discuss confidential matters. This should only be done in a one to one setting and information should only be shared with the right party. You must have a good understanding of the school’s policy regarding the passing on of confidential information.
One of the most important roles of the teaching is to look after the welfare of their children i.e. every child matters policy. My role as a teaching assistant is to ensure that any aspects that could fall under this policy are communicated to the teacher as soon as witnessed. The every child matters policy focuses on the outcomes that include a child being healthy, staying safe, enjoying, achieving and making a positive contribution with others, which I observe witnessed and adhere to as part of my daily routine as a professional and effective teaching assistant.
Where the teacher plans a certain lesson for the children, this can be assisted by the teaching assistant by making sure that all materials such as work sheets, shapes and play equipment needed for that lesson are available and ready for the children so that the task runs smoothly.
Reference and Bibliography
Burnham, L (2007) The Teaching Assistant’s Handbook Primary School Supporting teaching and learning in schools, Heinemann http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/schoolshome/curriculuminwales/arevisedcurriculumforwales/foundationphase/?lang=en (07/14/2013)
Kamen, T (2007) CHILDREN’S CARE, LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT, Hodder Arnold
Kamen, T, (2008) Teaching Assistant’s HANDBOOK, 2nd edition, HODDER EDUCATION
Tassoni, P, (2007) Child Care and Education, 4th Edition, Heinemann www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/page1/DfES/1081/204 (17/01/2013) www.kellybear.com/TeacherArticles/TeacherTip42.html Motivating Children by Leah Davies, M.Ed. (10/01/2013)
Upgrade
P2
• Sight
• Speech
• Physical
• Hearing difficulties
• ASD
• Poor attachment
• Abuse
• Learning difficulties
• Poverty
• Social
• Environmental Factors
• Religious/cultural background
• Absence of a parent/Home life
P4
The activity involves creating a carrying implement from natural resources e.g sticks, leaves, moss, feathers, a couple of small pieces of string and tools within groups of 3-5 children.
The children can then use this implement when created to transport the egg around the obstacle course, without the use of their hands and place the egg back in the nest with its mother.
P7
Regular observations are important as they help teachers/teaching assistants to ensure that children are receiving the correct level of learning for their development stage, and that activities are age appropriate. Through play, a good understanding of the children and their interests. The teaching assistant is able to monitor the concentration levels and the development skills of working with others, and any changes in behaviour that require extra support that the child may need for their learning and development.
D1
When planning it is vital that the teaching assistant spends time with the teacher, to plan and prepare the lessons. Without proper planning and working alongside the teacher, this will lead to the teaching assistant not having clear objectives and would not be following the effective delivery of the curriculum, which in turn will fail to provide the appropriate support for the children learning and can affect the teaching assistant on a personal level i.e. confidence self development and the overall breakdown in communication.
The teaching assistant learns to build a good relationship with the children, and by not being involved in the planning stage of the activities, the teaching assistant may fail to recognise the individual support that some children may need and how to adapt tasks for them.
It is imperative to build a good working relationship with the teacher other teachers and visitors to the school. All decisions made by the teacher must be respected as there are underlying reasons for the basis of their decisions. However by not having an open door policy i.e. being able to question the teacher why they make decisions, can result in the TA’s failure of their own knowledge and understanding, this could result in a domino effect on the children, parents and the overall impression of the school.
P1
The age range I have chosen is 3 – 7 years, and I have chosen communication as the main area of development for this age range. The main stages of communication development are verbal communication, where children of this age range start to use their language skills much more effectively; non verbal communication such as eye contact, facial expressions, body language, gestures, sign language and tone of voice. These too are often effective ways for younger children to communicate; proximity is especially important when considering communication with younger children, by getting down to the level of the child they are more likely to listen and do what they are told.
P2
There are several factors I have identified that can affect the communication development of a child aged 3 – 7 years, i.e. children with impairments such as sight, speech and hearing may find it harder to communicate with others.
Children with ASD have difficulty in …show more content…
relating to other people, they do not understand the thoughts, feelings and needs of others. In addition, they are usually unable to express their own thoughts, feelings affectively to others. This presents difficulties in acquiring communication skills and being able to understand the social world” (Kamen (2008, p263)
A child’s home life can contribute to a child’s breakdown in communication if the child suffers from abuse or the family unit has broken down. The religious and cultural back ground of a child can have significant affect on a child’s verbal communication.
P3
The importance of communication within the age range 3 – 7 years is that the child needs to be able to make sense of what is being communicated to them; this in turn encourages a child to use their own thoughts and develop ideas intellectually. Within this age range I have observed that children like to share tasks with other children however emotionally they still need to be reassured. Communication plays a big part in this role as a simply okay or you are doing fine encourages the child in their social and emotional development. Communication also affects the physical development of a child when listening to verbal instructions i.e. asking them to draw a picture of their parents this in turn helps develop their fine motor skills as they use a pen and paper.
P4
One of the activities I have chosen that helps support children within their communication skills is Moving an Egg. This activity encourages the child to discuss with each other how it feels to create a carrying implement and what obstacles they had to overcome.
The other activity I have chosen is Follow Me If You Can. The activity involves a map of a journey and children are encouraged to draw land marks that fit on to the map. In groups they must then decide and agree with each other what fits where. In turn this activity encourages children to develop their literacy skills and encourage creative development.
P5
The role of a teaching assistant in the activity Follow Me If You Can is to ensure that all materials are available for the children, and that the teaching assistant provides extra support to those who need it. It is important for questions to be asked to ensure the child’s understanding and possible demonstrations when needed. Confidence can be encouraged by giving praise to the children throughout the activity.
P6
The activity Follow Me If You Can links in to the curriculum of personal and social development as it helps the child to express and communicate their feelings and emotions with others within a group. It encourages confidence of exploring the outdoor environment which also links into knowledge and understanding of the world. It also covers language, literacy and communication skills as it helps the child to listen and carry out instructions as well as responding to others within a group
P7
One of the most important roles of the teaching assistant is observing the children within the classroom. The teaching assistant must be able to identify the child’s learning needs or behavioural changes, and feed this back to the teacher. This will help the teacher understand how to approach that need and what methods or materials that may be needed to assist each child in future classroom activities. The teaching assistant is then able to provide instructions where necessary and to ask questions to encourage the child to experience learning and to reflect on what they have learnt. Another important part is to ensure through observation that the child is progressing towards their expected development stage within their age range.
P8
Through my research of child care education I have already learnt the importance of play and how activities help with the development of children aged 3 – 7 years. The most important part of play is that it is fun, and I believe that this is when a child can be at its most creative stage as they do not realise they are learning through play. There are a multiple benefits of play. I agree with the physical benefits that help with gross motor movements. I have also realised how important my chosen development area of communication helps with play as children are encouraged to try out new phrases and words. The emotional benefits of encouraging play, is that it helps to develop confidence as it creates a safe environment as role play is naturally observed. Play also encourages and develops social skills, which in turn helps the child to develop within the community and environment which are important life skills that we use from childhood to adulthood.
P9
There will be times that a teaching assistant would need to support a child through a transition period within their school years. This starts at the very first day that a child starts school. The attachment theory is when a child is linked to their primary carer which can be the most challenging transition to overcome. If a primary carer is not identified to the child it can cause emotional harm and stress, formally known as separation stress. The teaching assistant needs to be able to identify some of the signs of distress which could be crying, anger and withdrawn from others. These signs of distress must not be ignored, a good relationship between a teaching assistant and a primary carer is important and through their discussions will be able to identify the child’s comforter and how to use this to help them feel more secure i.e. a child’s soft toy. A child needs to feel secure and they must look towards the teaching assistant as a reliable carer this can be encouraged by showing affection through smiling, showing interest to the child, talking to them in a kind and friendly voice and by observing the child the teaching assistant will get to know what activity the child enjoys doing.
M1 Motivating Children
By using resources and materials that are familiar to the age range 3 – 7 years old will help them to have a better understanding of the task that is to be learnt. Introducing colours and shapes or breaking a particular task up into bite size pieces will help young children to better understand what to do i.e. by referring to the colour yellow or a circle would symbolise the sun or even asking the child if they can link shapes or colours to a certain object. The teaching assistant is able to monitor the child’s progress this way and as a result this will help encourage the children to share and expand their own knowledge. The teaching assistant will be able to see how they are able to keep up with the task at hand or if any further support is needed. I have already learned that when children participate in activities that are connected to their natural environment this will aid in confidence building and a child willing to learn.
It is important that the teaching assistant fully explains the task at hand and must be careful not to use difficult words. I understand that by using scenarios can not only help the child to understand but would also lead to the child being interested and more engaged, this encourages questions and develops creative thinking.
The benefits of the use of demonstration to a child, is that some children have different ways of learning and prefer to observe practical demonstrations from the teaching assistant. This encourages the child to have a have a go approach and to learn through discovery. The support that is provided by the teaching assistant shows a caring nature and shows respect for the child, and gives them a sense of belonging. I strongly believe that every child has the ability to learn and by promoting a range of learning activated this will help to capture individual learning preferences.
M2
It is important that the teaching assistant’s role regarding observations consists of feeding back details of the child’s progress to the teacher. This is normally done through a written record which is agreed by the school i.e. a written descriptive account or a pre coded system. (Children’s Care learning and development p48). The teaching assistant’s observations provide a firsthand account as an eye witness to the teacher of what was observed. This information will help to form a topic of discussion with the teacher about the child/groups development, learning and behaviour within the observation. It also helps the teaching assistant develop their own knowledge and understanding of the classroom and how effective the tasks have been in meeting the children’s needs. The assessment then helps to determine further planning of tasks and any different approaches that may be considered, or needed.
It is imperative that the teaching assistant play’s an active part to support the teacher’s role when planning new tasks. This can be done by spending time with the teacher when devising new activities. The teaching assistant will be able to help influence the teacher through the feedback of their observations and behaviours of children and their abilities to adjust to new activities. It is also important that the teaching assistant has a clear understanding of the activities that are planned for the week so that they are aware in advance of what work they are required to do.
D1
Having a positive relationship with the teacher helps to maintain a good learning environment, this will benefit the children, parents and staff. The teaching assistant should have a strong commitment to the children, teacher and the school’s values.
It is important to have good team working skills and to be able to accept feedback from the teacher or others for my own development and practice. Communication is imperative between all parties within the school environment. The teaching assistant must remain professional at all times and choose the right time and place to discuss confidential matters. This should only be done in a one to one setting and information should only be shared with the right party. You must have a good understanding of the school’s policy regarding the passing on of confidential information.
One of the most important roles of the teaching is to look after the welfare of their children i.e. every child matters policy. My role as a teaching assistant is to ensure that any aspects that could fall under this policy are communicated to the teacher as soon as witnessed. The every child matters policy focuses on the outcomes that include a child being healthy, staying safe, enjoying, achieving and making a positive contribution with others, which I observe witnessed and adhere to as part of my daily routine as a professional and effective teaching assistant.
Where the teacher plans a certain lesson for the children, this can be assisted by the teaching assistant by making sure that all materials such as work sheets, shapes and play equipment needed for that lesson are available and ready for the children so that the task runs smoothly.
Reference and Bibliography
Burnham, L (2007) The Teaching Assistant’s Handbook Primary School Supporting teaching and learning in schools, Heinemann http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/schoolshome/curriculuminwales/arevisedcurriculumforwales/foundationphase/?lang=en (07/14/2013)
Kamen, T (2007) CHILDREN’S CARE, LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT, Hodder Arnold
Kamen, T, (2008) Teaching Assistant’s HANDBOOK, 2nd edition, HODDER EDUCATION
Tassoni, P, (2007) Child Care and Education, 4th Edition, Heinemann www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/page1/DfES/1081/204 (17/01/2013) www.kellybear.com/TeacherArticles/TeacherTip42.html Motivating Children by Leah Davies, M.Ed. (10/01/2013)
Upgrade
P2
• Sight
• Speech
• Physical
• Hearing difficulties
• ASD
• Poor attachment
• Abuse
• Learning difficulties
• Poverty
• Social
• Environmental Factors
• Religious/cultural background
• Absence of a parent/Home life
P4
The activity involves creating a carrying implement from natural resources e.g sticks, leaves, moss, feathers, a couple of small pieces of string and tools within groups of 3-5 children.
The children can then use this implement when created to transport the egg around the obstacle course, without the use of their hands and place the egg back in the nest with its mother.
P7
Regular observations are important as they help teachers/teaching assistants to ensure that children are receiving the correct level of learning for their development stage, and that activities are age appropriate. Through play, a good understanding of the children and their interests. The teaching assistant is able to monitor the concentration levels and the development skills of working with others, and any changes in behaviour that require extra support that the child may need for their learning and development.
D1
When planning it is vital that the teaching assistant spends time with the teacher, to plan and prepare the lessons. Without proper planning and working alongside the teacher, this will lead to the teaching assistant not having clear objectives and would not be following the effective delivery of the curriculum, which in turn will fail to provide the appropriate support for the children learning and can affect the teaching assistant on a personal level i.e. confidence self development and the overall breakdown in communication.
The teaching assistant learns to build a good relationship with the children, and by not being involved in the planning stage of the activities, the teaching assistant may fail to recognise the individual support that some children may need and how to adapt tasks for them.
It is imperative to build a good working relationship with the teacher other teachers and visitors to the school. All decisions made by the teacher must be respected as there are underlying reasons for the basis of their decisions. However by not having an open door policy i.e. being able to question the teacher why they make decisions, can result in the TA’s failure of their own knowledge and understanding, this could result in a domino effect on the children, parents and the overall impression of the school.