1. Learning in the Foundational Stage
Chapter 1
Learning in the * *Foundational Stage
The Foundational Stage envisions an integrated approach to Early Childhood Care and Education for children between ages 3-8. This is the first Stage in the 5+3+3+4 curricular and pedagogical restructuring of school education as envisioned in NEP 2020. Children start schooling in this Stage.
This chapter summarises the characteristics and importance of this Curricular Stage, and the Learning Standards, suggested content, pedagogy, and assessment for this Stage. The National Curriculum Framework for the Foundational Stage (NCF-FS) deals with all these in detail. For a better understanding of the curriculum for this stage, readers should refer to that.
Section 1.1
Introduction
1.1.1 Early Childhood
The first eight years of a child’s life are truly critical and lay the foundation for lifelong well-being and overall growth and development across all dimensions — physical, cognitive, and socioemotional. The pace of brain development in the first eight years is more rapid than at any other stage of a person’s life. Research from neuroscience informs us that over 85% of an individual’s brain development occurs by the age of 6, indicating the critical importance of appropriate care and stimulation in a child’s early years to promote sustained and healthy brain development and growth.
The most current research also demonstrates that children under the age of 8 tend not to follow linear, age-based educational trajectories. It is only at about the age of 8 that children begin to converge in their learning trajectories. Even after the age of 8, the non-linearity and varied pace continues to be inherent characteristics of learning and development; however, up to the age of 8, the differences are so varied that it is effective to view the age of 8, on average, as a transition point from one stage of learning to another. In particular, it is only at about the age of 8 that children begin to adapt to more structured learning.
Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is generally defined as the care and education of children during this period, from birth to eight years.
1.1.2 ECCE Primarily at Home: Ages 0-3
Up to 3 years of age, the environment in which most children grow up is in the home with families, while some children do go to creches. Up to age 3, the home environment is (and should remain) almost the sole provider of everything that constitutes and forms the basis for ECCE.
This includes not only health, safety, and nutrition, but also cognitive and emotional care and stimulation of the infant through talking, playing, moving, listening to music and sounds, and stimulating all the other senses, particularly sight and touch so that at the end of three years, optimal developmental outcomes are attained in various development domains, including physical and motor, socio-emotional, cognitive, communication, and emergent literacy and numeracy. It must be noted that these domains are overlapping and indeed deeply interdependent.
The guidelines and/or suggested practices to enable high-quality ECCE at home for ages 0-3 would be developed and disseminated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD)
1.1.3 ECCE in Institutional Settings: Ages 3-8
After the age of 3, a large proportion of children spend significant time in institutional settings. Hence, during the ages of 3 to 8, appropriate and high-quality ECCE provided in institutional environments must be available to all children.
From ages 3-8, ECCE includes continued attention to health, safety, care, and nutrition, but also, crucially, self-help skills, motor skills, hygiene, the handling of separation anxiety, physical development through movement and exercise, expressing and communicating thoughts and feelings to parents and others, being comfortable around one’s peers, sitting for long periods of time in order to work on and complete a task, ethical development, and forming all-round good habits.
It is important during this age range to nurture and develop the child’s innate abilities and capacities of curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, cooperation, teamwork, social interaction, empathy, compassion, inclusiveness, communication, cultural appreciation, playfulness, and awareness of the immediate environment, as well as the ability to interact with Teachers, fellow students, and others successfully and respectfully.
ECCE during these years also entails the development of early literacy and numeracy, including learning about the alphabet, languages, numbers, counting, colours, shapes, drawing/painting, indoor and outdoor play, puzzles and logical thinking, art, craft, music, and movement. This becomes particularly important during the ages 6-8, forming the basis for the achievement of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN). The importance of FLN to overall education is well.understood and fully emphasised in NEP 2020.
Section 1.2
Foundational Stage
1.2.1 Aims
Considering all the above, NEP 2020 has articulated the Foundational Stage as a single curricular and pedagogical phase which comprises five years of flexible, multilevel, play and activity-based learning for children between ages 3-8 years.
Due to the critical importance of the Foundational Stage for the development of an individual, and for the long-term benefit to society as a whole, NEP 2020 articulates a clear goal — that every child in the age range of 3-8 years must have access to free, safe, high quality, developmentally-appropriate ECCE by the year 2025.
Regardless of the circumstances of birth or background, quality ECCE enables children to participate and flourish in the educational system throughout their lives. ECCE is thus perhaps one of the greatest and most powerful equalisers. High-quality ECCE in the Foundational Stage gives the best chance for all children to grow into good, ethical, thoughtful, creative, empathetic, and productive human beings.
NEP 2020 specifically calls for the attainment, by all children of optional outcomes in the domains of physical and motor development, cognitive development, socio-emotional-ethical development, cultural/artistic development, and development of communication and early language, and literacy and numeracy.
1.2.2 Current State, Challenges
In India, where ECCE in available in institutional settings for ages 3-8, it is typically carried out
as follows:
3-6 years: Early childhood education programmes in Anganwadis, Balvatikas, or preschools
6-8 years: Early primary education programmes in school (Grades 1 and 2)
ECCE has evolved significantly over the past several decades. While early childhood has always had a special cultural and social place in India, it has gained greater focus in education systems and policies over the years. The Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) launched in 1975, the 1986 National Education Policy, the National Early Childhood Care and Education Policy in 2013, National Early Childhood Care and Education Curriculum Framework in 2014 have all been significant milestones. In 2019, the NCERT developed a Preschool Curriculum for three years of preschool education along with Guidelines for Preschool Education
Despite the progress and the great potential, challenges exist:
a. Many children directly enrol or enter Grade 1 with limited experience due to a lack of suitable preschool options, especially among disadvantaged groups.
b. Due to deficiencies in supplies, infrastructure, and trained Teachers in ECCE, Anganwadis generally focus less on the educational aspects of ECCE.
c. Low enrolment and attendance remain significant challenges, even with the implementation of the ICDS scheme.
d. Out of the total number of sanctioned posts in Anganwadis, 5% are vacant, and for the posts for Anganwadis helpers, 7% are vacant.
e. The private preschool sector remains largely unregulated despite the National ECCE Policy (2013). In the private sector, some preschools have better infrastructure and learning resources but often prioritise formal teaching and rote memorisation, with high Pupil.Teacher Ratios and limited play-based and activity-based learning.
f. The number of teacher education institutions offering programmes preparing Teachers for preschool is extremely low, with the North-Eastern States having none.
g. While India has made progress in key nutritional indicators for children, significant challenges persist, including high rates of chronic under-nutrition, acute under-nutrition, and underweight children under the age of five, which impacts their holistic development in the short and long term.
h. Moreover, there has been inadequate focus on the achievement of educational outcomes in ECCE institutions, which tends to cumulate through later school years.
i. Most children lack readiness Competencies when they join school. The challenges during ages 6-8 — pedagogical, curricular, systemic, and more — are the key roots of India’s educational challenges.
Section 1.3
Learning Standards
There has been a long tradition of inquiry both in India and in other cultures on the various domains of development that have been observed in young children that are both natural and desirable. The Panchakosha concept in the Taittiriya Upanishad is one of the earliest articulations of the different domains of development of the human being. These descriptions remain relevant along with the more modern understanding that has emerged through Developmental Biology, Psychology, and Cognitive Neurosciences.
Physical Development or annamaya kosha and pranamaya kosha understood together, includes bodily awareness and embodied learning through active engagement of all sensorial perceptions. Emotional and spiritual development or the manomaya kosha involves becoming aware of and skilfully regulating our emotions. The domain of Socio-emotional and Ethical Development thus emerges as an important domain of development both from the Indian traditions and current research.
The development of the intellect, or vijnanamaya kosha, is emphasised to engage meaningfully with the cognitive and conscious aspects of human experience. The domain of Cognitive Development captures this aspect of development.
Anandamaya kosha, or experience of transcendence, is best addressed for this age group through Art and culture. Thus, including the domain of Aesthetic and Cultural Development, makes the educational experience holistic and complete.
NEP 2020 has emphasised on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy as an ‘urgent and necessary prerequisite to learning.’ This emphasis has been realised by giving special attention to Foundational Literacy through the domain of Language and Literacy Development and Foundational Numeracy through the domain of Cognitive Development.
Finally, the Foundational Stage is also seen as setting the foundations for formal schooling. The development of Positive Learning Habits that are more appropriate for a formal school environment becomes another important Curricular Goal for this Stage.
Thus, the Curricular Goals for the Foundational Stage have been derived by giving equal consideration to the vision and details of NEP 2020, and the domains of development.
Section 1.4
Curricular Goals and Competencies
The Curricular Goals for the Foundational stage and the Competencies against each of the Curricular Goals have been outlined in this Section. Curricular Goals been numbered as CG 1, CG 2 and so on; Competencies have been numbered as C-1.1, C-1.2 and so on.
Domain: Physical Development
| CG | Criteria |
|---|---|
| CG-1 Develops habits that keep them healthy and safe |
C-1.1 Shows a liking for and understanding of nutritious food and does not waste food |
| C-1.2 Practices basic self-care and hygiene | |
| C-1.3 Keeps school/classroom hygienic and organised | |
| C-1.4 Practices safe use of material and simple tools | |
| C-1.5 Shows awareness of safety in movements (e.g., walking, running, cycling) and acts appropriately | |
| C-1.6 Understands unsafe situations and asks for help | |
| CG-2 Develops sharpness in sensorial perceptions |
C-2.1 Differentiates between shapes, colours, and their shades |
| C-2.2 Develops visual memory for symbols and representations | |
| C-2.3 Differentiates sounds and sound patterns by their pitch, volume, and tempo | |
| C-2.4 Differentiates multiple smells and tastes | |
| C-2.5 Develops discrimination in the sense of touch | |
| C-2.6 Begins integrating sensorial perceptions to get a holistic awareness of their experiences | |
| CG-3 Develops a fit and flexible body |
C-3.1 Shows coordination between sensorial perceptions and body movements in various activities |
| C-3.2 Shows balance, coordination, and flexibility in various physical activities | |
| C-3.3 Shows precision and control in working with hands and fingers | |
| C-3.4 Shows strength and endurance in carrying, walking, and running |
Domain: Socio-Emotional and Ethical Development
| CG-4 Develops emotional intelligence, i.e., the ability to understand and manage their own emotions, and responds positively to social norms |
C-4.1 Starts recognising 'self' as an individual belonging to a family and community |
| C-4.2 Recognises different emotions and makes deliberate efforts to regulate them appropriately | |
| C-4.3 Interacts comfortably with other children and adults | |
| C-4.4 Shows cooperative behaviour with other children | |
| C-4.5 Understands and responds positively to social norms in the classroom and school | |
| C-4.6 Shows kindness and helpfulness to others (including animals, plants) when they are in need | |
| C-4.7 Understands and responds positively to different thoughts, preferences, and emotional needs of other children | |
| CG-5 Develops a positive attitude towards productive work and service or 'Seva' |
C-5.1 Engages in age-appropriate work at school and/or at home |
| CG-6 Develops a positive regard for the natural environment around them |
C-6.1 Shows care for and joy in engaging with all life forms |
Domain: Cognitive Development
| CG-7 Makes sense of the world around through observation and logical thinking |
C-7.1 Observes and understands different categories of objects and the relationships between them |
| C-7.2 Observes and understands cause and effect relationships in nature by forming simple hypotheses and uses observations to explain their hypotheses | |
| C-7.3 Uses appropriate tools and technology in daily life situations and for learning | |
| CG-8 Develops mathematical understanding and abilities to recognise the world through quantities, shapes, and measures |
C-8.1 Sorts objects into groups and sub-groups based on more than one property |
| C-8.2 Identifies and extends simple patterns in their surroundings, shapes, and numbers | |
| C-8.3 Counts up to 99 both forwards and backwards, and in groups of 5s, 10s, and 20s | |
| C-8.4 Arranges numbers up to 99 in ascending and descending order | |
| C-8.5 Recognises and uses numerals to represent quantities up to 99 with the understanding of decimal place value system | |
| C-8.6 Performs addition and subtraction of 2-digit numbers fluently using flexible strategies of composition and decomposition of both numerical and word problems | |
| C-8.7 Recognises multiplication as repeated addition and division as equal sharing | |
| C-8.8 Recognises, makes, and classifies basic geometric shapes and their observable properties, and understands and explains the relative relation of objects in space | |
| C-8.9 Selects appropriate tools and units to perform simple measurements of length, weight, and volume of objects in their immediate environment | |
| C-8.10 Performs simple measurements of time in minutes, hours, day, weeks, and months | |
| C-8.11 Performs simple transactions using money up to INR 100 | |
| C-8.12 Develops adequate and appropriate vocabulary for comprehending and expressing concepts and procedures related to quantities, shapes, space, and measurements | |
| C-8.13 Formulates and solves simple mathematical problems related to quantities, shapes, space, and measurements | |
| C-8.14 Feels confident and sees Mathematics as doable and worthwhile |
Domain: Language and Literacy Development
| CG-9 Develops effective communication skills for day-to-day interactions in two languages1 |
C-9.1 Listens to and appreciates simple songs, rhymes, and poems |
| C-9.2 Creates simple songs and poems on their own | |
| C-9.3 Converses fluently and can hold a meaningful conversation | |
| C-9.4 Understands oral instructions for a complex task and gives clear oral instructions for the same to others | |
| C-9.5 Comprehends narrated/read-out stories and identifies characters, storyline, and what the author wants to say | |
| C-9.6 Narrates short stories with clear plot and characters | |
| C-9.7 Knows and uses enough words to carry out day-to-day interactions effectively and can guess the meaning of new words by using existing vocabulary | |
| CG-10 Develops fluency in reading and writing in Language 1 |
C-10.1 Develops phonological awareness and blends phonemes/syllables into words and segments words into phonemes/syllables |
| C-10.2 Understands the basic structure/format of a book, idea of words in print and direction in which they are printed, and recognises basic punctuation marks | |
| C-10.3 Recognises all the letters of the alphabet (forms of akshara) of the script and uses this knowledge to read and write words | |
| C-10.4 Reads stories and passages with accuracy and fluency with appropriate pauses and voice modulation | |
| C-10.5 Reads short stories and comprehends their meaning - by identifying characters, storyline and what the author wants to say - on their own | |
| C-10.6 Reads short poems and begins to appreciate the poem for its choice of words and imagination | |
| C-10.7 Reads and comprehends the meaning of short news items, instructions and recipes, and publicity material | |
| C-10.8 Writes a paragraph to express their understanding and experiences | |
| C-10.9 Shows interest in picking up and reading a variety of children's books | |
| CG-11 Begins to read and write in Language 2 |
C-11.1 Develops phonological awareness and is able to blend phonemes/syllables into words and segment words into phonemes/syllables |
| C-11.2 Recognises most frequently occurring letters of the alphabet (forms of akshara) of the script and uses this knowledge to read and write simple words and sentences |
Domain: Aesthetic and Cultural Development
| Table 1.4V | |
| CG-12 Develops abilities and sensibilities in Visual and Performing Arts and expresses their emotions through art in meaningful and joyful ways |
C-12.1 Explores and plays with a variety of materials and tools to create two-dimensional and three-dimensional artworks in varying sizes |
| C-12.2 Explores and plays with own voice, body, spaces, and a variety of objects to create Music, role-play, Dance, and Movement | |
| C-12.3 Innovates and works imaginatively to express a range of ideas and emotions through the Arts | |
| C-12.4 Works collaboratively in the Arts | |
| C-12.5 Communicates and appreciates a variety of responses while creating and experiencing different forms of art, local culture, and heritage | |
Positive Learning Habits
| CG-13 Develops habits of learning that allows them to engage actively in formal learning environments such as a school classroom |
C-13.1 Attention and intentional action: Acquire skills to plan, focus attention, and direct activities to achieve specific goals |
| C-13.2 Memory and mental flexibility: Develop adequate working memory, mental flexibility (to sustain or shift attention appropriately), and self-control (to resist impulsive actions or responses) that would assist them in learning in structured environments | |
| C-13.3 Observation, wonder, curiosity, and exploration: Observes minute details of objects, wonders, and explores using various senses, tinkers with objects, asks questions | |
| C-13.4 Classroom norms: Adopts and follows norms with agency and understanding |
Section 1.5
Pedagogy
Children are natural learners. They are active, eager to learn, and respond with interest to new things. They have an innate sense of curiosity — they wonder, question, explore, try out, and discover to make sense of the world. By acting on their curiosity, they continue to discover and learn more.
Children learn best through play — through activity and doing. They like to run, jump, crawl, and balance, they enjoy repetition, respond spontaneously to rhythm, talk, ask, reason, and answer questions posed to them. They learn through first—hand experiences involving manipulation, exploration, and experimentation.
Engaging with materials, ideas, thoughts, and feelings during play helps in developing children’s creativity, flexible thinking, and problem-solving abilities, and enhances their concentration, attention, and perseverance. Children also improve their thinking, vocabulary, imagination, speaking, and listening skills through play, whether they are reconstructing real situations or creating imaginary worlds.
Learning at this Stage is, therefore, an active and interactive process in which children learn through play and through interaction with other children and more experienced others. Children are actively engaged in their social and cultural experiences, and they constantly adjust and use new information to make sense of their perceptions and their experiences.
Children’s playfulness can be nurtured and strengthened through experiences of active participation with others, and with natural, real-world materials that provoke and enhance learning, imagination, creativity, innovation, and problem-solving in diverse and unique ways. It is vital that the learning of children at this Stage be anchored by nurturing relationships with those around them. These relationships help children feel safe, and become more optimistic, curious, and communicative.
1.5.1 Building a Positive Relationship between Teachers and Children
When we walk into our classrooms, we see wide-eyed children who are bright, quick to observe, and interested in everything around them. They constantly ask questions. Sometimes they can quietly observe something for a long time. At other times, they lose interest in a matter of minutes. Sometimes they need to jump and move around. At other times, they enjoy a quiet story. Sometimes they cry and clamour to go home. At the same time, they like to be comforted and cajoled, and are willing to be convinced to stay back! They can be curious and considerate, delightful, and determined, affectionate, and adventurous, funny, and fearless.
At this Stage, for many children, it could also be their first experience of spending several hours away from their homes. Children require tenderness, nurturing and love. Working with them, being with them, caring for them means enjoying all the different personalities that they have. Teachers need to be warm and genuine, patient and calm, understanding and empathetic. We need to give our children unhurried time and attention.
Children must feel that they belong, that they can trust, and they are free to try out and explore and, therefore, learn better. It is our job as Teachers to ensure that children settle and enjoy their time at school. A safe, positive relationship between Teacher and child is enriching for emotional and cognitive development. To build such a relationship, Teachers should get to know each child individually, listen to them, observe them, encourage their intuitional responses, recognise, and respond to their moods, and visit their homes regularly.
1.5.2 Learning through Play
Play is a child’s work. Play, by its very nature, is something young children like to do and actively engage in. We can say that play and learning are two-way reciprocal processes. Play enables learning by allowing children to remain active, engaged, and involved in social interaction with other adults and children, thus meeting all the necessary conditions for learning to occur. In this active playing process, children are learning — to make sense of the world, solve problems, about themselves, others, Language and Mathematics. Choice, wonder, and joy are key aspects of children’s play, and our classrooms would do well to be organised around these three aspects. The play unfolds in the classroom when Teachers use conversations, stories, toys, music, movement, art, craft, and games. All these can be free, guided, or structured.
1.5.2.1 Conversations
Language is the medium through which children talk to themselves and to others, and it is with words that they begin to construct and get a grip on their reality. The ability to understand and use language clearly and cogently is essential for learning. Conversations are very important for children’s ability to connect with people and things around them. Continuous conversations with children in the classroom help build relationships of trust. Teachers can engage with children through free conversations where children can sit with the teachers and discuss any interesting things that have occurred throughout the day, on their way to school or anything they wish to share. In structured conversations, the teacher can plan and organise a session in the morning hour where they talk and think through a topic together. Topics are often about children’s daily life events and happenings, and their feelings.
1.5.2.2 Storytelling
Stories are a particularly good medium for learning about social relationships, ethical choices, understanding and experiencing emotions, and becoming aware of life skills. While listening to stories, children learn new words, thus expanding their vocabulary, and learn sentence structure and problem-solving skills. Children with very short attention spans concentrate for a longer time when engrossed in a story. Through culturally contextual stories, we can acquaint children with their culture and social norms and create awareness about their surroundings. Teachers can use picture books, story books with or without pictures, or story books in multiple languages. Flash cards that have story scenes drawn or printed on them can also be used to tell stories.
Besides listening to stories, children must also have the opportunity to tell stories. Stories told by children can be the same ones they have heard or something they have created. The Teacher can begin to tell a story and ask the children to complete it.
1.5.2.3 Toy-Based Learning
Young children learn from first-hand experiences and working with actual objects. They try out and explore and learn. The classroom environment should cultivate this spirit of exploration through play with toys and manipulatives.
Many local toys are available in every child’s surroundings. These should be used as important resources for teaching and learning. Whether a toy is simple or complex, it has a lesson for the child to learn. When a child holds a toy and manipulates it, she is practicing her motor skills and strengthening her hand-eye coordination.
When a child builds a tower with blocks and eventually watches it fall to the ground, she learns concepts and thinks about a solution to stop this fall. A puzzle helps a child explore patterns. When children use blocks, dolls, animal toys, balls, mini-cars, or pretend toys, they start creating stories and living out scenarios in their minds. Board games teach children to follow simple rules and enhance their understanding of Language and Mathematics.
Toys can also be made from readily available items such as fabric, bottles, cardboard boxes, yarn, cooking pans, bangles, pipe cleaners, and pinecones. NCERT’s handbook on Toy-Based Pedagogy is an excellent guide for this.
1.5.2.4 Songs and Rhymes
Children love singing songs and rhymes and dancing to music. Songs are also a wonderful means of learning language. Children understand different concepts through songs and their vocabulary also expands. Physical movements accompanying the songs enhance gross and fine motor movements, and body movements and gestures help children understand concepts. Songs promote interaction among children and lead to cooperation.
Local context-specific songs and rhymes are another good way to increase vocabulary, imagination, and expression. Songs in different languages provide children with the ability to infer and make connections between common and different words in a language. Most of us in India are multilingual, and it is important that the songs and rhymes promote children’s ability to remain multilingual.
The Teacher could select a few rhymes or songs in two or three local languages, practise them and sing with children. Grandparents, parents, and community members can be wonderful resources for this.
1.5.2.5 Music and Movement
Music is joy. Music is also a strong stimulant for brain development and the formation of synaptic connections. So, following the rhythm, playing simple musical instruments, and singing should be encouraged. Body movements can accompany claps or rhythm played on a tin box or a khanjira (tambourine) or manjira (cymbals).
Music and movement activities can also be done in different ways. Children could quietly listen to instrumental music or dance freely to rhythm or make body movements accompanied by rhythm. A range of instruments, which are either local, homemade, or purchased, should be made available to children for first-hand experiences in sound exploration and music-making. Teachers could include a variety of music, dances, sound sources, rhymes, chants, and songs with different moods, contexts, and languages for children to listen to and perform in the classroom. Dancing, singing, rhymes, folk songs, action songs, and finger plays provide opportunities for children to learn musical concepts.
*1.5.2.6 Art and Craft *
Children enjoy playing with colours and creating something that is of interest to them. Art and craft provide another medium for children to express their ideas, emotions, and feelings. Teachers can encourage children to draw using paper and crayons, sketch pens, coloured or black pencils, or charcoal. Children can also draw on slates, blackboards, or floors; every corner of the classroom can be utilised. Similarly, painting, pasting, and clay moulding are great ways to engage children. All these should be open-ended, with minimal direction from the Teacher. Notions of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, ‘good’ and ‘bad’ in terms of artistic expression must be avoided. Instead, different viewpoints, experiences, expressions, and imaginations should be encouraged and celebrated. Within each Art discipline too, children need to be encouraged to discover their own methods and techniques of using instruments and materials, in addition to conventionally accepted methods. Children not only need to observe their surroundings visually, but also become keen observers of their own thoughts, feelings, emotions, expressions, actions, and overall behaviour. The Teacher should ensure that the Art classroom is always an inclusive environment.
*1.5.2.7 Indoor Games *
Just as exercising the body is important to keep it fit and healthy, so too is exercising the mind. Games of strategy, logic and word puzzles, and recreational Mathematics are the best way to excite children about Mathematics and to develop the logical skills that are so critical throughout their school years and indeed throughout life.
Jigsaw puzzles, playing with blocks, and solving mazes help to develop a child’s spatial reasoning. Different games of strategy (e.g., tic-tac-toe, and leading up to deeper games such as chess) develop strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
Playing games (e.g., Chaupad, Snakes and Ladders, Ludo) is fun — it also teaches counting, strategy, collaboration, healthy competition, and bonding with peers. Word and logic puzzles are another fun way to teach deductive reasoning. Simple puzzles such as those in the box above help develop children’s skills of logical and creative thinking in an enjoyable manner. The puzzles can get more challenging, and incorporate arithmetic and other elements, as children get older. Arithmetic puzzles and games can help develop a comfort with numbers and develop quantitative reasoning.
Making learning enjoyable through fun exercises, games, and puzzles can be a key aspect in ensuring that children stay engaged and, at the same time, develop mental capacity and creativity.
1.5.2.8 Outdoor Games
Children in their early years cannot sit in one place for a long period of time — they need to move around. Playing outside gives them a chance to explore the natural environment, test their physical limits, express themselves, and build self-confidence. Most importantly, it helps to build gross motor skills, physical fitness, and balance.
Children enjoy the space, the freedom to run and jump, to climb, kick and fall. Playing outside also helps many children relax and calm down.
*1.5.2.9 Spending Time in Nature *
Children are naturally curious and need opportunities to explore, experiment, manipulate, create, and learn about the world around them. Children start exploring their environment through their senses by scanning their environment, touching, holding, and handling whatever they see, listening to and responding to sounds, music, and rhythm, and getting excited by unusual noises.
Children’s thinking evolves as they construct an understanding of people, objects, and real-life situations through first-hand experiences. Children bring their own ideas, interests, and beliefs based on their own experiences and contexts as well as their own abilities.
Teachers and families must provide opportunities to children to explore the world around them, experiment and discover, compare, ask questions, make close observations, think, and talk about their observations and predictions. Through this process, they are helped to satisfy their curiosities and make more discoveries. Sustaining children’s natural curiosity to explore the world through first-hand experiences at home and in school lays the foundation for learning. Spending time with plants and trees and birds and animals or just being quiet around nature can develop the basis for Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE).
1.5.2.10 Field Trips
Small, local field trips as part of the learning process reinforce the knowledge the children have gained in the classroom and push them to ask more questions and build further connections with things that they already know. Children also learn to manage themselves and to be with others through these experiences.
The local vegetable market, doctor’s clinic, bus depot, post office, and police station could all introduce children to an unfamiliar but interesting world, teaching them many new things.
1.5.3 Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy
A significant component of structured learning should be added for literacy and numeracy, especially for Grades 1 and 2. It is important to ensure that the curriculum for children of ages 3-6 onwards must be planned in a way that builds on children’s capacities of that particular age and leads to formal learning instead of a downward extension of the curriculum from Grade 1.
i. Classroom Strategies for Literacy
The teaching of language and literacy should provide children with ample opportunities to explore themselves as readers and writers, along with providing a balance of learning ‘lowerorder’ skills (e.g., phonological awareness, decoding, writing letters and words correctly) and ‘higher-order’ skills (e.g., oral language development, engaging with books, drawing, and original writing) which are meaning-focussed.
There are four major components in language and literacy instruction — oral language, word recognition, reading, and writing. While activities for the four blocks may be implemented in an integrated manner, it is important that children spend time working on each of the blocks on a regular basis.
ii. Classroom Strategies for Numeracy
Learning goals for Mathematics can be categorised into higher goals such as mathematisation of a child’s thought processes (e.g., ability to handle abstract thinking, problem-solving, visualisation, representation, reasoning, and making connections of Mathematics concepts with other domains) and content-specific goals (those related to different concepts in Mathematics (e.g., understanding numbers, shapes, patterns).
To become mathematically proficient, children need to build conceptual understanding, procedural understanding, strategies competence/application, communication and reasoning, and a positive attitude towards Mathematics. All these strands of mathematical proficiency can be designed in the following four blocks for the daily classroom process.
1.5.4 Creating a Positive Classroom Environment
As children enter school, their worlds expand, they make friends, begin connecting with adults beyond the family, and become more and more mobile and verbal. They want to explore and learn about everything. The role of the Teacher is very important in guiding children in their behaviour and in forming strong positive relationships. Teachers, therefore, must be thoughtful and responsive to the needs of children. Caring for children is complex and important work. It is complex because there are many parts involved in establishing relationships with children and their families.
1.5.4.1 Classroom Environment and Norms
A safe, secure, comfortable, and happy classroom environment can help children learn better. It is important that the necessary facilities such as learning materials, equipment, and space for doing activities, working together, and playing, to help each child learn better, are available. Care is central to the classroom environment at the Foundational Stage — an attitude of concern and responsibility for children and relationships. The classroom must be an inclusive, enabling learning environment that provides every child freedom, openness, acceptance, meaningfulness, belonging and challenge.
Introducing children, gently but clearly, to agreed norms of being in a classroom together should be done as early as possible. This gives them both clear direction and a way to settle well in class. It is best to have conversations with children and agree on norms with them. This leads to an enhanced sense of ownership and responsibility while helping nurture and build a positive classroom culture. Norms should be short, clear, and easy to understand with positive phrasing.
1.5.4.2 Managing Difficult Behaviour
Teachers will also have to learn to manage difficult behaviours as behaviour is often the unspoken language through which children act out feelings and thoughts. It is also often because they are unaware of behaviour norms or alternative ways of behaving. Teachers should help children settle and guide their behaviour positively. Positive guidance is crucial because they promote children’s self-control, teach children responsibility, and help children make thoughtful choices. Caring and respectful adults create a supportive atmosphere to help young children explore alternative behaviours, develop social skills, and learn to solve problems. This is called a positive approach to guidance. An effective guidance approach is interactive. Adults and children both learn to change as they interact with one another towards a common goal.
Understanding the development of a child will help us set appropriate standards of behaviour/ expectations from children, think of appropriate alternatives, as well as age-appropriate explanations or ways to explain to the child.
Actions that insult or belittle are likely to cause children to view their Teachers, parents, and other caregivers negatively, which can inhibit learning and can teach the child to be unkind to others. However, actions that acknowledge the child’s efforts and progress, no matter how slow or small, are likely to encourage healthy development.
1.5.4.3 Discipline
Discipline is a part of the guidance strategies adults use to help children become responsible for their actions, learn self-control, and behave appropriately. Discipline does not mean punishing and preventing behaviours.
One of the major goals of a good guidance process is to help children achieve self-discipline. This happens only if adults lead in ways that support children’s developing ability to control themselves. By gradually handing over to children, the opportunity to govern their actions, adults communicate trust.
*1.5.4.4 Language Used by Teacher *
As Teachers gain experience in handling problem behaviours, they learn to use the right kind of language. Teachers discover how potent the voice can be and what words will work best and when. They become aware of facial expressions and what a touch or a look will convey to children. How they use their body reflects a distinct attitude and approach to discipline. Through experience, new Teachers learn how to use these tools in ways that will work best for them and the children. Teachers should talk to children in the same way they talk to other people. Learn to control the volume of their voice and use good speech patterns for children to imitate. To be heard, get close enough to speak in a normal tone; get down to the child’s physical level. Often, lowering volume and pitch is effective. Use simple, clear statements, spoken once, will have more impact. The child will be able to focus on the real issues involved. When working with small children, the Teacher must be aware of body height and position and get down to the level of the child. The way Teachers use their body invites or rejects close relationships and familiarity. A child will find Teachers more approachable if they are seated low, with arms unfolded, rather than standing, with arms folded. Non-verbal behaviours of a Teacher such as gestures, posture, and eye contact must be such that a child can approach them without any hesitation. The Teacher has to examine the way she was disciplined and acknowledge her experiences and feelings about it, particularly assumptions she may have on how children behave depending on their context and background.
The most effective methods of guidance are clear, consistent, and fair rules that are enforced in consistent, humane ways. Children should be aware of the consequences if the rules are broken. Good guidance practices emphasise the positive aspects of a child’s behaviour, not just problem behaviours. Guidance measures have greater meaning to children if they are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions and are part of the problem-solving process.
Section 1.6
*Content for Teaching *
Teaching at the Foundational Stage must be informed by the Curricular Goals, Competencies, and Learning Outcomes. The content to be used in the teaching-learning process includes the learning environment, TLMs, and books.
The syllabus must contextualise the Learning Outcomes, guide Teachers through handbooks on the sequence of learning planned in the syllabus and provide broad guidelines for assessments. Content chosen should be sensorially engaging (e.g., activate the child’s senses, have aesthetic appeal) and/or be practically relevant in the context of the child’s experiences. It should be derived from children’s life experiences and reflect the cultural, geographical, and social context in which the child is developing and growing, move from familiar to unfamiliar, simple to complex, and from self to others, and accommodate the diverse interests of children.
The texts for Language should be a good balance of stories and poems, along with content on the local natural and human environments. While stories and poems enhance the imaginative and linguistic capacities of young children, content on both flora and fauna as well as social and cultural aspects allow children to gain understanding of the world around them. Content could be in the form of textbooks, workbooks, children’s literature, materials such as flashcards, games, and puzzles, and various audio-visual materials.
Similar to Language, content in Mathematics can reflect engagement with the local environment. Mathematical activities, whether understanding shapes or counting, can be integrated with engagement with the natural and human environments. The content in textbooks and workbooks should be complemented with appropriate manipulatives in the classroom.
Art learning experiences are to be planned as activities focused on specific Learning Outcomes and the content is drawn from the local context of the school.
1.6.1 Teaching-Learning Materials
Teaching-Learning Materials (TLMs) at this stage should engage children in multi-sensorial activities and encourage them to actively use their hands; this incudes simple toys to manipulatives for counting and numeracy, children’s books, picture books, activity books, worksheets, and audio-visual materials support learning.
The Teachers should develop the capacity to prepare TLMs using locally available materials. Engaging children in the process of creating TLMs such as toys, puzzles, and boards using locally available products helps engage all aspects of their development. Some resources that are attractive, safe, and provide adequate opportunities for the children to explore and experiment with curiosity, which are not locally available, can be purchased from the market. The use of TLMs can enhance the learning of the children by providing them concrete experiences. For Mathematics, Teachers can create simple TLMs such as counters, bundle-sticks, ganitmala, arrow cards, flats-longs-units, shapes cut-outs, straw models, and polyominoes using locally available materials such as seeds, sticks, pebbles, paper, cardboards, and beads. The idea of a library being not merely a collection of books but an attractive display of good books which changes periodically is essential for the library to be an active place and to generate motivation and interest in reading. The Teachers and other adults can model reading behaviour, read-aloud, and plan other engagements with texts in the library. The library or designated reading corners should provide children access to good children’s literature, and the Teachers should encourage them to ‘borrow’ books from the library and place them back in the classroom or the library.
As a part of pedagogic practice, Teachers should model careful use of materials. A culture of care and responsibility in using and sharing material should be an essential Learning Outcome for this Stage and should be carried through the later Stages of schooling. With a balanced approach between protection and participation, different types of technology, digital, and audio-visual material can also be used as a TLM. Children should have access to a diverse range of content and material that is contextual for the child, age-appropriate, and available in range of languages and materials. They should contain diverse forms, spaces, and formats to ensure access and inclusion of children with disabilities. The key should be to create an enjoyable experience for the learner and feed the child’s innate curiosity and agency, for which the capacity development of Teachers, parents, and the community should be supported.
1.6.2 Books and Textbooks
Children at the Foundational Stage need to engage with texts in a variety of forms (e.g., picture books, storybooks, graded readers, and worksheets). A wide variety of books that are appropriate for all children including 3-year-olds should be made available to schools. Large picture books, colourful graded readers, books with engaging stories and poems, all these would make reading books an exciting and engaging experience for children. Our country has a rich heritage of stories, folklores and legends that vary from region to region. These stories need to be translated into all languages and good children’s literature can be produced from these sources and be made available to all. By making a variety of books available in schools, a sense and taste of sahitya can be encouraged in young minds.
Textbooks should be designed specifically to achieve the Competencies as articulated for the Foundational Stage. For the ages 3-6, learning environment, TLMs, and worksheets are sufficient to meet their Curricular Goals and pedagogical needs. They should not be burdened with the textbooks. For the ages 6-8, simple and attractive textbooks should be considered, which should also act as a workbook but should not be limited to the textbooks only.
Textbooks are often the only books many children will engage with. Their understanding of the world beyond their immediate surroundings is built through the illustrations in the textbooks, the activities and assessments introduce them to the expectations of them, and the content of the textbook, as well as the language it uses, motivates them.
When developing and design a textbook, one should be guided by the underlying principles of curriculum, discipline, pedagogy, technology, context, presentation, and diversity and inclusion. Applying these principles, the process could include the creation of a syllabus document, panels of textbook writers, reviewers, and designers/illustrators, choice of content, pedagogy, and assessment, structure of the textbook and language used, presentation and design, writing, review, and pilot run, and textbook orientation of the Teachers.
Textbook developers should have sound knowledge of applied linguistics and Mathematics, a clear understanding of the pedagogy that is appropriate for the competency and content, and also be aware of the current technology and audio-visual materials available for enhancing the learning experience of children. Local context and environment are also important considerations.
The textbook must provide Teachers with concrete ways of integrating assessment with teaching and learning. If practicable, a Teacher’s manual can be developed as a companion to the textbook, aligned with both its approach and content. While the Teacher manual is primarily intended for the Teacher, its use will benefit children as well.
1.6.3 Learning Environment
An inclusive, welcoming, colourful, and joyful learning environment that supports every child’s participation is very critical for achieving the Competencies outlined in the NCF.
a. The indoor environment needs to be well-lit and well-ventilated.
b. It should feel safe and inviting for the children.
c. It needs to be inclusive.
d. It should have a balance of both familiar and novel experiences for the child.
e. It should have a balance of materials that encourage different domains of development.
f. It should allow for both individual work and cooperative work.
g. It should include displays of children’s work and also allow for children’s work-in-progress to be preserved.
Considering the points mentioned above, the classroom environment can be optimised for engagement and learning by implementing some of the fundamental principles of ECCE. Some of the points are mentioned below.
1.6.3.1 Indoor Environment
a. Running Blackboard: The running blackboard should be at children’s reach as it allows them to express themselves artistically and engages them in activities.
b. Circle Area: Clean and organised circle area on the floor should be designated for circle time activities.
c. Corner Set-up: Corners can be planned inside the classroom to enable a variety of activities – including a dramatic play corner with masks and puppets, a blocks/puzzles and Math corner, an art/drawing corner, a tinkering corner, and a books/Language corner. These corners encourage imaginative play, sensorial development, creativity, problem-solving, and language skills
d. Classroom Display: To make a classroom dynamic and vibrant, an area should be allocated to display both children’s and Teacher’s work. This can include a weather chart, a timetable, Teacher-prepared charts, and norm charts.
e. Portfolio Bag: For easy access and visibility of children’s work and to keep records and store children’s work, the portfolio bags, neatly labelled with their names, can be hung on a wire/rope.
f. Every classroom should have basic elements such as a mirror, a clock, space to keep footwear, and a dustbin. The labelling of these locations, the text in the displays, and the reading corners should make the environment print rich, colourful and a happy place.
1.6.3.2 Outdoor Environment
a. Sand pit: Sand pit is an excellent play area for children, which can also be used during free play. This can also be setup with the use of bricks and filled with sand or mud.
b. Clay box: To develop gross and fine motor abilities, mixing, kneading, and making clay figures and toys is a very good exercise. This can be made using a small box built with bricks containing claying soil.
c. Water: A simple arrangement of buckets, mugs, and a tub for water activities should be kept alongside the sand and clay areas. Children find it calming and these activities help coordination of multiple muscles and increase attention.
d. Kitchen garden: A small kitchen garden gives children sensorial experiences, opportunities to work with their hands and concepts about the natural environment. Group work, physical labour, and other such positive attitudes towards work can also be achieved by children working in a kitchen garden.
e. Outdoor play equipment: Slides, see-saws and swings are some essential outdoor play equipment. Ladders give opportunities for very young children to climb, which is an important developmental activity. In later years, simple rope ladders can be set up for a more demanding climbing experience.
Section 1.7
Assessment
Assessment should be well-designed and aligned to the Learning Outcomes and Competencies of the Foundational Stage. While analysing the evidence from an assessment, Teacher should be unbiased and open-minded. The assessment should be formally and informally integrated through the course of the day in the classroom and out-of-classroom activities. Teacher should have a proper mechanism to collect and document evidence. While analysing the assessment, Teacher should focus on what children know, identify the gaps, and utilise them in plans.
In the Foundational Stage, assessment is through observation and analysing artefacts. Observation across time provides the Teacher with a comprehensive understanding of the child’s learning.
There can be several contexts where children exhibit their behaviour, attitudes, and their learnings. Objects/Artefacts are created by a child during the teaching-learning process. These artefacts provide clues about the level of Learning Outcomes of the child and are a source of information about the child’s abilities and strengths.
The Holistic Progress Card would include this analysis, general information about the child’s family, and the Teacher’s narrative summary of the child’s progress.
Section 1.8
Addressing Developmental Delay and Disability
The Foundational Stage is critical to learning and development. We should aim to provide a safe, supportive, and responsive environment that upholds the dignity of every child learning with us. It is important for Teachers and educational institutions to identify and address any risks pertaining to the children as early as possible so that all children attain their learning goals and make sure that our children are safe and secure while they learn.
Recognising and addressing developmental delay and disability in the Foundational Stage is very important because these years are vital for the pathways on which future learning is based. The sooner we recognise and address any challenges to learning and development, the better the chance for redressal and success. Optimal nutrition and a caring and stimulating environment are crucial to learning and development at this Stage. We need to support children in such a way that there are bridges, rather than gaps, between early and later school learning. Developmental delay refers to very noticeable lags in achieving developmental milestones, beyond the individual differences that exist among children. The delay could be in any developmental domain.
Developmental disability — e.g., autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, visual impairment, hearing impairment — usually becomes apparent during infancy or childhood and is marked by delayed development and functional limitations in learning, language, communication, cognition, behaviour, socialisation, or mobility. Children often catch up or outgrow developmental delays with continuous support and stimulation. Developmental disabilities are long-lasting, though children can make a lot of progress in managing them as well with similar support.
Educational institutions and Teachers are not authorised to make any diagnosis of developmental delay or disability. That is the job of authorised medical professionals. However, if a Teacher notices a concern or persistent issue, she must observe the child across all developmental domains and keep a regular record to support proper diagnosis of the issue and appropriate action.
All our educational settings are committed to providing an environment that is not only stimulating and joyful but safe and secure as well. Schools and Teachers must take care of Physical and Emotional Safety and create a culture of zero tolerance of Child Sexual Abuse.