Early Childhood Education: Methodologies, Activities, and Diversity

Posted on Aug 5, 2024 in Physical Education

Methodological Principles for Organizing Activities

Appropriate Difficulty

Activities should be placed in the “zone of proximal development”—not too far from a child’s current developmental level. This ensures significant learning.

Interest

New proposals must connect to children’s interests. At this stage, manipulation is key.

  • Educators should observe, identify interests, and channel them through activities.
  • Incorporate several alternative activities, allowing children to choose those that best meet their interests.
  • Remember that learning doesn’t occur without interest and motivation.

Climate of Security and Confidence

  • Children should feel cared for, accepted, loved, valued, and heard.
  • This principle should guide all educational performance in this cycle.

Individualized Attention

  • Children in this cycle are developing the notion of a group.
  • Activities can be individual or in small groups.
  • The decision to perform an activity and its pace of implementation is individual.
  • Respect each child’s individuality while encouraging collaboration.

Flexible Time

Respect the individual rhythms of each child, avoiding stress.

Space and Materials

  • Plan each activity and ensure resources are available.
  • Carefully present materials and provide adequate space.

Pedagogical Coherence

Activities must be consistent with the pedagogical approach.

Globalization

  • Consider that children learn globally.
  • Offer meaningful, functional, and real experiences.
  • Present activities linked to the environment.

Activities in School for Young Children

Free Play

  • The main activity for children under 3 years old.
  • Apply all methodological principles.
  • Allow children to experiment with their environment, interpret it, and modify it.
  • Educator’s role: Provide an environment rich in space and materials.

Sensory and Motor Set

  • Sensory-motor development is crucial in the early months.
  • Provide maximum contact with objects in the infant classroom.
  • Include sensory materials in different areas of the classroom.
  • Remove obstacles in the 1-year-old classroom to ensure safe progress.
  • Basket of Treasures (Baby Class): A basket with objects of different sizes for free handling.
  • Heuristic Play (1 to 2 years): A bag filled with large items allows children to interact and develop symbolism.
  • Motor Play: Can take place in various spaces.

Symbolic Play

  • Begins around 18 months.
  • Corners (2 to 3 years)

Construction Set

  • Starts when children can sit; expands from 1 to 2 years and precision develops from 2 to 3 years.
  • Have a designated area in the classroom for the 2 to 3-year-old group.
  • Provide unstructured and highly structured pieces.
  • Benefits: Experience, autonomy, expressing feelings.
  • Educator’s role: Provide materials, freedom, and sufficient time.

Manipulative Play

  • Begins when the child can handle appropriate materials, developing cognitive, linguistic, and social skills.
  • Continuation of “heuristic play” (2 to 3 years).
  • The Blue Table: An embedded table with a bucket, allowing for material handling.

Activities of Daily Life

  • By the end of this cycle, children should have acquired autonomy in these activities.
  • Apply all methodological principles.

Directed Activities

  • Individual Attention: Smaller groups are better.
  • Interest: Allow choice, respect interests, and encourage motivation.
  • Flexibility: Allow flexibility in completing activities.

Meeting Time, Circle Time, or Assembly

  • Suitable for 2-year-olds.
  • Can be done at different times of the day.
  • Can be done standing or sitting in the middle of the room.
  • Start with a song, greeting, and organization.
  • Maintain a flexible circle.
  • Activities include stories and songs.
  • Instruments: Wall with family photos, name symbols, individual pads.
  • Opportunity for oral language development.

Psychomotor Activities

  • Specific sessions in the classroom or psychomotor area.
  • Allow for environmental exploration, social interaction, and self-esteem development.
  • Include tours, games, structured activities, and directed activities.
  • Sessions typically last 30-45 minutes.

Plastic Work

  • Best done in small groups.
  • Activities on horizontal or vertical surfaces with various materials.
  • Activities involving volume and crafts.

Storytelling

  • Enables cognitive, linguistic, social, and emotional learning.
  • Introduces reading and a love for books.
  • Can be done during meeting time or before nap time.
  • Importance of book selection and environment preparation.

Activities in Non-Formal Education

The education team and institution are responsible for educational content and methodological guidelines. Many teams use the school curriculum as a reference.

Principles of Non-Formal Education

  • Pedagogical Coherence: Activities must align with the institution’s objectives.
  • Individualized Attention: Small groups are best.
  • Security and Trust: Children must feel safe.

The Farm School

  • Activities related to environmental knowledge.
  • Active and playful activities.
  • Focus on personal autonomy.
  • Principles of individuality and an atmosphere of security and trust.

Camps

  • Can be in town or nature.
  • Activities usually follow a theme for educational coherence.

Birthdays

  • Consider your objectives when planning activities.

Globalized Methodological Proposals

Corners

  • Organized space and materials in different areas.
  • Allows children to choose materials and activities.
  • Requires analysis of children’s developmental characteristics and continuous observation.
  • Allows for symbolic play with all its benefits.
  • Materials are usually provided by families and the school.

Workshops

  • Small group learning of a specific technique in a designated space.
  • Led by an expert in the art.
  • Guidelines are determined by the expert, leading to a final product.

Schools of Interest

  • Content organized around a theme.
  • Features:
  • Content grouped around a theme from the environment.
  • Developed in a large group setting.
  • Observation, association, and expression activities.
  • Educators plan and guide activities.
  • Itineraries are a similar proposal.

Projects

  • Children propose the topic.
  • Background is discussed in assembly.
  • Information and materials are gathered in collaboration with families.
  • Story elements are built for play.
  • Activities related to the topic are conducted.
  • Children’s phrases are collected.
  • Counting, sorting, and classifying activities.
  • Sensory activities.
  • Assembly.
  • Panels with project information.
  • Presentation of new knowledge.

Attention to Diversity

What is Diversity?

  • Each student is unique.
  • Educators should adjust to individual interests, preferences, and achievements.
  • Schools can compensate for disadvantages and provide learning support.
  • Main differences in Early Childhood Education:
  • Age: Significant developmental differences within age groups.
  • Gender: Some behavioral differences are related to gender.
  • Health Aspects and Biological Rhythms: Individual health considerations and varying rhythms.
  • Socio-affective Characteristics: Differences in interests and ability to concentrate.

Special Needs Education

Developmental Delays

  • Significant developmental gap compared to peers.
  • Delays can be across all areas or specific.
  • Adapted educational intervention is crucial.

Children with Intellectual Disabilities

  • Importance of diagnosis.
  • Specialized educational intervention.

Children with Physical Disabilities

  • Motor problems can affect expression.
  • Adapted educational intervention.

Sensory Disabilities

  • Most common are auditory and visual impairments.
  • Hearing impairment can impact language development. Early detection and specialist care are vital.
  • Intervention for visual impairment.

Behavior Problems

  • Many emotional problems can be addressed with intervention.
  • Coordination with family is essential.
  • Hyperactivity poses significant challenges.
  • Specific educational measures are needed.

Activities and Diversity

  • Offer open-ended activities.
  • Cater to diverse interests.
  • Include repetitive activities.
  • Promote cooperation among children.
  • Provide sensory and manipulative activities.
  • Adaptations and modifications to the curriculum can be made to support individual needs.

Documenting Activities

What is Documentation?

  • Definition: Systematically and intentionally recording children’s activities to analyze, understand, explain, and share.
  • Documentation serves as a memory of what has been done.

Photographs

  • Factors:
  • Align photographs with learning objectives.
  • Use appropriate means.
  • Individualize the approach.
  • Capture the entire process.
  • Consider aesthetics.
  • After Taking Photos:
  • Select the best, sort, add titles, and create a small assembly.
  • Create a poster with printed photos.
  • Make individual albums with significant photos.

Oral Texts

Document words or phrases spoken during an activity.

Video

  • Capture activities to remember or share with families.
  • Recommendations: Avoid camera movement, use close-ups.
  • Analyze and assess with the educational team and share with families.

Activity Log

  • Educators keep a log of children’s activities.
  • Includes activity planning, evaluation, and reflections.
  • Useful for recalling activities, sharing with families, team evaluation, and future use.