Scotch Reports Issue 174 (April 2019)

EARLY LEARNING CENTRE
ELC Literacy and Numeracy
An article in the SAGE Handbook of Early
Childhood Research summarises what
research tells us about early human
development and the importance of the
environment to early life.
1. Coping abilities, cognitive and noncognitive
competencies, and skill
formation are influenced by genes and
early life environments and experiences.
2. The foundation for later learning
is formed in early life experiences,
such that the development of neural
pathways and the mastery of skills occur
‘from the bottom up’.
3. Cognitive, social, emotional
and language competencies are
interdependent, and all are shaped by
early experiences.
This summary clearly demonstrates that
an investment in high quality education for
children in their early years is a prudent
investment in their future. The experiences
that children have in their early years
lay the foundations for learning later in
their schooling. Hence, one of the most
important decisions that parents make
about their child’s education is where they
begin their educational journey.
Our play-based environment provides a
rich base for children to develop early
Literacy and Numeracy understandings,
which will underpin all learning for these
children in the future. Here is a snapshot of
what Literacy and Numeracy look like every
day in our 3 and 4-year-old classrooms.
TANIA DARLING
Director of Early Years
LITERACY AND NUMERACY IN
3-YEAR-OLD LEARNING
While numeracy learning is always
occurring, the educators in the Fraser
room extend and challenge children’s
understanding by supporting and extending
them through the intentional and focused
use of numerical language. With targeted
Numeracy focus areas each term,
educators consistently model focused
mathematical language that is relevant to
3-year-olds and their world.
Literacy is at the heart of learning in the
Fraser Room. Through play and intentional
learning experiences, children build oral
and written communication skills. Literacy
learning for 3-year-olds occurs when
children sing songs, share ideas, question,
predict, decode pictures, negotiate, copy
words and sounds, recognise their name,
develop a love for books and describe
their learning.
The Fraser children have a keen, ongoing
interest in planting and caring for
vegetables in the Fraser garden. This has
been an ideal opportunity for educators
to support the children to extend their
literacy and numeracy learning through
play. For example, reading books linked to
children’s interests fosters sharing ideas,
a developing love of books, letter, sound
and word recognition. The responsibility
of watering the garden supports children’s
negotiation skills and builds their idea of
time and routine. While observing and
investigating our produce, children are
predicting, counting, exploring pattern,
noticing number, observing shapes and
questioning their theories and ideas.
LIA VAN DER PENNEN
3-year-old Teacher
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