AREAS OF LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Introduction
The EYFS is made up (compuesto) of six areas of Learning and Development. All areas of Learning and Development are connected to one another and are equally (igualmente) important. All areas of Learning and Development are underpinned (sustentan) by theprinciples of the EYFS.The areas of Learning and Development are:
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Communication, Language and Literacy (alfabetismo)
• Problem Solving (resolver), Reasoning (razonamiento) and Numeracy (aritmética)
• Knowledge (conocimiento) and Understanding (comprensión) of the World
• Physical Development
• Creative Development.
Learning and Development
• The six areas of Learning and Development together make up (constituyen) the skills, knowledge and experiences
appropriate for babies and children as they grow (a medida que crecen), learn and develop.
• Although these are presented as separate areas, it is important to remember that for children everything links
and nothing is compartmentalised.( compartimentada)
• The challenge( desafio) for practitioners is to ensure(asegurar) that children's learning and development occur as an outcome(resultado) of their individual interests and abilities and that planning for learning and development takes account (tiene en cuenta) of these.
Effective Practice
Each( cada) area of Learning and Development card shows how settings can effectively implement (muestra como las opciones pueden implementar) that particular area by ensuring that children have appropriate experiences and are supported by:
• Positive Relationships
• Enabling Environments(entornos propicios)
Requirements
There are separate requirements for each area of Learning and Development shown(muestra) in 'Requirements' on each of the areas of Learning and Development cards. The requirements set out (establecer) what practitioners must provide(proporcionar) in order to support (apoyar)babies' and children's development and learning in each aspect and area of Learning and Development of the EYFS.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
A) Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Requirements
Children must be provided with experiences and support which will help them to develop a positive sense(sentido)of
themselves(ellos mismos) and of others; respect for others; social skills; and a positive disposition(actitud) to learn. Providers must ensure support for children's emotional well-being(bienestar) to help them to know themselves and what they can do.
Aspects of Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Personal, Social and Emotional Development is made up(se compone) of the following (siguientes)aspects:
Dispositions and Attitudes – is about(sobre) how children become interested, excited(emoción)and motivated about their learning.
Self-confidence(confianza en si mismo) and Self-esteem(autoestima) – is about children having a sense of their own(propio)value and understanding the need for sensitivity to significant events in their own and other people's lives.
Making Relationships(hacer relaciones)– is about the importance of children forming good relationships with others and working alongside (junto a) others companionably.(amigablemente)
Behaviour(comportamiento) and Self-control (autocontrol)– is about how children develop a growing understanding of what is right(correcto) and wrong(incorrecto) and why, together with learning about the impact of their words and actions on themselves and others.
Self-care(cuidar de si mismo) – is about how children gain (ganar)a sense of self-respect and concern (preocupación)for their own personal hygiene and care and how they develop independence.
Sense of Community – is about how children understand and respect their own needs, views(visitas), cultures and beliefs(creencias) and those of other people.
What Personal, Social and Emotional Development means(medio) for children
• For children, being special to someone and well cared-for is vital for their physical, social and emotional health and well-being.
• Being acknowledged (reconocer)and affirmed by important people in their lives leads to children gaining confidence and inner strength(fuerza interior) through secure (asegurar)attachments(vinculos) with these people.
• Exploration within close relationships leads to the growth of self-assurance(seguridad en si mismo), promoting(promoción) a sense of belonging(pertenencia) which allows children to explore the world from a secure base.
• Children need adults to set a good example(dar ejemplo) and to give them opportunities for interaction with others so that they can develop positive ideas about themselves and others.
• Children who are encouraged(animar) to feel free(libre) to express their ideas and their feelings, such as joy (alegria),sadness(tristeza), frustration and fear(miedo), can develop strategies to cope(hacer frente a,gestionar) with new, challenging (dificiles)or stressful situations.
B) Communication, Language and Literacy ommunication, Language and Literacy
Requirements
Children's learning and competence in communicating, speaking and listening, being read to and beginning (comienzo)to read and write must be supported and extended. They must be provided with opportunity and encouragement (estimulo)to use their skills in a range(variedad) of situations and for a range(diversos) of purposes,(fines) and be supported in developing the confidence and disposition to do so.
Aspects of Communication, Language and Literacy
Communication, Language and Literacy is made up of the following aspects:
Language for Communication – is about how children become communicators. Learning to listen and speak emerges (surge)out of non-verbal communication, which includes facial expression, eye contact and hand gesture. These skills develop as children interact with others, listen to and use language, extend their vocabulary and experience stories(cuentos), songs, poems and rhymes.
Language for Thinking (pensamiento)– is about how children learn to use language to imagine and recreate roles(papeles) and experiences and how they use talk to clarify (aclarar) their thinking and ideas or to refer (remitir)to events they have observed or are curious about.
Linking(enlace) Sounds and Letters – is about how children develop the ability to distinguish between sounds (sonidos)and become familiar with rhyme(rima), rhythm(ritmo) and alliteration(aliteración). They develop understanding of the correspondence between spoken and written sounds and learn to link sounds and letters and use their knowledge to read and write simple words by sounding out and blending(mezcla).
Reading – is about children understanding and enjoying(disfrutan) stories, books and rhymes, recognising that print carries meaning(tiene significado), both fiction and fact(hecho,realidad), and reading a range of familiar words and simple sentences.
Writing – is about how children build an understanding of the relationship between the spoken and written word and how through making marks, drawing(dibujo) and personal writing children ascribe(atribuir) meaning to text and attempt (intento)to write for various purposes.
Handwriting (escritura)– is about the ways(formas) in which children's random (azar)marks(marcas), lines(lineas) and drawings develop and form the basis of recognisable letters.
What Communication, Language and Literacy means for children
• To become skilful(hábil) communicators, babies and young children need to be with people with whom they have
warm(cálida) and loving(amoroso) relationships, such as their family or carers and, in a group situation, a key (especial,concreta) person whom they know and trust.(confiar)
• Babies respond differently to different sounds and from an early age are able(capaz) to distinguish sound patterns(patrones).They use their voices to make contact and to let (dar)people know what they need and how they feel(sentir). They learn to talk by being talked to.
• All children learn best through activities and experiences that engage (involucrar)all the senses. Music, dance, rhymes
and songs support language development.
• As children develop speaking and listening skills they build the foundations for literacy, for making sense of
visual and verbal signs and ultimately(al final) for reading and writing. Children need varied opportunities to interact
with others and to use a wide(amplio) variety of resources for expressing their understanding, including mark-making(marca de decisiones),drawing, modelling(modelado), reading and writing.
C) PSRN (Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy)
roblem solving, reasoning and numeracy (PSRN)
Requirements
Children must be supported in developing their understanding of problem solving, reasoning and numeracy (PSRN) in a broad range(amplia gama) of contexts in which they can explore, enjoy(disfrutar), learn, practise and talk about their developing understanding. They must be provided with opportunities to practise and extend their skills in these areas and to gain confidence and competence in their use.
Aspects of PSRN (Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy)
PSRN is made up of the following aspects:
Numbers as labels(como etiquetas) and for counting (para contar)– is about how children gradually(poco a poco) know and use numbers and counting in play, and eventually(al final) recognise and use numbers reliably(fiable), to develop mathematical (matemático)ideas and to solve problems.
Calculating – is about how children develop an awareness(conciencia) of the relationship between numbers and amounts(cantidad) and know that numbers can be combined to be 'added (sumados)together' and can be separated by 'taking away'(restar,quitando) and that two or more amounts can be compared.
Shape(forma), space(espacio) and measures(medidas) – is about how through talking about shapes and quantities(cantidades), and developing appropriate vocabulary, children use their knowledge to develop ideas and to solve mathematical problems.
What (PSRN) means for children
• Babies' and children's mathematical development occurs as they seek (buscar)patterns, make connections and
recognise relationships through finding(descubrimiento) out about and working with numbers and counting(cálculo), with sorting(clasificación) and matching(juego) and with shape, space and measures.
• Children use their knowledge and skills in these areas to solve problems, generate new questions and make
connections across (a través de) other areas of Learning and Development.
D) Knowledge and Understanding of the World ding of the World
Requirements
Children must be supported in developing the knowledge, skills and understanding that help them to make sense of the world. Their learning must be supported through offering opportunities for them to use a range of tools safely(herramientas de seguridad); encounter creatures(bichos), people, plants and objects in their natural environments and in real-life situations; undertake(llevar a cabo) practical 'experiments'; and work with a range of materials.
Aspects of Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Knowledge and Understanding of the World is made up of the following aspects:
Exploration and Investigation – is about how children investigate objects and materials and their properties(propiedades) learn about change(cambios) and patterns, similarities and differences, and question how and why things work.
Designing and Making(fabricación) – is about the ways in which children learn about the construction process and the tools and techniques that can be used to assemble(montar) materials creatively(creativos) and safely.(sin peligro)
ICT – is about how children find out about and learn how to use appropriate information technology such as computers and programmable toys that support their learning.
Time – is about how children find out(averiguar) about past and present events relevant to their own lives or those of their families.
Place – is about how children become aware(consciente) of and interested in the natural world, and find out about their local area, knowing what they like and dislike(disgustado) about it.
Communities – is about how children begin to know about their own and other people's cultures in order to understand and celebrate the similarities and differences between them in a diverse society.
What Knowledge and Understanding of the World means for children
• Babies and children find out about the world through exploration and from a variety of sources(fuentes), including their
families and friends, the media(medios de comunicación), and through what they see and hear.
• Babies and children need regular opportunities to learn about different ways of life, to be given accurate(exacto)
information and to develop positive and caring (consideración) attitudes towards(hacia) others.
• Children should be helped to learn to respect and value all people and learn to avoid misapprehensions (malentendidos,ideas falsas)and negative attitudes towards others when they develop their Knowledge and Understanding of the World.
• Children should be involved in the practical application of their knowledge and skills which will promote selfesteem (autoestima)through allowing(permitiendo) them to make decisions about what to investigate and how to do it.
E) Physical Development Physical Development
Requirements
The physical development of babies and young children must be encouraged (animar,promover,suscitar)through(a través de) the provision of opportunities for them to be active and interactive and to improve(mejorar) their skills of coordination, control, manipulation and movement. They must be supported in using all of their senses(sentidos) to learn about the world around them and to make connections between new information and what they already know. They must be supported in developing an understanding of the importance of physical activity and making healthy choices(sanos) in relation to food.
Aspects of Physical Development
Physical Development is made up(se compone) of the following aspects:
Movement and Space – is about how children learn to move with confidence(confianza), imagination and safety(seguridad), with an awareness(conciencia) of space, themselves and others.
Health and Bodily Awareness (conciencia corporal)– is about how children learn the importance of keeping(mantener) healthy and the factors that contribute to maintaining (mantenimiento)their health.
Using Equipment and Materials – is about the ways in which children use a range of small and large equipment.(utensilios o aparatos)
What Physical Development means for children
• Babies and children learn by being active and Physical Development takes place across(se lleva a cabo) all areas of Learning and Development.
• Physical Development helps children gain confidence in what they can do.
• Physical Development enables(permite) children to feel the positive benefits of being healthy and active.
• Physical Development helps children to develop a positive sense of well-being.
• Good health in the early years helps to safeguard(proteger) health and well-being throughout (a lo largo de) life. It is important that children develop healthy habits when they first learn about food and activity. Growing with appropriate weight gain(aumento de peso) in the first years of life helps(ayuda) to guard against obesity in later life.(edad adulta)
F) Creative Development
Requirements
Children's creativity must be extended by the provision of support for their curiosity, exploration and play. They must be provided with opportunities to explore and share(participación) their thoughts, creativity, ideas and feelings, for example, through a variety of art, music, movement, dance, imaginative and role-play (juego de roles)activities, mathematics, and design and technology.
Aspects of Creative Development
Creative Development is made up of the following aspects:
Being(ser) Creative – Responding to Experiences, Expressing and Communicating Ideas – is about how childrenrespond in a variety of ways to what they see, hear, smell(olor), touch(tocar) or feel and how, as a result of these encounters, they express and communicate their own ideas, thoughts and feelings.
Exploring Media and Materials – is about children's independent and guided exploration of and engagement (contacto)with a widening(ampliar) range of media and materials, finding out about, thinking about and working with colour, texture, shape, space and form in two and three dimensions.
Creating Music and Dance – is about children's independent and guided explorations of sound, movement and music. Focusing(enfoque) on how sounds can be made and changed and how sounds can be recognised and repeated (repetido)from a pattern, it includes ways of exploring movement, matching(acompasar) movements to music and singing simple songs from memory.
Developing Imagination and Imaginative Play – is about how children are supported to develop and build their imaginations through stories(cuentos), role-plays, imaginative play, dance, music, design, and art.
What Creative Development means for children
• Creativity is about taking risks(riesgos) and making connections and is strongly linked to play.(fuertemente ligada a jugar)
• Creativity emerges as children become absorbed in action and explorations of their own ideas, expressing
them through movement, making and transforming things using media and materials such as crayons(lápices de color), paints(pinturas),scissors(tijeras), words, sounds, movement, props(accesorios) and make-believe(hacer como si...)
• Creativity involves (implica)children in initiating their own learning and making choices and decisions.
• Children's responses to what they see, hear and experience through their senses are individual and the way(manera)
they represent their experiences is unique and valuable.
• Being creative enables babies and children to explore many processes, media and materials and to make
new things emerge as a result.
