COURSE:

EarlyChildhood UNIT
EducationII7112 B

ESSENTIAL
STANDARD:
OBJECTIVE:

3.00
3.01

DEVELOPMENTALLYAPPROPRIATEPRACTICE
FOREARLYCHILDHOODPROGRAMS

B5 16%

Analyzeearlychildhoodcurriculabasedon
developmentallyappropriatepractice.

B2 5%

Understanddevelopmentallyappropriatepracticeand
factorstoconsiderfordevelopmentallyappropriate
curricula.

EssentialQuestions
:
Whatisdevelopmentallyappropriatepractice?
Whatfactorsshouldbeconsideredwhenplanningdevelopmentallyappropriatecurricula?
UNPACKEDCONTENT
Developmentallyappropriatepracticeisbasedon:

JohnDeweysvisionofschoolspreparingstudentstothinkandreasonforademocraticsociety
Theideathatchildrenlearnfromplay,assupportedbymanychilddevelopmenttheories

Developmentallyappropriatepracticeemphasizesknowingchildrenwell:

Theirages,abilities,andinterests
Strengthsandweaknesses
Culturalandsocialbackground

Earlychildhoodcurriculumincludes:

Activities,experiences,andinteractionswithothers

Theplannedandtheunplanned

Materials,equipment,andarrangementofrooms,facilities,andspaces
TwentyguidelinesendorsedbytheNationalAssociationfortheEducationofYoungChildren
(NAEYC)andtheNationalAssociationofEarlyChildhoodSpecialistsinStateDepartmentsof
Educationhelpensure

developmentallyappropriatepractice
.
Guidelinesareinquestionform
andmaybeusedasachecklistforcurriculumandprogramdevelopers.Threebasic
characteristicsof
developmentallyappropriatecurriculum
(NAEYC)are:

Ageappropriatenessprogramcurriculabasedonnormaldevelopmentwithinanage
span

Individualappropriateness

Individualratesofgrowth

Uniquelearningstyles

Respectforindividualchildren

Socialandculturalappropriateness

Meaningful,relevant,andrespectfulofchildrensbackgrounds

Inclusivecurriculum

Infusionofmulticulturalcontent
Basiccomponentsofearlychildhoodcurriculumarecontent,process,context,andteacher.

Content

Thesubjectmatterthatistaughtwhatchildrenshouldlearn
Reflectstheinterests,needs,andexperiencesofchildren


OBJECTIVE: 3.01

B2 5%

Understanddevelopmentallyappropriatepracticeandfactors
toconsiderfordevelopmentallyappropriatecurricula.
UNPACKEDCONTENT

Basiccomponentsofearlychildhoodcurriculum(continued)

Process

Activitiesusedsothatlearningtakesplaces
Timescheduleand/orcalendarshowingwhenlearningtakesplace

Context

Whylearningactivitiesarechosen
Tofitprogramphilosophyandgoals,culturalbackgroundsofchildren,familyand

communityinfluences
Teacher

Observesandevaluateschildrensdevelopmentallevels
Createsthecurriculum,plansactivities,andprovidesmaterials

Approachestocurriculumplanning
Wheredoescurriculumcomefrom?

Developedbydirectors,teachers,aides,parents,andcurriculumspecialists

Providedintheformofpreplannedcurriculumunits
Advantages:Helpfultostaff,savestimeandmoney
Disadvantages:Maynotmatchchildrensneeds,maylimitteachers
andleadtofrustration

Howareassessmentsusedtoplancurriculum?Assessmentsareusedto:

Providedataaboutwhatchildrenalreadyknowandcando

Identifystudentsneedsandinterests

Assesschildrensprogressovertime

Whatapproachesareusedwhenplanningcurriculum?
Note:Eventhoughthesefourapproachesaredescribedseparately,keepinmindthat
combinationsorhybridsofapproachesarealsoused.

Contentandprocesscenteredapproach
Addressesallsixdomainsofchilddevelopment(PLACES)
Basedonchildrensdevelopmentalneedsandinterests
Basiclearningmaterialsandphysicalenvironmentarekey
Includesbothdirectandindirectlearning
Usesteachablemoments

Projectsapproach
Childrendoindepthinvestigationsofspecifictopics
Projectsallowchildrentoexploreindevelopmentallyappropriateways
Example:ReggioEmiliaApproach

Thematicapproach
Curriculumactivitiesbasedonacentraltopicortheme
Themeschosenbyteacher,notnecessarilybasedonchildrensinterests

Emergentcurriculumapproach
Achildcenteredapproachanalternativetothemebasedcurricula
Curriculumemergesfromchildrensinterestsandexperiences

OBJECTIVE: 3.01

B2

5
%

Understanddevelopmentallyappropriatepracticeandfactors
toconsiderfordevelopmentallyappropriatecurricula.
UNPACKEDCONTENT

Whatquestionsshouldbeconsideredwhenplanningcurriculum?
Whattoteach

Istheinformation/skillworthknowing/doing?
Istheinformation/skilltestable/measurable?
Istheinformation/skilldevelopmentallyappropriate?

Intendedoutcomesandobjectives

Whatarethedesiredoutcomes?
Whatobjectivesandlearningactivitieswillhelpchildrenreachtheseoutcomes?
Dotheseobjectivessupportprogramgoals?
Dotheseobjectivesallowchildrentouseavarietyoflevelsof

thinkingremember,understand,apply,analyze,evaluate,andcreate?
Balanceoflearningactivities

Doactivitiessupportalldomainsofdevelopment(PLACES)?
Arebothstructuredandunstructuredactivitiesincluded?
Arebothindoorandoutdooractivitiesincluded?
Arebothactiveandquietactivitiesincluded?

Characteristicsoflearners

Atwhatratedothesechildrenwork?
Howdothesechildrenmakedecisions?
Whataretheattentionspansofthesechildren?
Whatarethelearningstylesofthesechildren?

Fieldsensitiveliketoworkwithothers,assist,andfollowmodels
Fieldindependentliketoworkontheirown,trynewthings,befirst
Visuallearnersdependonsenseofsightforlearning
Auditorylearnerslearnbestthroughhearing

Whatarethemultipleintelligencesofthesechildren?

B
odilykinesthetictheabilitytousethebodyorbodyparts
I
nterpersonaltheabilitytounderstandandrelatewithotherpeople
N
aturalisttheabilitytoseedifferencesamonglivingthings
M
usicaltheabilitytothinkinmusic,recognizeandrememberpatterns
I
ntrapersonaltheabilitytounderstandoneself,onesstrengthsand
limitations
L
inguistictheabilitytouselanguagetoexpressandunderstandmessages

L
ogicalmathematicaltheabilitytounderstandsystemsandmanipulate
numbers
S
patialtheabilitytocomprehendtheworldofspace