To experience children’s capacity and inclination to search for understanding at young ages
Aim
To experience children's capacity and inclination to search for understanding at young ages.
Evidence and reflection
Play with and talk to a young child with whom you have a good relationship. At an appropriate opportunity, develop a conversation about something in which they are interested. Note down the things which they say and ask, verbatim if you can, and consider what this shows you about their present understanding.
Think hard about some experience which you could offer the child to extend their thinking. Try it. Again, record and interpret the child's responses.
Extension
Consider the knowledge and understanding which the child has revealed and reached. Does this appear in the National Curriculum? If so, where? How appropriate does this seem? (For some examples of such conversations, see Tizard and Hughes, 1984.)
