Introduction
Using observational approaches to study children’s play and development is essential in early childhood education (Harini et al., 2023). This essay examines potential schemas seen in kids’ play. It connects them to social, cognitive, physical, and language development. It also explores how observation techniques should be used appropriately, emphasizing developmental screening tools, anecdotal records, and running records. Each approach’s definitions, goals, appropriate contexts, related advantages, and drawbacks are highlights to improve early childhood education’s calibration.
Schema Observation and Evidence
| Possible Schemas Observed in Children’s Play | Evidence (What I saw/heard) to Support my Schema |
| 1. Enclosure Schema | A group of children constructed structures using wood. |
| 2. Enveloping Schema | Two children read recipe books and piece papers. |
| 3. Transforming Schema | A child uses scissors to cut forms out of paper. |
Noticing, Naming, and Development Skills
Physical Domain
| Possible Skills Observed | Evidence of possible skills observed |
| a. Fine motor skills | Using scissors to cut papers |
| b. Gross motor skills | Children use gross motor skills by lifting, transporting, and placing blocks and objects during building activities. |
Cognitive Domain
| Possible skills observed | Evidence of possible skills observed |
| a: Curiosity and Inquiry (Children building houses and other structures) | Playing with structures showed children’s curiosity. As students build inventive structures, the photographs and videos illustrate their engagement, problem-solving, and creativity. |
| b. Problem-solving | Children solved problems during play by balancing blocks or connecting construction components. The images show critical thinking and problem-solving. |
Language and Communication Domain
| Possible skills observed | Evidence of possible skills observed |
| : a. Book and paper reading | Children holding paper and reading books. |
| b. Talking constructions | Engaging in their creations, plays, and creative scenarios. The images and videos document moments kids converse with peers and communicate ideas. |
Social Domain
| Possible skills observed | Evidence of possible skills observed |
| a. Social interaction | Children construct structures and other things together to show off their social abilities. |
| b. Cooperation | By cooperating during playing, especially when building structures |
Appropriate Use of Observation in Early Childhood Learning
The proper application of three observation techniques, the developmental screening tool, the running record, and the anecdotal Record, is examined in this book. We look at each technique separately, covering its definitions, goals, appropriate uses, and related advantages and disadvantages.
Running Record
A running record, a comprehensive narrative that documents a child’s behavior and actions in real-time within a predetermined timeline, is an essential tool in Early Childhood Education (ECE) observation. Its goal is to give teachers a comprehensive grasp of a child’s impromptu behavior, social contacts, and how things naturally flow. Running Records provides a comprehensive perspective that helps teachers conduct well-informed assessments and customized interventions, resulting in a more nuanced understanding of kids’ development in the ECE environment (Perry et al., 2023).
Appropriate Situation for Use
In Early Childhood Education (ECE), running records are instrumental during unstructured play or free exploration. When children are involved in unplanned activities, this observation technique is well suited to document the organic flow of their relationships and behavior. It offers a holistic viewpoint that makes it possible to fully comprehend how a kid develops in various less organized settings inside the early childhood education (ECE) environment.
Benefits Running Record and Limitations
Running Records in Early Childhood Education (ECE) offers comprehensive, situation-specific insights into a child’s behavior. Their drawbacks, however, include their time-consuming nature and sensitivity to observer interpretation. When Running Records are used in conjunction with other observation techniques, they become much more successful and help us gain a more profound knowledge of how children develop in various settings.
Anecdotal Record
A brief, unbiased description of a particular action or incident is called an anecdotal record in early childhood education (ECE). An emphasis on documenting important facts for future review gives teachers a clear and informative tool to watch and interpret particular actions within a child’s growth (Bates et al., 2019).
Appropriate Situation for Use
Anecdotal Records are a valuable tool in Early Childhood Education (ECE) for documenting certain behaviors, including a child’s first efforts at a new skill or interactions with others in the group. They perform exceptionally well in scenarios requiring succinct, targeted observations, providing insightful information on specific areas of a child’s development.
Anecdotal Benefits and Limitations
In Early Childhood Education (ECE), anecdotal records offer a concise, targeted picture of a child’s behavior that can be used to gain immediate insights. However, their brevity might limit the depth compared to more thorough approaches like Running Records. Weighing their benefits and drawbacks improves their ability to comprehend particular behaviors.
Developmental Screening Tool
A developmental screening tool in early childhood education (ECE) is a methodical evaluation intended to spot any potential delays or issues in a child’s development. Its goal is to identify problems early so that timely actions can assist children’s healthy growth and development (Britto et al., 2017).
Appropriate Situation for Use
Developmental screening techniques are instrumental in early childhood education during defined assessment periods, such as the start of a school year or concerns about a child’s development. In order to promote children’s optimal development, these tools provide a methodical way to spot possible problems and direct prompt responses.
Developmental Screening Tool Benefits and Limitations
Developmental Screening Tools help detect any problems in Early Childhood Education by providing a standardized examination. They might not, however, accurately depict a child’s potential. Effectiveness is increased when paired with continuous observational techniques, and a thorough awareness of a child’s developmental strengths and areas for progress is ensured.
Conclusion
To sum up, this thorough examination of potential schemas in kids’ play and recognizing and cultivating critical abilities in various areas highlights the value of observational methods in early childhood education (ECE). The discussion that follows on how to apply observation techniques appropriately improves the quality of ECE even more. During unstructured play, the running re proves invaluable-ord, with its real-time narrative appreciable, providing subtle insights into children’s spontaneous behavior. Combined with other techniques, it becomes an effective instrument for knowledgeable evaluations.
Even though they are brief, anecdotal records provide quick insights into particular behaviors, particularly when learning a new skill or interacting with others. Their concentrated emphasis is nonetheless practical even when their brevity may hinder their effectiveness in comprehending specific behaviors by weighing their advantages and disadvantages.
A systematic examination, the developmental screening tool, acts as an early detection mechanism during designated assessment periods. Even though it is standardized, a child’s potential must not be fully realized. Combining continuous observational techniques with other methods improves accuracy and guarantees a comprehensive understanding of both developmental strengths and areas for improvement.
References
Bates, C. C., Schenck, S. M., & Hoover, H. J. (2019). Anecdotal records. YC Young Children, 74(3), 14-19.
Britto, P. R., Lye, S. J., Proulx, K., Yousafzai, A. K., Matthews, S. G., Vaivada, T., … & Bhutta, Z. A. (2017). Nurturing care: promoting early childhood development. The Lancet, 389(10064), 91-102.
Harini, H., Wahyuningtyas, D. P., Sutrisno, S., Wanof, M. I., & Ausat, A. M. A. (2023). Marketing Strategy for Early Childhood Education (ECE) Schools in the Digital Age. Jurnal Obsesi: Jurnal Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini, 7(3), 2742-2758.
Perry, N. E., VandeKamp, K. O., Mercer, L. K., & Nordby, C. J. (2023). Investigating Teacher—Student Interactions That Foster Self-Regulated Learning. In Using Qualitative Methods To Enrich Understandings of Self-regulated Learning (pp. 5-15). Routledge.
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