Supporting children
1: Rayan (3.5 years) is new in your classroom. He has recently moved to Australia from a country that does not speak English. None of the staff or children in your centre speaks or understands his language. His father and mother speak some English, but Rayan does not speak any. Today is his first day and he is visibly upset as he is dropped off. His father is getting upset too.
A: What will you do to make Rayan feel comfortable?
B: What will you say to Rayan’s father?
C: How will you help Rayan’s parents feel better about bringing him to the centre?
D: What will you do to help Rayan feel a sense of belonging at the centre
2: Jack and Jacinta (4.5 years old, twins) are having a running race outside. Jack wins over and over again. Jacinta starts to cry. She runs to a wall, crouches down, facing the wall and begins to cry.
You go over to comfort Jacinta. She doesn’t want to be touched or cuddled.
What do you say to Jacinta to build up her confidence and encourage her to keep trying?
3: A new family in your centre have disclosed that they have Aboriginal heritage.
A: Give an example of how you could ask the family to contribute to the curriculum in the room.
B: You’ve just discovered that the parent of a child in your room is in a band and plays very good guitar. How can you ask her to contribute to the curriculum in the room?
4: Sometimes mistakes are an opportunity to reflect on your current practise. Think about a mistake you or another educator have made recently?
What happened and how could this have been avoided? How can you use this mistake as an opportunity to encourage learning?
5: What is the purpose of intentionally scaffolding children’s understandings?
6: Research the EYLF framework and discuss/describe in your own words its elements.
7: Why do you think a code of ethics is important in a childcare industry?
8: What values and principles should a code of ethics include in the childcare industry?
9: Research the National quality standards and find the quality area that links to the approved learning frameworks.
10: In your own words, explain why the early years is so important to children’s learning and development.
11: List 4 different environmental factors that can influence a child’s development.
12: List 5 aspects of poor child development that may disadvantage development in early years.
13: How can you as an educator ensure all children have the best start to life and enhance all children’s development in the early years?
14: Which Learning Outcome from the EYLF covers communication and symbol systems?
15: Researching the EYLF and the Learning Outcome that covers communication, what does it suggest that children do to understand how symbols and pattern systems work?
