How do the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) documents guide practitioners to support children’s development?
Government guidance and documentation for practitioners in the area of early years has been of considerable interest and scrutiny since the EYFS was first officially introduced in 2008. The current documentation in the UK has evolved through the years, becoming what we know today, through the influence of studies, reports and theories.
The United Kingdom 's Early Years Foundation Stage is comprised of 3 documents; Statutory framework (DfE. 2014), Development Matters (Early Education, 2012), The Early Years Foundation Stage Progress Check at Age Two: A know how guide. (NCB, 2012). However only the Statutory Framework is mandatory. …show more content…
Two of such curriculum are Aistear (2009) which is the non-statutory curriculum for the Republic of Ireland and Te Whāriki (1996), the statutory curriculum for New Zealand. Aistear, is one of the most recently written and implemented pieces of documentation, consolidates a broad range of views and a wide range of theories including Bronfenbrenner, Dewey, Vygotsky and Bruner. Te Whāriki was one of the very first Early Years curriculum to be written in response to the call for more social cohesion between the indigenous Māori culture and the British culture. It is largely based upon Vygotsky 's work; the understanding that development is a result of social interaction. Like Te Whāriki, the EYFS is largely based upon sociocultural theory; Piaget 's influence seen in child initiated activity and the practitioner in the role of providing a challenging and stimulating environment, as well as Vygotsky (Parker-Rees 2010) The work of Arias de Sanchez, Doiron, Gabriel (2012) states that upon comparing many early years curriculum from all over the world including Te Whāriki and Aistear, despite socio-cultural differences between countries, the number of similarities between curricula were striking; from the emphasis on play as an important developmental tool to the expectations of practitioners creating their curriculum around the needs encountered within the
Government guidance and documentation for practitioners in the area of early years has been of considerable interest and scrutiny since the EYFS was first officially introduced in 2008. The current documentation in the UK has evolved through the years, becoming what we know today, through the influence of studies, reports and theories.
The United Kingdom 's Early Years Foundation Stage is comprised of 3 documents; Statutory framework (DfE. 2014), Development Matters (Early Education, 2012), The Early Years Foundation Stage Progress Check at Age Two: A know how guide. (NCB, 2012). However only the Statutory Framework is mandatory. …show more content…
Two of such curriculum are Aistear (2009) which is the non-statutory curriculum for the Republic of Ireland and Te Whāriki (1996), the statutory curriculum for New Zealand. Aistear, is one of the most recently written and implemented pieces of documentation, consolidates a broad range of views and a wide range of theories including Bronfenbrenner, Dewey, Vygotsky and Bruner. Te Whāriki was one of the very first Early Years curriculum to be written in response to the call for more social cohesion between the indigenous Māori culture and the British culture. It is largely based upon Vygotsky 's work; the understanding that development is a result of social interaction. Like Te Whāriki, the EYFS is largely based upon sociocultural theory; Piaget 's influence seen in child initiated activity and the practitioner in the role of providing a challenging and stimulating environment, as well as Vygotsky (Parker-Rees 2010) The work of Arias de Sanchez, Doiron, Gabriel (2012) states that upon comparing many early years curriculum from all over the world including Te Whāriki and Aistear, despite socio-cultural differences between countries, the number of similarities between curricula were striking; from the emphasis on play as an important developmental tool to the expectations of practitioners creating their curriculum around the needs encountered within the