Contexts of learning
- 1. Foundation Phase Forest schools Montesorri schools Learning through play
- 2. Foundation phase is aimed at children age 3 to 7 in Wales in both maintained and un-maintained settings. The foundation phase is based so that children get to learn through play and involvement rather than constantly writing on paper. It is based on these 7 sections below Physical development Personal and Social Wellbeing and Cultural Diversity Creative development Language, Literacy and Communication Skills Welsh language development Mathematical development Knowledge and Understanding of the world
- 3. Forest schools are increasingly becoming more popular and are a type of outdoor education in which children go with their teachers to learn Forest schools are used to teach children about the natural world. Usually the schools have their own forest close by so they can visit it as much as they want. Forest schools allow children to do things outside of the classroom that they thought they would never be able to do. The children work independently and it lets them make their own decisions and challenges. It is essential for the children to learn in the forest because it keeps them mentally active. . Forest school is process that inspires young children the opportunity to develop their hands on skills inside a woodland area. . Some children may think that going into the forest is a treat for them for being inside a classroom so they will enjoy it more, and when they enjoy it more they will learn better.
- 4. Montesorri schools were invented by a woman named Maria Montesorri in the 1900s and it was aimed to teach the poorer children. Since the 1900s it has become so popular and more and more parents are sending their children to them. There are more than 5000 Montesorri schools in the USA and around 600 in the UK. The approach for Montesorri is for children to learn on their own while being guided by a teacher. Montesorri schools are all about the children learning in their own way. The teacher does not mark any of the child’s work or gives back feedback, they just asses what the child has learnt. Montesorri schools are designed spectacularly with different work areas placed around the room. The children know where all the materials are and they are easy to access at their height level. By the teacher not being the main person inside the classroom and the children deciding what they want to do throughout the day, this gives them a good chance to learn how to work together and improve their team work skills.
- 5. Learning through play is vital in education for early year’s children, it stimulates and develops their social, physical, creative and emotional skills from an early age and takes it through to their adult life. While children learning through play they learn about themselves and everything else around them, this giving the opportunity for self-learning to take place. These are a few different types of play: Dramatic play Physical play Fantasy Play Manipulative Play A child can use more than one type of play at the same time. For example a child might be running round which is “physical play” but at the same time they have dressed up into a football player which is “Dramatic play”