Principles and Perspectives in Early Childhood Education

·       Meaning and characteristics of Early childhood

·         Need & significance of ECE

·         Goals and objectives of ECCE within an integrated and whole child approach

·         Salience of early childhood years and present status in India

·         Sub Stages in ECCE –

                                                                   I.                        Birth to 3 years: Health, nutrition and Early Stimulation for under 3‘s ; Role of care givers; need for parent education programmes. Need for crèches and day care

                                                                II.                        Three to six years: Early childhood Education (Preschool education) and School Readiness for 3 to 6 year olds

                                                             III.                        Six to eight years: Early learning and Transition to Early literacy for 6 to 8 year olds.

• Recognizing delayed development

• Early detection of disabilities
• Early brain development: studies in neuroscience
• Rousseau ,Pestalozzi, Montessori, Dewey , Froebel- Philosophy & Contribution
• M.K. Gandhi, Ravindra Nath Tagore, Sri Aurbindo, Gijubahai Badheka, TarabaiModak- Philosophy & Contribution

• Essential features and component of ECCE curriculum
• Approaches to curriculum- Child Development, Verbal Cognitive, Verbal Didactic, Sensory Cognitive
• Programe Models- Montessori, Bereiter Engleman, Weikart / High scope / Cognitive Oriented, Reggio Emmelia, Bank street
• School Readiness
•  Play, development and learning in ECCE
• Programme Planning- Types and principles

• Understanding different approaches to learning with emphasis on “child as an active learner”: - Holistic approach, active participation, child centeredness, constructivism
• Balancing between discipline- participation, exploring and mediation, self directed and guided activity
• Cultural and local social forms as tools in the classroom such as rhymes, folk drawings, festival and puppets, Field visits, tour and excursion
• TLMs  in ECCE
• Classification of TLMs in ECE-traditional, technological and Edgar Dale’s classification

• Music and movement and the appeal of rhythm 
• Free conversations, free hand drawing, creative activity, role play, drama as sources of learning
• Story-telling and its functions in imagination and cultural literacy
• Indoor and outdoor play in structured and free situations 
• Introducing print media like books, pictures with words and use of audio-visual aids and ICT
• Cooperation and Collaboration with parents, families, and the community