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Articles Teaching and Learning

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Cross-phase articles about teaching and learning

106 articles in this category

    • What can Play contribute to Early Years Science?

      by Natalie Day on

      We know that children love to play. Play is an intrinsic developmental vehicle by which children develop a plethora of skills through physical play, playing with objects, pretence and game play. This ‘knowledge’ of the importance of play has gaine…
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      Creative Diaries: Clay Work in the Early Years

      by Ruksana Mohammed on

      “Only through the arts and by being creative can children explore the inner world of their imagination and feeling – the world that is uniquely them”. Sir Ken Robinson, Patron of Earlyarts.   ‘One day a grandma was a parent helper teaching in one ar…
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      Individuality Matters: The Curse of Development Checklists

      by Ruksana Mohammed on

      The use of milestones in the form of development checklists do not take on the individuality of each child. They are generic and imply that all children go through the sequential process. This article aims to introduce the concept of individuality of…
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      Developing Sustained Shared Thinking to enhance the Specific areas of …

      by Kathy Brodie on

      Kathy Brodie examines how Sustained Shared Thinking can be used to enhance the four areas of learning and development in the EYFS known as the Specific Areas: Mathematics, Expressive Arts and Design, Literacy and Understanding the World.
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      Choosing 'Next Steps' from your observations

      by Kathy Brodie on

      It is not always clear  how observations should be used to inform planning, assessments and evaluation of children's progress. Sometimes the huge array of choices can make choosing a next step a really confusing task.
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      Give your book corner a makeover!

      by Michael Jones on

      What children need in settings is a chance to spend quality time with an adult, with reading material that excites the children’s interests, in a space that is inviting.  
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      Schemas

      by Juliet Mickelburgh on

      What exactly are schemas, and how useful are they in providing the right learning environment for our very young children? This article brings together various definitions of schemas, followed by a brief description of named schemas and a discussion …
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      Playful Pedagogy and Transitions in Children's Mathematics

      by Maulfry Worthington on

      The natural beginnings of written mathematics start within children's imaginative play. In this article, Maulfry Worthington describes children's mathematical graphics; children's own mathematical marks and representations, and gives examples colle…
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      Educational Pioneers: Loris Malaguzzi, 1920-1994

      by Juliet Mickelburgh on

      A brief history and summary of the theories and practical aspects of the Reggio Emilia approach. Malaguzzi had a deep sense of respect for children's ability to be partners in their own learning, and this is at the heart of the Reggio approach to edu…
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    • The Historical Context of Outdoor Learning and the Role of the Practit…

      by Michaela Machan on

      You could be forgiven for thinking that outdoor play is a relatively new phenomenon, driven by The National Trust (2016) and their ‘50 Things to do before you’re 11¾’ project.  Children and being outside seems to be a recurrent theme in the media a…
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      Creative Diaries: Taking a line for a walk

      by Ruksana Mohammed on

      The provision of mark making opportunities can help children develop imaginatively, creatively and physically. Mark making is important for many reasons. It is a visible way for children to tell stories and express feelings, record what they have to …
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      Objective-led Planning

      by Alistair Bryce-Clegg on

      Many of the FSF members follow Alistair Bryce-Clegg's blog and have attended his very popular presentations. Following a discussion here about his innovative 'objective-led planning', we invited Alistair to explain this approach.
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      Understanding and Developing Reflective Practice

      by Penny Borkett on

      This article will focus on the need for early years practitioners to develop their knowledge of reflective thinking. It will focus on some of the history and theory of reflective practice considering and discussing how theory can help develop practi…
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      Children, play and digital technologies

      by Christine Stephen on

      This article is about young children playing with digital technologies at home and in their educational settings. It draws on a series of research studies conducted at the University of Stirling over a period of 10 years with my colleagues Professo…
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      Every child is different: the individual and diverse ways that childre…

      by Rory McDowall Clark on

      All children are different because each brings different experiences into the setting but this individuality and diversity is in itself a great opportunity for children to learn to value each other and to appreciate their own special distinctivenes…
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      Child-initiated Learning

      by Juliet Mickelburgh on

      The last in a series of articles examining recent developments in our understanding of how children learn. Here, Juliet Mickelburgh looks at what is meant by child-initiated learning, its presence in the EYFS, and how it influences good early years p…
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      The Importance of Young Children's Mark-making: Beginnings, Context, M…

      by Elizabeth Carruthers on

      Mark making has an important place in the development towards children's understanding of standard symbolic languages, for example mathematics and writing. This article discusses children's mark making with reference to practice and pedagogy parti…
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    • Development Matters: A landscape of possibilities, not a roadmap

      by Nancy Stewart on

      How many times have you thought that it would be easy to use Development Matters as a 'tick list'? Which managers have had heated meetings with staff who say that 'ticking off' aspects makes it so much easier to plan next steps? I know that here at…
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      Capturing Children's Sparks

      by Ruksana Mohammed on

      It is often noted in literature that planning and teaching should be based around children’s interests. Through doing so, practitioners can enhance development and progress in each area of learning. The National Strategies for Early Years suggest tha…
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      Characteristics of Effective Learning: play and exploration in action

      by Ruksana Mohammed on

      Characteristics of Effective Learning (CoEL) are a revived element in the current Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS). CoEL advocate that in planning and guiding children’s activities, practitioners must reflect on the different ways that …
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      Developing Sustained Shared Thinking to enhance the areas of Learning …

      by Kathy Brodie on

      In this article, Kathy Brodie focuses on how sustained shared thinking can support each of the Prime areas of learning and development, as defined by the EYFS – Communication and Language; Physical Development and Personal, Social and Emotional Devel…
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      Characteristics of Effective Learning: creating and thinking criticall…

      by Ruksana Mohammed on

      This article is the third and final in our series on the Characteristics of Effective Learning, following on from Play and Exploration in Action and Active Learning in Action.
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      Which Came First, the Forest or the School?

      by Sara Knight on

      Sara Knight, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education at Anglia Ruskin University, discusses the historical meanings of "schooling" and their relevance to today's young children. She outlines four ways in which we learn, and explains her concerns …
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      The Drawings of Reception Boys: Fantasy and Frustrations

      by Emese Hall on

      Drawing is an activity that most young children enjoy and there is much evidence to show how it can offer them a powerful means of communicating their ideas, experiences and feelings. In this article, Exeter PhD student Emese Hall tells us about her …
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      Using the TASC system in EYFS Settings

      by Belle Wallace on

      Belle Wallace, creator of the TASC framework for developing children's thinking and problem-solving skills, explains how significant the relationship is between the acquisition of language and the development of thought.
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