Principles of early learning and development
Aistear is based on 12 principles of early learning and development. These are presented in three groups:
1. The first group concerns children and their lives in early childhood: the child’s uniqueness
■■ equality and diversity
■■ children as citizens.
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2. The second group concerns children’s connections with others: relationships ■■ parents, family and community■■ the adult’s role. ■■
3. The third group concerns how children learn and develop: holistic learning and development ■■ active learning■■ play and hands-on experiences ■■ relevant and meaningful experiences ■■ communication and language ■■ the learning environment.■■
Each child has his/her own set of experiences and a unique life-story. He/she is an active learner growing up as a member of a family and community with particular traditions and ways of life.
Nurturing equality and diversity is important in early childhood. Promoting equality is about creating a fairer society in which everyone can participate equally with the opportunity to fulfil his/her potential. Diversity is about welcoming and valuing individual and group differences, and understanding and celebrating difference as part of life.
Children are citizens with rights and responsibilities. They have opinions that are worth listening to, and have the right to be involved in making decisions about matters which affect them. In this way, they have a right to experience democracy. From this experience they learn that, as well as having rights, they also have a responsibility to respect and help others, and to care for their environment.
Children have a fundamental need to be with other people. They learn and develop through loving and nurturing relationships with adults and other children, and the quality of these interactions impacts on their learning and development.
Parents are the most important people in children’s lives. The care and education that children receive from their parents and family, especially during their early months and years, greatly influence their overall development. Extended family and community also have important roles to play.
Early learning takes place through a reciprocal relationship between the adult and the child – sometimes the adult leads the learning and sometimes the child leads. The adult enhances learning through a respectful understanding of the child’s uniqueness. He/she alters the type and amount of support as the child grows in confidence and competence, and achieves new things.
Children learn many different things at the same time. What they learn is connected to where, how and with whom they learn.
Active learning involves children learning by doing things. They use their senses to explore and work with the objects and materials around them and they interact enthusiastically with the adults and other children that they meet. Through these experiences, children develop the dispositions, skills, knowledge, and understanding, attitudes, and values that will help them to grow as confident and competent learners.
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