C16 Again

[Guest]

Everyone in my class (apart from ones who have someone in their setting to copy from) is struggling. Especially me. I have to do 12 observations on Gross and Fine motor skills C3, Social and emotional development C5, Management of behaviour C7, C10 Sensory, C10 Intellectual and C11 Language development. We have to use all the different methods of observation. I have done one which took me 8 hours to write up and trawl through several books.

 

This will be my make or break unit because I can't see myself carrying on. My tutor said this was a really easy small unit.

 

Any advice on where to even start and what observation methods are best for each unit would be appreciated. I've done a sociogram for C5 and I'll probably do a movement flow chart for gross motor C3.

[Guest]

For my course I had to do the Diploma in Early Years Practice alongside the NVQ and for that, I had to do:

 

3 Obs Social and Emotional Dev

3 Obs Sensory and Intellectual

3 Obs Physical

4 Obs Language and Communication.

 

All these obs counted towards my C16 unit though.

 

For C10 you could do:

 

A child using his/her imagination in the role-play area/home corner (Free Description)

A concentration obs (Tracking)

Development of Maths/Science concepts and skills (Checklist, using developmental charts)

 

For C7 you could do an ABC observation on a child who regularly shows a negative behaviour (I did mine on a toddler who would regularly bit other children, but you can adapt it for older or younger children)

 

For Physical you could do a fine/gross motor skills checklist using developmental charts

 

For language and communication, I did:

Speaking (Time Sample to record who the child was talking to and the language that was used)

Writing (Free Description, focusing on manipulation of pencil and formation of 'letters'/emergent writing)

Listening (Free Description, talking about the position of the child's head when listening, eye contact and body language)

Reading (using a colour coded sheet). The writing sheet had different boxes with the necessary developmental 'norms' for reading from birth to 5 and I had to colour in the things that the subject child could do. You can make one up using a development textbook.

 

'Child Development - An Illustrated Guide' Meggitt and Sunderland is an excellent book for evaluating your observations against. ISBN 0-435-42056-9 (that was the first edition, there is now a second edition), also 'Observing Children' by Carole Sharman, Wendy Cross and Diana Vennis is a good one because it gives you different methods and I used their examples in my own obs! ISBN 0-8264-7238-9.

 

Sorry it's a bit long winded, but I hope it helps!

 

Clare

[Guest]

thank you. if only my tutor was as helpful. Many thanks. You have helped loads. Feel better already.

[Guest]

Glad I could help! I remember what it was like myself. If there's anything else, just give me a shout! Good luck!

 

Clare