This module equips the teachers with the principles to design conducive learning environments so as to support play and learning for children: Effective Learning Environment Assignment, NTU, Singapore

Description

This module equips the teachers with the principles to design conducive learning environments so as to support play and learning for children from birth to six years of age as such environmental conditions do affect their learning behavior and responses.

The module provides an understanding of the developmental milestones of the various age groups, and how to set up appropriate learning areas to enhance physical, cognitive, social, and emotional areas of growth in children.

The module also allows the teachers to examine the academic materials and how the latest technology can enrich learning in all children.

Competency Standard Chosen

The module is very challenging as it involves completing both an individual as well as group assignment but overall there has been useful and contentious knowledge gained.

I have achieved a good understanding of the four different types of areas in a childcare setting: entry, messy, active, and quiet zones, and how these zones should be set up for ease of operations. With different layouts of each center, it prompts me to review the rationale of the placements of these zones specifically for a targeted age group of children.

The module also requires me to select four different learning resources, one of which is a hand-made learning resource. This assignment helps me to analyze the developmental milestones of the targeted age group and guides me in the deployment of appropriate resources based on guidelines and checklists provided.

The handmade learning resource has been originally a huge challenge for me to create as it requires creativity and dexterity to utilize my limited arts and crafts skills to think through and bindup the resource that will be both interesting and captivating to the children.

The learning resource will also have to be able to promote development in children in their four core sensorial areas: sight, sound, smell, and touch.  It also enables me to review the created learning resource with experienced teachers as I can better improve myself basis constructive feedback from them.

• The dolphin on the cover page allows the child to touch and squeeze it, and also for the child to learn the first three basic letters in the alphabet A-B-C.
• Enhance the child’s motor skills by learning to use the brush to properly brush the hippo’s teeth

• Sponge Fishes allow children to experience a different texture of the materials used.

• Counting of stars and the single sheep.

• A musical resource to enhance their listening skills

• Enhancing visual skills to differentiate the different types of cats

• Sensory skills to move the stars from one end to another and learning to count

• Matching the correct food to the right animal

• Enhancing motor skills to zip and unzip the zips.

• Enhancing touch sensory skills to feel the panda.