Page 4 - LESSION 13.pmd

How Children Learn (Early Learning and Teaching)

13.3 DOMAINS OF DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING AREAS

The principles and practices relevant to learning and development in the early
years (National ECCE Curriculum Framework, 2013) are based on the insights Notes
and observations of thinkers and evidence from researches.
You have read in Module 2 that, development and learning take place in all
domains. Development in one domain influences the other domains. A single
experience may also impact multiple domains. The dispositions developed in one
domain often influence young children to learn in other areas.
Children are thinking, feeling and interacting human beings and it is important to
give them experiences to touch, feel, observe, listen and express. The early years
of development are critical and the brain’s plasticity is enhanced by sensorial
inputs with emphasis on integrated and holistic development in accordance with
age and developmental needs of the child.
Let us study about different areas of development in connection with planning a
balanced ECCE curriculum.

13.3.1 Physical-motor development: It includes gross motor skills;
coordination of fine muscles with dexterity; eye- hand coordination; sense of
balance, physical coordination, and awareness of space and direction; nutrition,
health status and practices.

13.3.2 Language Development and Communication

From birth, children make sounds, listen and respond orally. Children learn to
speak and understand in a language-rich environment. This domain encompasses
listening and comprehension; oral skills/speaking and communicating; vocabulary
development; pre-literacy/emergent literacy skills like phonological awareness;
print awareness and concepts; letter-sound correspondence; recognition of
letters; building words and sentences and early writing and introduction to language
of school transaction.

13.3.3 Cognitive Development

Curiosity, asking questions to know concepts, words to build pre-number and
number concepts comprise elements of cognition. Knowledge or skills related to
comparing, classification, seriation, conservation of space and quantity, one-to-
one correspondence, counting, spatial sense; patterns and estimations in
measurement develop with engagement and play. Other skills also relate to cognitive
growth such as data handling; skills related to sequential thinking, critical thinking,
observing, reasoning and problem solving; and knowledge of concepts related
to the physical, social and natural environment. Sensory and Perceptual
Development based on development of the five senses through visual, auditory
and kinesthetic experiences is crucial for mental functions.

EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION 63