Hearing children's voices in the early years

Author: HANNAH MORTIMER

Source: Support for Learning, Volume 19, Number 4, November 2004 , pp. 169-174(6)

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Abstract:

In this article Hannah Mortimer explores how even very young children can be consulted and included when planning for their education and needs. This allows early years practitioners to ensure that the children they support have equal opportunities, feel involved and successful in their learning and play, and are given activities and interventions to suit their interests and strengths. Various approaches are described here for including young children with special educational needs (SEN) and other disabilities in their foundation stage education. These include observation and interpretation, talk-through approaches, play-based assessment and intervention, use of art-work, role play and stories, welcome profiles and personal records, increasing all children's awareness of SEN and developing inclusive and enjoyable approaches for everybody.

Keywords: early years practitioner; foundation stage; observation; assessment; play

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0268-2141.2004.00343.x

Affiliations: 1: Hannah Mortimer is an educational psychologist who has specialised in Early Years. She currently works for Stockton-on-Tees Sure Start and is also a freelance teacher trainer and writer. She is the author of many books on special educational need

Publication date: 2004-11-01