Observation in setting
Kelly, aged three years eight months, was observed making marks on paper as she held an imaginary telephone conversation with her mother. 'Yes... I'll go to the shop and get some chips... Do you want some milk?... Yes... and some milk.' She told the supporting adult, 'That was my mum... She wants some chips and some milk', and she took her 'list' to the role-play supermarket. Later in the afternoon, Kelly noticed that her keyworker was jotting down observations in a notebook and asked what she was writing.
Information from home
Her mother says Kelly is keen to sign her name on family birthday cards.
She shows interest when her mother writes dates in her diary and asks if she can write in it too. She likes to make 'badges' for herself by making marks and letter shapes on her mother's freezer labels to represent her name.
Practitioners' response
Assessment of learning
From observation, practitioners learn that Kelly has an understanding of writing as a means of communication. She shows an awareness of adults'
reasons for writing and is beginning to ascribe meaning to her own marks, making the important link between reading and writing. The team's assessment of Kelly's writing development is that she is showing increasing evidence of working within the blue stepping stone band.
Next steps
The team decides to build on Kelly's interest in writing by broadening her experiences of literacy. They agree that Kelly needs further opportunities to explore purposes for writing and that role play would provide a meaningful context in which to use different forms of writing. They plan to increase the opportunities for writing in the home corner and to provide adult support for the focus.
Short-term planning for a focus
Supporting writing
Key early learning goal
Attempt writing for different purposes, using features of different forms such as lists, stories and instructions Key objective To make meaningful marks and explore common purposes for writing through role play.
Area of provision
Home corner
Resources
Stamped letters in sealed envelopes (for example, bills, a note to the children from a staff member), written holiday postcards, notepads, shopping list pads, writing paper, notelets, envelopes, post-it notes, catalogue order forms, telephone and address books, diaries, wall calendar, pens, pencils, pencil pots
Content
* Explain to the children that the post has arrived and ask them to help you to open the envelopes.
* Read the letters and postcards with the children and discuss their content.
* Encourage the children to reply to the letters.
* Encourage them to enter telephone numbers and addresses into the books and to use these when making telephone calls and writing addresses on envelopes.
* With the children, enter significant dates on the calendar - for example, ask them to write their name next to their birthday.
* Encourage children to leave messages on post-it notes - for example, 'Gone to the shop.'
* Suggest to the children that there is not much food in the kitchen and encourage them to make lists of what is needed.
Meeting all children's needs
* Provide plenty of opportunities for the children to explore a range of mark-making materials and to work on a large scale.
* Extension: Talk with the children about letter shapes, sounds and names.
If appropriate, listen with the children to the sounds at the beginning of words and encourage them to apply what they know to their writing.
Adult role
* Engage in writing and model purposes for writing.
* Act as a scribe for the children and read back your writing.
* Encourage the children to read back their marks.
* Make sure that writing tools and materials are available continuously.
Evaluation
How did the children respond?
Children who chose to access the home corner were motivated to participate in writing activities and enjoyed the range of materials and equipment available. Adults were important in providing role models, and children with little experience particularly relied on this support. The choice of location for this focus was successful in that writing experiences soon became a natural part of the children's imaginative play. However, there were a number of children whose interests lay in other areas of provision who did not choose to play in the home corner for the duration of the focus.
What links to other areas of the curriculum were identified?
There were very close connections with other aspects of communication, language and literacy - particularly 'reading' and 'handwriting'. The focus also offered links with the area of physical development providing opportunities for using mark-making tools and developing fine motor skills.
Children's creativity was promoted as they explored roles and represented experiences through play.
What follow-up will be planned?
Staff will make a postbox with the children so that they are able to 'post'
the letters and cards that they write.
Adults will take photographs during food preparation activities over the next few weeks and involve the children in using the pictures to make a recipe book for the home corner.
A further writing focus will be planned to take place in the home corner.
This activity will involve planning a birthday party for one of the teddies and will include experiences such as writing invitations, cards and gift tags, guest lists and shopping lists for party food.
A new soft toy character will be introduced into the home corner. Children will be encouraged to take him home overnight and to record his experiences in a diary.
Are there any implications for the long-term planning of provision?
During this focus the children used large amounts of envelopes, papers and forms. A staff member has now taken on the responsibility for checking and replenishing materials on a daily basis. Parents and carers will be asked to collect and supply junk mail envelopes and unused forms.
The team will raise the profile of writing across the whole provision and look at contexts in each area. For example, children will be encouraged to make lists and plans in the construction area and make name labels to identify models in the technology workshop. Such activities will ensure that the children opting to spend time in areas other than the role-play area will also be motivated to engage in writing experiences. Opportunities for writing will be highlighted on the long-term plans for areas of provision.
Individual message boxes will be added to the office area to encourage children to send each other notes. NW
SERIES GUIDE
To deliver the Foundation Stage curriculum effectively, practitioners need to consider three levels of planning:
* long-term plans, which chart the learning opportunities that will be offered through continuous and permanent provision
* medium-term plans, which cover the enhancements that will be made to the permanent provision over the next two to six weeks
* short-term plans, which cover how to respond to an individual child's interests or needs over the next few days.
Settings have tended to focus on medium-term plans (often based around topics) at the expense of short-term planning. This series aims to illustrate the importance of short-term planning in furthering children's learning by taking practitioners through the key steps involved in identifying and responding to a child's current interest or need.
Good practice points
* Value the role of observation in the assessment and planning process and make ample time within the framework of your day to observe and plan.
* Recognise that children's learning takes place not only within the setting. Share information with parents and carers to help identify and address a child's needs.
* Be prepared to abandon or postpone plans in order to respond immediately to an observed interest or need.
* Be aware that while a focus may be planned in response to an individual child's needs or interests, the activity will probably motivate several children in the setting. Consider, therefore, how all children can access learning at their own stage of development and build on what they already know and understand.
* Be aware that planning a child's 'next steps' may mean 'moving forward', but often children need to be offered experiences at a similar level, with a similar objective in different contexts for their understanding to become firmly embedded.
* Ensure all learning experiences are rooted in a meaningful context.
* Always evaluate plans so that you can analyse children's responses and highlight any implications for future planning.
* Although formats for short-term focus planning may vary in appearance and organisation, they should include key elements as demonstrated in the series.
