Different methods of observation and assessment to monitor and identify stages of holistic learning, growth and development including schema

Gwahanol ddulliau o arsylwi ac asesu er mwyn monitro a nodi cyfnodau dysgu, twf a datblygiad cyfannol gan gynnwys sgema

a young boy with Down's Syndrome at nursery

Each child develops at a different pace and practitioners need to meet the needs of every individual child. Whilst observing children, practitioners will be able to discover their needs and the best possible way to promote their development. They will be able to produce a plan specifically for each individual child. Practitioners observe children on a daily basis as they take part in activities in order to ensure that they are safe and that their needs can be met. Time should be allocated to make observations as the child needs to be watched carefully and a record made of what the child does and says. There are many different methods of observation and assessment with regard to children in order to monitor and identify stages of holistic learning, growth and development including schema. Practitioners should familiarise themselves with the different methods in order to be able to choose which method is suitable for the purpose.

Free Description

This method is also called the 'written' or 'narrative' method. The observer will focus on the child's activity and will write everything they see over a period of time. This method is useful as it will provide a detailed picture of what is happening. A free description tends to be quite short and is useful when noting the areas where children face difficulties, for example, holding a pencil or paintbrush. Occasionally, it will be difficult to observe and record, and abbreviations and key words will need to be used, with the notes written up tidily again. It is important to concentrate and to only write about what is observed. Actions and behaviours, facial expressions and verbal and non-verbal communication can be recorded.

Checklist

This is an effective way of recording a significant amount of information by simply using a tick chart. A checklist will need to be produced, focussing on a specific skill or area to develop, such as fine motor skills: holding a pencil, threading beads, buttoning a coat, turning a page, cutting with scissors or which schemas they operate. The observer will tick them off once seen. A checklist can be used to observe a number of children of the same age in order to compare their developmental progress. It is useful to include a column where further comments can be made. The checklist can be reused with different children and the conclusions are easy to interpret.

Time Sample

The observer will decide over which time period to observe, maybe a period of 2 hours or a morning session in a nursery group. The child's activity will need to be observed every 2, 10 or 15 minutes in order to track what the child is doing or saying. The practitioner can choose the length of time for the observation session and the length of time between each observation. A variety of activities and development areas can be observed but this method may mean that certain events are missed if they are not within your specified time scale.

Events Sample

This method can be used when the practitioner needs to see how a child behaves when taking part in a specific activity or needs to discover how often a specific type of behaviour happens, such as being aggressive towards others, for example. A form should be produced that notes the observed behaviour and every time the child displays the behaviour or development, the time and circumstances will need to be recorded. Although this method focusses on a specific aspect of behaviour or development, it will not provide a reason for those responses.

Diagrammatic Charts (flow charts, sociogram, growth charts, snapshot)

These can provide a visual picture of the information collected. Flow charts and snapshots may be used to follow and discover the movements of the child. They will show which activities the child prefers and will draw attention to what the child does not enjoy doing. Sociograms can be used to discover how a child socialises within a group. Growth charts can be used to note the height and weight of children.

Recording is the method used to keep observations and assessments and how children's progress is noted. A record could be a simple file with dates and examples of the child's work, narrative and anecdotal reports or more complex systematic analysis focused on specific aspects of learning. The practitioner's role is to record the outcomes of observations and assessments in line with the setting's policies and procedures and national guidelines. Whatever method of observation is used, the background details for each observation will be the same. The following should be included:

  • the time and date so that the observation appears current and valid
  • the aim or purpose of the observation
  • the age of the child - this is essential if you are assessing developmental progress so that it can be compared to developmental norms
  • comments that will be relevant to the focus e.g.

a change within the child's home environment can affect their development.

The process of creating the Early Years Development and Assessment Framework (EYDAF) was initiated by the Welsh Government in 2013. EYDAF aims to ensure consistency in assessments made of the development of children up to 7 years old across the education and health sectors.

The Foundation Phase Profile has been designed to support practitioners in carrying out assessments of children as well as supporting early identification of any delays in development and needs. Delays may occur due to special educational needs (SEN) or additional learning needs (ALN). This will ensure that children in need receive appropriate support.

The Foundation Phase Profile has been divided into two parts, namely The Compact Profile and The Full Profile.

The Compact Profile is used as a baseline assessment in school when the child is 5 years old. There is a list of skills to be used to support the child's learning and establish any delays in development or learning. The skills were selected and arranged purposefully as they are easy to observe when the child starts in a school or any other setting.

The Full Profile has been designed to support assessment of children throughout the Foundation Phase and at the end of Year 2. The skills in the full profile are expanded in order to provide a holistic overview of the child's development. If there is concern regarding any child's development, the more detailed full profile can be used.

Records may be taken using the recording form or the bespoke software. This form is not essential but it provides consistent evidence of the child's development.

The areas to be assessed vary slightly from those seen within the ‘Foundation Phase Framework for Children’s Learning for 3 to 7-year-olds in Wales’.

Areas of Learning include:

  1. Personal and Social Development, Well-being and Cultural Diversity
  2. Language, Literacy and Communication Skills
  3. Mathematical Development
  4. Physical Development.

Outcomes within the Foundation Phase Profile reflect the skills expressed in the Areas of Learning published in 2008. The National Literacy and Numeracy Framework (LNF) is also built into the Profile.

Further reading:

Foundation Phase Profile Handbook

https://bit.ly/30vTEMo

To support schools in introducing the National Literacy and Numeracy Framework

https://bit.ly/2Y991ZN

Mae pob plentyn yn datblygu ar raddfa wahanol ac mae angen i ymarferwyr gwrdd ag anghenion pob plentyn unigol. Wrth arsylwi plant bydd ymarferwyr yn medru darganfod beth yw eu hanghenion a sut allant hyrwyddo eu datblygiad yn y ffordd gorau posib. Byddant yn medru rhoi cynllun at ei gilydd sydd yn benodol ar gyfer pob plentyn unigol Mae ymarferwyr yn arsylwi plant yn ddyddiol wrth iddynt ymgymryd â gweithgareddau er mwyn sicrhau eu bod yn ddiogel a bod eu hanghenion yn cael eu cwrdd. Mae’n ofynnol i neilltuo amser i wneud arsylwadau gan ei fod yn golygu gwylio’r plentyn yn fanwl a chofnodi beth mae’n gwneud a dweud. Mae yna nifer o wahanol ddulliau o arsylwi ac asesu plant er mwyn monitro a nodi camau dysgu, twf a datblygiad cyfannol gan gynnwys sgema. Dylai’r ymarferwr gyfarwyddo â’r gwahanol ddulliau er mwyn gallu dewis pa ddull sy’n addas ar gyfer y pwrpas.

Disgrifiad Rhydd

Gelwir y dull yma hefyd yn ddull ‘ysgrifenedig’ neu ‘naratif’. Bydd yr arsylwr yn canolbwyntio ar weithgaredd y plentyn gan ysgrifennu popeth mae’n gweld dros gyfnod o amser. Mae’r dull hwn yn ddefnyddiol gan y bydd yn rhoi darlun manwl o’r hyn sy’n digwydd. Mae disgrifiad rhydd yn dueddol o fod yn eithaf byr ac mae’n gymorth wrth fanylu ar ardaloedd ble mae plant yn cael anhawster, er enghraifft, dal pensil neu frwsh paent. Weithiau bydd arsylwi a chofnodi yn anodd ac fe fydd angen defnyddio byrfoddau a geiriau allweddol gan ysgrifennu’r nodiadau yn daclus eto. Mae’n bwysig canolbwyntio a dim ond ysgrifennu'r am yr hyn sy’n cael ei arsylwi. Gellir cofnodi gweithredoedd ac ymddygiad, mynegiant wyneb a chyfathrebu geiriol a di eiriol.

Rhestr Wirio

Dyma ddull effeithiol i gofnodi llawer o wybodaeth yn syml drwy ddefnyddio siart dicio. Bydd angen llunio rhestr wirio gan ganolbwyntio ar sgil neu faes datblygiad penodol, megis sgiliau echddygol manwl: dal pensil, edafu gleiniau, botymu cot, troi tudalen, torri â siswrn neu pa sgemâu maent yn gweithredu. Bydd yr arsylwr yn eu ticio i ffwrdd wrth eu gweld. Gallwch ddefnyddio’r rhestr wirio i arsylwi nifer o blant o’r un oedran er mwyn cymharu eu cynnydd datblygiadol. Mae’n ddefnyddiol i gynnwys colofn ble gellir cynnig sylwadau pellach. Gellir ail ddefnyddio’r rhestr wirio gyda phlant gwahanol ac mae’r darganfyddiadau yn hawdd i’w dehongli.

Sampl Amser

Bydd yr arsylwr yn penderfynu ar gyfnod amser i arsylwi, efallai cyfnod o 2 awr neu sesiwn bore mewn cylch meithrin. Bydd angen arsylwi gweithgaredd y plentyn bob dwy, deg neu bymtheg munud er mwyn tracio’r hyn mae’r plentyn yn gwneud neu yn ei ddweud. Gall yr ymarferydd ddewis am ba hyd i arsylwi a faint o egwyl sydd rhwng bob arsylwad. Gellir arsylwi amrywiaeth o weithgareddau a meysydd datblygiad ond gall y dull hwn olygu eich bod yn colli rhai digwyddiadau os nad ydynt o fewn eich cyfnod amser penodedig.

Sampl Digwyddiad

Gellir defnyddio’r dull yma pan fydd yr ymarferwr angen gweld sut mae plentyn yn ymddwyn wrth ymgymryd â gweithgaredd penodol neu i ddarganfod pa mor aml mae ymddygiad o fath arbennig yn digwydd megis efallai bod yn ymosodol tuag at eraill. Bydd angen creu ffurflen sy’n dynodi’r ymddygiad sy’n cael ei arsylwi a bob tro mae’r plentyn yn dangos yr ymddygiad neu’r datblygiad bydd angen cofnodi’r amser a’r amgylchiadau. Er fod y dull hwn yn canolbwyntio ar agwedd penodol o ymddygiad neu ddatblygiad ni fydd yn rhoi rheswm am yr ymatebion hynny.

Siartiau Diagramatig (siartiau llif, sosiogram, siartiau twf, ciplun)

Mae’r rhain yn medru rhoi darlun gweledol o’r wybodaeth a gesglir. Gall siartiau llif a chiplun eu defnyddio i ddilyn a darganfod symudiadau’r plentyn. Bydd yn dangos pa weithgareddau mae’r plentyn yn ffafrio gan dynnu sylw at yr hyn nad yw’r plentyn yn hoffi ei wneud. Gall sosiogram ei ddefnyddio i ddarganfod sut mae plentyn yn cymdeithasu o fewn grŵp. Er mwyn nodi taldra a phwysau plant gellir defnyddio siartiau twf.

Cofnodi yw’r dull o gadw arsylwadau ac asesiadau a’r modd y nodir cynnydd y plentyn. Gall y cofnod fod yn ffeil syml gyda dyddiadau ac esiamplau o waith y plentyn, adroddiadau naratif ac anecdotaidd neu ddadansoddiadau systematig mwy cymhleth fydd yn canolbwyntio ar agweddau dysgu penodol. Mae gan yr ymarferwr rôl i gofnodi canlyniadau arsylwadau ac asesiadau yn unol â pholisïau a gweithdrefnau’r lleoliad a chanllawiau cenedlaethol. Beth bynnag yw’r dull arsylwi a ddefnyddir bydd y manylion cefndirol ar gyfer bob arsylwad yn gyffredin. Mae angen cynnwys:

  • amser a dyddiad fel bod yr arsylwad yn ymddangos yn gyfredol ac yn ddilys
  • nod neu bwrpas i’r arsylwad
  • oedran y plentyn, mae hyn yn hanfodol os ydych yn asesu cynnydd datblygiadol fel bod modd ei gymharu â normau datblygiad
  • sylwadau a fydd yn berthnasol i’r ffocws e.e. gall newid o fewn amgylchedd cartref y plentyn effeithio ar ei ddatblygiad.

Dechreuwyd ar y broses o greu Fframwaith Datblygu ac Asesu’r Blynyddoedd Cynnar (FfDABC) gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn 2013. Nod y FfDABC yw sicrhau bod cysondeb ar asesiadau a wneir ar ddatblygiad plant hyd at 7 oed ar draws y sectorau addysg ac iechyd.

Mae Proffil y Cyfnod Sylfaen wedi cael ei gynllunio i fod o gymorth i ymarferwyr wrth gynnal asesiadau o blant yn ogystal â helpu i nodi’n ddigon cynnar os oes unrhyw oedi o ran datblygiad ac anghenion. Gall yr oedi digwydd oherwydd anghenion addysgol arbennig (AAA) neu anghenion dysgu ychwanegol (ADY). Bydd hyn yn sicrhau bod y plant sydd mewn angen yn derbyn cefnogaeth briodol.

Mae Proffil y Cyfnod Sylfaen wedi ei rannu’n ddwy ran sef Y Proffil Cryno a’r Proffil Llawn.

Defnyddir y Proffil Cryno fel asesiad sylfaenol yn yr ysgol pan fydd y plentyn yn 5 oed. Gwelir rhestr o sgiliau sydd i’w defnyddio i gefnogi dysgu’r plentyn ac i ddarganfod a oes oedi mewn datblygiad neu ddysgu. Mae’r sgiliau wedi’u dewis a’u trefnu yn bwrpasol gan eu bod yn sgiliau sydd yn hawdd eu harsylwi pan fydd y plentyn yn dechrau mewn ysgol neu unrhyw leoliad arall.

Mae’r Proffil Llawn wediProffil Llawnnogi asesiadau o blant drwy'r Cyfnod Sylfaen ac ar ddiwedd Blwyddyn 2. Mae’r sgiliau yn y proffil llawn wedi eu cynyddu er mwyn rhoi trosolwg holistig ar ddatblygiad y plentyn. Os oes pryder am ddatblygiad unrhyw blentyn gellir defnyddio’r proffil llawn sy’n cynnwys mwy o fanylder.

Gellir defnyddio ffurflen gofnodi neu gofnodi gyda’r meddalwedd pwrpasol. Nid yw’r ffurflen hon yn orfodol ond mae’n rhoi tystiolaeth gyson o ddatblygiad y plentyn.

Mae’r meysydd i’w hasesu yn gwahaniaethu ychydig o’r meysydd a welir o fewn ‘Fframwaith y Cyfnod Sylfaen ar gyfer Dysgu Plant 3 i 7 Oed yng Nghymru’.

Mae’r Meysydd Dysgu yn cynnwys:

  1. Datblygiad Personol a Chymdeithasol, Lles ac Amrywiaeth Ddiwylliannol
  2. Sgiliau Iaith, Llythrennedd a Chyfathrebu
  3. Datblygiad Mathemategol
  4. Datblygiad Corfforol.

Mae deilliannau o fewn Proffil y Cyfnod Sylfaen yn adlewyrchu'r sgiliau a fynegwyd yn y Meysydd Dysgu a gyhoeddwyd yn 2008. Gwelir hefyd bod y Fframwaith Llythrennedd a Rhifedd Cenedlaethol (FfLlRh) wedi cael eu hymgorffori yn y Proffil.

Darllen pellach:

Llawlyfr Proffil y Cyfnod Sylfaen

https://bit.ly/2GaKLQD

Cynorthwyo ysgolion i gyflwyno’r Fframwaith Llythrennedd a Rhifedd Cenedlaethol

https://bit.ly/32EJ7Ap

Planning for progress, differentiation and offering extended opportunities

Cynllunio ar gyfer cynnydd, gwahaniaethu a chynnig cyfleoedd estynedig

Child with disability and carers

It is essential that practitioners are able to plan for children in order to ensure that they progress with their learning, their growth and their development. The planning process is the same for babies and very young children. Practitioners need to understand what they are doing and for what reason. Careful preparation is required, as well as interaction with others and evaluation of the planned activities. By doing so, it will become evident whether the activity or experience was successful or not.

With detailed planning, activities and experiences that are of interest to the child can be offered, as well as activities and experiences that are challenging and extend their learning. Settings will hold planning meetings and each practitioner should attend these meetings. The staff will use curricular documents, plan assessments and consider the individual needs of children. Some settings will use long-term plans as well as short-term ones. They may look at previous plans in order to get ideas for activities.

Planning:

  • Each individual child's interests and strengths should be considered when undertaking planning work. This is essential when working with babies and young children and is considered good practice.
  • Planning work should consider the child's interests in order to ensure more effective learning. With older children, their interests should be identified, by speaking to them about different options or asking them about their wishes.
  • When planning for a child's individual needs, some additional time or regular support from an adult may be required. The child may benefit from repeating the activity.
  • What is the children's developmental level?
  • The levels and responsibilities of members of staff.
  • What resources are available?
  • How much time is available?
  • Identifying needs is an integral part of working with children. By being aware of their needs, you can identify where and when children need additional challenges. This is important as a lack of motivation can lead to unacceptable behaviour.
  • Safety.

Observations should always be evaluated. The feedback will be used as a link to the planning process. This process is called the 'planning cycle'. It should be a continuous process as children's developmental levels are not static and their interests and needs change over time. By adapting their practice, practitioners will be able to differentiate and offer extended opportunities to children.

Preparation:

  • Preparation means ensuring that the environment is suitable for children and meets the needs of every individual child whatever their developmental level.
  • The resources available should be accessible and every resource should have a purpose.
  • Space should be used effectively and there should be sufficient room in between the activities.
  • Activities should be pleasantly presented. Children will complete activities successfully if they are formally shown how to do so, for example, activities such as weaving or threading.
  • Safety is important.

Interaction:

  • a natural process that stems from the child's interests and questions
  • the children's individual developmental needs must be considered (this information can be collected by watching the children)
  • speaking to the children
  • asking and answering questions
  • offering encouragement when needed
  • giving guidance and suggestions in order to offer experiences that will extend their learning
  • playing alongside the children.

Observation, monitoring and evaluation:

  • a starting point should be created for planning the area and the activities
  • information about the success of the provision
  • the effectiveness of the plan or the procedure and are there any changes required for the future?
  • it can focus on the child or the activity
  • how effective was the adult interaction?
  • did the children meet their needs?
  • reassessment will be required on a regular basis as children grow and develop and their interests and needs change.

When working with groups of children of mixed ages within the setting, differentiation is essential. The practitioner's role is to differentiate activities and experiences by:

  • being aware of the level of support required by the children - one child may need somebody to hold the paper so that they can cut it with scissors
  • providing a range of materials and resources, for example, a dice with dots rather than numbers
  • changing the size of the group, for example, story time can be split into two groups
  • considering the importance of diversity and inclusive practice.

This is essential in order to avoid frustration amongst the children. They may give up if the activity is too difficult, or lose interest if it does not offer sufficient challenge. Differentiating an activity or experience means that children can join in on a level suitable for them.

Mae’n hanfodol bod ymarferwyr yn medru cynllunio ar gyfer plant er mwyn sicrhau eu bod yn gwneud cynnydd o ran eu dysgu, twf a’u datblygiad. Yr un yw’r broses cynllunio ar gyfer babanod a phlant ifanc iawn. Mae angen i’r ymarferwr ddeall yr hyn maent yn gwneud ac am ba reswm. Mae angen paratoi’n ofalus, rhyngweithio gydag eraill ac yna gwerthuso'r hyn a gynlluniwyd. Wrth wneud hyn gellir gweld a oedd y gweithgaredd neu’r profiad yn llwyddiannus ai peidio.

Wrth gynllunio’n fanwl gellir cynnig gweithgareddau a phrofiadau sydd yn diddori’r plentyn yn ogystal â bod yn rhai heriol sy’n ymestyn eu dysgu. Bydd lleoliadau yn cynnal cyfarfodydd cynllunio ac mae angen i bob ymarferwr fod yn rhan ohonynt. Bydd y staff yn defnyddio dogfennau cwricwlaidd, cynllunio asesiadau ac yn meddwl am anghenion unigol y plant. Bydd rhai lleoliadau yn defnyddio cynlluniau tymor hir yn ogystal â rhai tymor byr. Efallai byddant yn edrych ar gynlluniau blaenorol er mwyn darparu syniadau ar gyfer gweithgareddau.

Cynllunio:

  • Mae angen cynllunio ar gyfer diddordebau a chryfderau pob plentyn yn unigol. Mae hyn yn holl bwysig wrth weithio gyda babanod a phlant ifanc ac yn cael ei ystyried yn arfer da.
  • Dylid cynllunio ar gyfer diddordebau’r plentyn er mwyn iddynt ddysgu’n fwy effeithiol. Gyda phlant hŷn mae’n fater o sylwi beth yw eu diddordebau gan siarad â hwy am wahanol ddewisiadau neu ofyn beth yw eu dymuniadau.
  • Wrth gynllunio ar gyfer anghenion unigol plentyn efallai bydd angen ychydig mwy o amser neu gefnogaeth gyson oddi gan oedolyn. Efallai bydd y plentyn yn elwa o ailadrodd y gweithgaredd.
  • Beth yw lefel datblygiadol y plant?
  • Lefelau a chyfrifoldebau’r staff.
  • Pa adnoddau sydd ar gael?
  • Faint o amser sydd ar gael?
  • Mae adnabod anghenion yn rhan annatod o weithio gyda phlant. Wrth fod yn ymwybodol o’u hanghenion gallwch sylwi ble a phryd bydd plant angen sialensiau ychwanegol. Mae hyn yn bwysig gan fod symbyliad gwan yn gallu arwain at ymddygiad annerbyniol.
  • Diogelwch.

Dylai arsylwadau bob amser gael eu gwerthuso. Defnyddir yr adborth fel dolen gyswllt ar gyfer y broses gynllunio. Gelwir y broses yma yn ‘cylch cynllunio’. Dylai fod yn broses parhaol gan nad yw lefelau datblygiad plant yn aros yn yr unfan ac mae eu diddordebau a’u hanghenion yn newid dros amser. Trwy addasu ymarfer bydd yr ymarferwr yn medru gwahaniaethu a chynnig cyfleoedd estynedig i blant.

Paratoi:

  • Mae paratoi yn golygu bod yr amgylchedd yn addas ar gyfer y plant ac yn cwrdd ag anghenion pob plentyn unigol beth bynnag eu lefel o ddatblygiad.
  • Dylid sicrhau bod yr adnoddau sydd ar gael o fewn cyrraedd a bod gan bob adnodd ei bwrpas.
  • Dylid sicrhau bod y gofod yn cael ei ddefnyddio’n effeithiol a bod digon o le rhwng y gweithgareddau.
  • Mae angen cyflwyno gweithgareddau yn ddeniadol. Bydd plant yn cyflawni gweithgareddau yn llwyddiannus os dangosir iddynt yn ffurfiol sut i’w gwneud, er enghraifft, gweithgareddau megis gwehyddu neu edafu.
  • Mae diogelwch yn bwysig.

Rhyngweithio:

  • proses naturiol sy’n codi o ddiddordebau a chwestiynau’r plentyn
  • mae’n rhaid ystyried anghenion datblygiadol unigol y plant (gellir casglu’r wybodaeth yma trwy wylio)
  • siarad â’r plant
  • gofyn ac ateb cwestiynau
  • cynnig anogaeth pan fydd angen
  • rhoi arweiniad ac awgrymiadau er mwyn cynnig profiadau a fydd yn ymestyn eu dysgu
  • chwarae ochr yn ochr â’r plant.

Arsylwi, monitro a gwerthuso:

  • Dylid creu man cychwyn ar gyfer cynllunio’r ardal a’r gweithgareddau.
  • Gwybodaeth am lwyddiant y ddarpariaeth.
  • Effeithiolrwydd y cynllun neu’r drefn ac a oes angen gwneud newidiadau at y dyfodol?
  • Gall ganolbwyntio ar y plentyn neu’r gweithgaredd.
  • Pa mor effeithiol oedd y rhyngweithiad oedolyn?
  • A gyflawnodd y plant eu hanghenion?
  • Bydd angen ail asesu yn gyson gan fod plant yn tyfu a datblygu a’u diddordebau a’u hanghenion yn newid.

Wrth weithio gyda grwpiau o blant ble gwelir oedrannau cymysg o fewn y lleoliad, mae’n hanfodol i wahaniaethu. Rôl yr ymarferwr yw gwahaniaethu gweithgareddau a phrofiadau trwy:

  • fod yn ymwybodol o’r lefel o gefnogaeth sydd angen ar y plant - efallai bydd un plentyn angen rhywun i ddal y papur er mwyn iddo fedru ei dorri â siswrn
  • ddarparu ystod o ddeunyddiau ac adnoddau, er enghraifft dis gyda dotiau yn hytrach na rhifau
  • newid maint y grŵp, er enghraifft gall amser stori gael ei rannu mewn i ddau grŵp
  • ystyried pwysigrwydd amrywioldeb ac arfer gynhwysol.

Mae hyn yn hanfodol er mwyn osgoi rhwystredigaeth ymysg y plant. Efallai byddant yn rhoi'r gorau iddi os yw’r gweithgaredd yn rhy anodd, neu golli diddordeb os nad yw’n ddigon heriol. Mae gwahaniaethu gweithgaredd neu brofiad yn golygu y gall blant ymuno ar lefel sydd yn addas iddynt.

Promoting the development of independence skills in line with age and stage of development

Hybu’r broses o feithrin sgiliau annibyniaeth yn unol ag oedran a cham datblygu

A young boy buttoning his own shirt

Independence skills may include eating and drinking, washing, dressing, oral care, going to the toilet and tidying up or putting things away. Practitioners have a role to play in promoting the process of developing independence skills amongst children and this may be done by offering sufficient opportunities during the day for them to practice their different skills in line with their age and stage of development.

When children are supported to become as independent as possible when looking after themselves and organising themselves, they feel much more satisfied. This is a gradual process that will depend on the child's stage of development as well as their age. It is important that adults encourage independence as early as possible. It is important that practitioners have sufficient information about the children to come to know their personalities. Some children are shy and others are more confident. It is important that those who are full of confidence do not control the actions of other children and prevent them from taking advantage of opportunities to develop independence. Some children are so concerned about succeeding, that they will not participate. Confidence will develop over time and will generally be boosted when children succeed. Children need to experience a variety of activities where they feel good about themselves, and where they succeed in order to undertake activities independently.

How can practitioners support children?

  • encouraging children to do things for themselves takes time and patience
  • encouraging children to take responsibility for tasks, e.g. dressing, feeding, tidying up, will help them to become self-dependent
  • children will manage tasks well when adults relax and give them encouragement, rather than rushing them
  • it is important to think ahead and to observe children individually in order to ensure that the task is suitable
  • children thrive on success and are likely to become frustrated if the task is too difficult
  • tasks can be split into stages as desired
  • children can be supported to become self-dependent by preparing activities that they will be able to complete on their own and activities that encourage them to make choices.

Motivating children:

  • children need to be motivated in order to develop self-care skills, whatever their age, and the role of the adult is essential to this process
  • adults need to be supportive and recognise children's efforts as they try to be independent, whatever their age
  • it is important that adults look for situations where children can help themselves successfully
  • success is important as it motivates the child to try again
  • children can be motivated with encouragement or prizes such as stickers, although it is better that they are self-motivated to undertake the activity
  • it is important that children want to learn, so children must be encouraged to be enthusiastic.

Consistent care practices help children to become used to using skills on a regular basis. By showing respect towards children during care procedures, they will develop self-esteem. This will enable them to practice and master skills that will contribute to the development of their independence.

Children can develop independence skills through play. It is important that children have sufficient opportunities to choose their own play opportunities, that will enforce them to think about what to use and how to organise their play.

Practitioners can:

  • provide freedom for children to be independent
  • be aware of the individual's needs as every child is different and needs encouragement suitable for their level of development
  • encourage them to put their aprons on themselves before painting
  • encourage them choose equipment and games
  • allow sufficient opportunities to practice their dressing skills using dressing up clothes
  • allow opportunities to practice their skills through role play, such as pouring juice into a cup, laying the table, dressing a doll or teddy
  • be patient and give children time to do things for themselves
  • encourage children to tidy up after playing
  • praise children when they try to be independent.

Gall sgiliau annibyniaeth gynnwys bwyta ac yfed, ymolchi, gwisgo, gofal y geg, defnyddio’r toiled a thacluso neu rhoi pethau gadw. Mae gan yr ymarferwr rôl i hybu’r broses o feithrin sgiliau annibyniaeth ymysg plant a gellir gwneud hyn drwy roi digon o gyfleoedd yn ystod y dydd fel eu bod yn cael ymarfer sgiliau gwahanol yn unol â’u hoedran a’u cam datblygiad.

Wrth gefnogi plant i ennill cymaint o annibyniaeth â phosib wrth ofalu am eu hunain a threfnu eu hunain maent yn teimlo’n llawer mwy digonol. Mae hyn yn broses raddol a fydd yn dibynnu ar gam datblygiad y plentyn yn ogystal â’r oedran. Mae’n bwysig bod oedolion yn annog annibyniaeth cyn gynted â phosib. Mae’n bwysig fod gan ymarferwyr ddigon o wybodaeth am blant fel y gellir dod i adnabod eu personoliaeth. Mae rhai plant yn swil ac eraill yn fwy hyderus. Mae’n bwysig nad yw’r rhai sy’n llawn hyder yn rheoli gweithredoedd plant eraill a’u hatal rhag cyfleoedd i ddatblygu annibyniaeth. Mae rhai plant mor bryderus ynglŷn â llwyddo, fel na fyddant yn cymryd rhan. Mae hyder yn rhywbeth fydd yn datblygu gydag amser ac fe fydd rhan amlaf, yn cael ‘hwb’ wrth i blant lwyddo. Mae angen i blant fod wedi profi amryw o weithgareddau ble maent yn teimlo’n dda am eu hunain, a ble maent wedi llwyddo er mwyn ymgymryd â gweithgareddau yn annibynnol.

Sut gall yr ymarferwr gefnogi plant?

  • mae annog plant i wneud pethau dros eu hunain yn cymryd amser ac amynedd
  • bydd annog plant i gymryd cyfrifoldeb dros dasgau, e.e. gwisgo, bwydo, tacluso, yn helpu sgiliau hunanddibyniaeth
  • bydd plant yn rheoli tasgau yn well pan fydd oedolion yn ymlacio gan roi anogaeth, yn hytrach na brysio’r plant
  • mae’n bwysig i feddwl ymlaen ac arsylwi plant yn unigol er mwyn sicrhau fod y dasg yn addas
  • mae plant yn ffynnu ar lwyddiant ac yn debygol o fod yn rhwystredig os yw’r dasg yn rhy anodd
  • gall tasgau gael eu rhannu i gamau fel y dymunir
  • gellir helpu plant i fod yn hunan-ddibynnol drwy baratoi gweithgareddau y byddant yn medru cyflawni eu hunain a rhai sy’n eu hannog i wneud dewisiadau.

Symbylu plant:

  • mae angen symbyliad er mwyn datblygu sgiliau hunanofal, beth bynnag yw oedran y plentyn, ac mae rôl yr oedolyn yn hanfodol gyda hyn
  • mae angen i oedolion fod yn gefnogol a chydnabod ymdrechion plant wrth iddynt geisio fod yn annibynnol, beth bynnag yw eu hoed
  • mae’n bwysig bod oedolion yn edrych am sefyllfaoedd ble gall plant helpu eu hunain yn llwyddiannus
  • mae llwyddiant yn bwysig gan ei fod yn symbylu’r plentyn i roi cynnig arall
  • gallwch symbylu plant drwy anogaeth neu gwobrau megis sticeri, er ei fod yn well eu bod wedi’u symbylu eu hunain i wneud gweithgaredd
  • mae’n bwysig fod plant eisiau dysgu, felly, mae’n rhaid annog y plant i fod yn frwdfrydig.

Mae arferion gofal cyson yn cynorthwyo plant i gyfarwyddo ag ymwneud â sgiliau yn rheolaidd. Wrth ddangos parch at blant yn ystod gweithdrefnau gofal byddant yn datblygu eu hunan- barch. Bydd hyn yn eu galluogi i ymarfer sgiliau a’u meistroli a fydd yn cyfrannu tuag at ddatblygu’n annibynnol.

Gall blant feithrin sgiliau annibyniaeth wrth chwarae. Mae’n bwysig fod gan blant ddigon o gyfle i ddewis cyfleoedd chwarae eu hunain fydd yn eu gorfodi i feddwl beth i’w ddefnyddio a sut i drefnu eu chwarae.

Gall ymarferwyr:

  • ddarparu rhyddid i blant fod yn annibynnol
  • fod yn ymwybodol o anghenion yr unigolyn gan fod pob plentyn yn wahanol ac angen anogaeth sy’n addas i’w lefel o ddatblygiad
  • eu hannog i wisgo ffedogau eu hunain cyn paentio
  • eu hannog i ddewis offer a gemau
  • caniatáu digon o gyfle i ymarfer sgiliau gwisgo gyda dillad gwisgo i fyny
  • caniatáu cyfleoedd i ymarfer sgiliau wrth chwarae rôl megis arllwys sudd i’r cwpan, gosod bwrdd, gwisgo doli neu dedi
  • fod yn amyneddgar gan roi amser i blant wneud pethau dros eu hunain
  • annog plant i dacluso ar ôl chwarae
  • canmol plant pan maent yn ceisio bod yn annibynnol.

The importance of speech, language and communication for holistic learning, growth and development

Pwysigrwydd lleferydd, iaith a chyfathrebu i ddysgu, twf a datblygiad cyfannol

Children in the classroom

Speech, language and communication make a significant contribution to the child's holistic learning, growth and development. They contribute towards several aspects of development, including social, emotional, intellectual and behavioural development. As children are immersed in speech, language and communication activities and experiences, they will have opportunities to express their needs, ask questions, convey opinion, make choices and immerse themselves in play activities both individually and as a group. A developmental delay may cause the child frustration and prevent them from exchanging information with others in a meaningful way. Adopting the ability to interact with others is fundamental to the child's holistic development.

Babies begin to adopt linguistic elements before birth as they hear sounds in the womb. The skills continue to develop following the birth and it is essential that the parents/carers and practitioners develop them by motivating the child using suitable resources and activities. Children depend on adults to provide experiences and opportunities for them to develop their skills. Language skills or communication skills involve tone and intonation, pronunciation, listening, facial expressions, gestures and body language, grammar and vocabulary.

The tone and intonation of the voice show what a person is feeling and babies learn intonation by babbling during their formative months. Facial expressions, gestures and body language are also ways of communicating feelings or moods. A baby learns to listen to sounds and responds by practising the sounds they have heard. Children need to be able to speak and write, and in order to do so, they need knowledge of grammar. They need to be able to make sense when they speak. Children learn the meaning of words and develop vocabulary and grammatical skills by listening to the spoken language. Once children have learnt words, they quickly start to use them, and their early sentences, when they put two or three words together, are called telegraphic sentences. The next stage after spoken language is learning to read and write, and the skill of being able to connect sounds and signs is required. Language is used when thinking, therefore children's linguistic level affects their intellectual development. Children with a good linguistic level can solve problems and consider the outcomes of their actions.

Children must learn language in order to be able to participate successfully in society. Language is the main form of communication used by children and adults. Language has different forms that are used at different times and in different situations and practitioners need to provide opportunities for children to adopt these skills. These skills are interconnected and develop simultaneously. Language forms include:

  • speaking
  • hearing and listening
  • thinking
  • writing
  • reading
  • seeing.

Non-verbal communication depends on the individual receiving a number of clues, based on the tone of the voice, facial expressions, eye contact and body movements. It is important that practitioners use this communication method when working with babies and it is important to use it in different situations and at different times. As part of the process, babies will start to use language that will contribute to their holistic development.

The spoken language includes a set of sounds that are put together to create words. The words are put together in a specific way to create sentences. Children need to learn these rules if they want the sentence they are pronouncing to make sense. They need to learn to put their vocabulary in the correct order to create sensible sentences. The same words can convey a different meaning depending on the order in which they are placed, for example, 'The cat scratched the girl.' 'The girl scratched the cat.'

Children can use language when they think by recalling images, pictures and feelings.

Listening is another way of communicating and it is important that practitioners offer children sufficient opportunities to practice their listening skills. This will enable them to concentrate and to choose the information that they need to take note of. As part of the process, words will need to be carefully selected.

Written language includes a series of symbols. Everyone who speaks the same language understands these sounds and symbols. Children must learn a number of concepts before they can start to write. It is essential that they have control over their fine motor skills. Practitioners need to provide a variety of opportunities for them to make marks at an early stage and by doing so, to experience using marking resources such as crayons, pencils, chalks, felt pens, paint, clay as well as making marks in shaving foam, sand, lentils, glitter etc.

Children also need to learn about visual differences, differences in sound, sequence and the ability to symbolise (using one thing to represent something else e.g. using a box to represent a bed). It is essential that practitioners ensure that children develop these skills through play. They must be given sufficient opportunities to practice as well as regular encouragement from the practitioners.

Children learn to read by understanding the written symbols. They will need to be able to differentiate between symbols and sounds, learning that there is a sequence. Many of the concepts required for writing are also common with regard to learning to read. Children must understand that reading moves from the left to the right, that word patterns reflect sounds and shape and that punctuation makes sense of the piece.

The table below shows how speech, language and communication support children's holistic learning, growth and development.

Aspect of development How do speech, language and communication skills support children's holistic learning, growth and development?
Social development
  • enable children to express their feelings e.g. if a child feels frustrated or anxious
  • help children to form relationships with other children and adults (children need to know how to speak and listen to each other in order to make and keep friends)
  • use and understand facial expression when interacting with others e.g. smiling.
Emotional development
  • babies develop an attachment to their main carer by using facial expression and sounds to communicate
  • an understanding of the needs of others
  • use of body language to express feelings e.g. folding their arms to show they are cross
  • develop emotions by accessing the language to describe how they feel.
Cognitive development
  • babies use sounds and facial expression to communicate their needs
  • use of language to create connections e.g. by discussing colours when painting
  • ask questions and make sense of the answers
  • use of language to express ideas
  • listen to instructions or a story
  • help children to think and plan e.g. think about a game and plan the rules.
Behaviour
  • understand the setting's rules or the rules for a specific game
  • understand acceptable and unacceptable behaviour
  • enable children to express their feelings e.g. if a child feels frustrated or anxious
  • help children to understand the feelings of others or to explain their own feelings in order to manage their behaviour.

Mae lleferydd, iaith a chyfathrebu yn cyfrannu’n enfawr tuag at ddysgu, twf a datblygiad cyfannol y plentyn. Mae’n cyfrannu tuag at sawl agwedd o ddatblygiad gan gynnwys datblygiad cymdeithasol, emosiynol, deallusol ac ymddygiadol. Wrth i blant ifanc gael eu trochi mewn gweithgareddau a phrofiadau lleferydd, iaith a chyfathrebu byddant yn cael cyfle i fynegi eu hanghenion, holi cwestiynau, mynegi barn, gwneud dewisiadau ac ymgolli eu hunain mewn gweithgareddau chwarae yn unigol ac mewn grŵp. Gall oediad mewn datblygiad iaith achosi rhwystredigaeth i’r plentyn a’i atal rhag cyfnewid gwybodaeth gydag eraill mewn ffordd ystyrlon. Mae mabwysiadu’r gallu i ryngweithio gydag eraill yn sylfaen i ddatblygiad cyfannol y plentyn.

Mae baban yn mynd trwy’r broses o ddechrau mabwysiadau’r elfennau iaith cyn genedigaeth wrth glywed seiniau yn y groth. Mae’r sgiliau yn parhau i ddatblygu ar ôl genedigaeth ac mae’n hanfodol bod y rhiant/gofalwr a’r ymarferwyr yn eu meithrin drwy eu symbylu gan adnoddau a gweithgareddau addas. Mae plant yn dibynnu ar oedolion i ddarparu'r profiadau a'r cyfleoedd iddynt ddatblygu eu sgiliau. Mae sgiliau iaith neu sgiliau cyfathrebu yn ymwneud â thraw a goslef, ynganu, gwrando, mynegi â'r wyneb, ystumiau ac iaith corff, gramadeg a geirfa.

Mae traw a goslef y llais yn dangos beth mae rhywun yn ei deimlo ac mae babanod yn dysgu goslef drwy faldorddi yn ystod eu misoedd cynnar. Mae mynegiant wyneb, ystumiau ac iaith corff hefyd yn ffyrdd o gyfathrebu teimladau neu hwyliau. Mae babi'n dysgu gwrando ar synau ac ymateb drwy ymarfer y synau y mae'n eu clywed. Mae angen i blant allu siarad ac ysgrifennu, ac er mwyn gwneud hynny mae arnynt angen gwybodaeth am ramadeg. Mae angen iddynt allu gwneud synnwyr pan fyddant yn siarad. Mae plant yn dysgu ystyr geiriau ac yn datblygu geirfa a sgiliau gramadeg drwy wrando ar iaith lafar. Wedi i blant ddysgu geiriau maent yn eu defnyddio'n fuan iawn, a gelwir eu brawddegau cynnar, pan fyddant yn rhoi dau neu dri gair gyda'i gilydd, yn delegraffig. Y cam nesaf ar ôl yr iaith lafar yw dysgu sut i ddarllen ac ysgrifennu, ac mae angen y sgil o gysylltu synau gydag arwyddion. Defnyddir iaith wrth feddwl, felly mae lefel ieithyddol plant yn effeithio ar eu datblygiad deallusol. Gall plant sydd â lefel ieithyddol dda ddatrys problemau ac ystyried canlyniadau eu gweithredoedd.

Mae’n rhaid i blant ddysgu iaith er mwyn eu galluogi i gymryd rhan yn llwyddiannus o fewn y gymdeithas. Iaith yw’r prif ffordd y mae plant ac oedolion yn cyfathrebu. Mae gan iaith gwahanol ffurfiau sy’n cael eu defnyddio ar wahanol adegau ac mewn gwahanol sefyllfaoedd ac mae angen i ymarferwyr ddarparu cyfleodd i blant i fabwysiadu’r sgiliau hyn. Mae’r sgiliau hyn yn gyd-gysylltiedig ac maent yn datblygu gyda’i gilydd. Mae ffurfiau iaith yn cynnwys:

  • siarad
  • clywed a gwrando
  • meddwl
  • ysgrifennu
  • darllen
  • gweld.

Mae cyfathrebu dieiriau yn dibynnu ar unigolion yn derbyn llawer o gliwiau a hynny oddi wrth dôn y llais, mynegiant wyneb, cyswllt llygad a symudiadau’r corff. Mae’n bwysig bod yr ymarferwr yn defnyddio’r dull hwn o gyfathrebu wrth weithio gyda babanod ac mae’n bwysig eu defnyddio mewn gwahanol sefyllfaoedd ac ar wahanol adegau. Bydd yn broses ble fydd babanod yn dechrau defnyddio iaith a fydd yn cyfrannu tuag at eu datblygiad cyfannol.

Mae’r iaith lafar yn cynnwys set o synau sy’n cael ei rhoi at ei gilydd i greu geiriau. Bydd y geiriau yn cael eu rhoi at ei gilydd mewn ffordd arbennig i greu brawddegau. Mae angen i blant ddysgu’r rheolau hyn os ydynt am i’r frawddeg maent yn ynganu wneud synnwyr. Mae angen iddynt ddysgu rhoi geirfa mewn trefn gywir i greu brawddegau synhwyrol. Mae’r un geiriau yn medru cyfleu ystyr gwahanol a hyn yn dibynnu ar y drefn a’u gosodir, er enghraifft, ‘Mae’r gath yn crafu’r ferch.’ ‘Mae’r ferch yn crafu’r gath.’

Mae plant yn medru defnyddio iaith wrth feddwl trwy adalw delweddau, lluniau a theimladau i gof.

Mae gwrando yn ffordd arall o gyfathrebu ac mae’n bwysig bod ymarferwyr yn cynnig digon o gyfleoedd i blant i ymarfer eu sgiliau gwrando. Bydd hyn yn eu galluogi i ganolbwyntio a dewis y wybodaeth sydd angen cymryd sylw ohono. Mae’n broses ble fydd angen dewis a dethol geiriau.

Mae iaith ysgrifenedig yn cynnwys cyfres o symbolau. Mae pawb sy’n siarad yr un iaith yn deall y synau a’r symbolau hyn. Mae’n rhaid i blant ddysgu nifer o gysyniadau cyn dechrau ysgrifennu. Mae’n hanfodol eu bod yn medru cael rheolaeth dros eu sgiliau echddygol manwl. Mae angen i ymarferwyr roi amrywiaeth o gyfleoedd iddynt wneud marciau cynnar a hynny thrwy gael profiadau i ddefnyddio adnoddau marcio megis creonau, pensiliau, sialc, pinnau ffelt, paent, toes yn ogystal â gwneud marciau mewn ewyn eillio (shaving foam), tywod, lentils, glitter ag ati.

Mae hefyd angen i blant ddysgu am wahaniaethau gweledol, gwahaniaethau sŵn, dilyniant a’r gallu i symboleiddio (defnyddio un peth i gynrychioli rhywbeth arall e.e. defnyddio bocs i gynrychioli gwely). Mae’n hanfodol bod ymarferwyr yn sicrhau bod plant yn meithrin y sgiliau hyn wrth chwarae. Rhaid iddynt dderbyn ddigon o gyfleodd i ymarfer yn ogystal â derbyn anogaeth gyson oddi wrth yr ymarferwyr.

Mae plant yn dysgu darllen trwy ddod i ddeall y symbolau ysgrifenedig. Bydd angen iddynt fedru gwahaniaethu rhwng symbolau a synau gan ddysgu fod yna ddilyniant (sequence). Mae nifer o‘r cysyniadau sydd eu hangen ar gyfer ysgrifennu hefyd yn gyffredin ar gyfer dysgu darllen. Rhaid i blant ddeall bod y darllen yn symud o’r chwith i’r dde, bod y patrymau geiriau yn adlewyrchu seiniau a siâp a bod yr atalnodi yn caniatáu’r darn i wneud synnwyr.

Mae’r tabl isod yn dangos sut mae lleferydd, iaith a chyfathrebu yn cefnogi dysgu, twf a datblygiad cyfannol plant.

Agwedd o ddatblygiad Sut mae sgiliau lleferydd, iaith a chyfathrebu yn cefnogi dysgu, twf a datblygiad cyfannol plant?
Datblygiad cymdeithasol
  • galluogi plant i fynegi eu teimladau e.e. os oes plentyn yn teimlo’n rhwystredig neu’n bryderus
  • cefnogi plant i greu perthnasoedd gyda phlant eraill ac oedolion (mae angen i blant wybod sut i siarad a gwrando ar ei gilydd er mwyn gwneud a chadw ffrindiau)
  • defnyddio a deall mynegiant y wyneb wrth ryngweithio ag eraill e.e. gwenu.
Datblygiad emosiynol
  • babanod yn datblygu ymlyniad gyda’r prif ofalwr wrth ddefnyddio mynegiant y wyneb a synau i gyfathrebu
  • dealltwriaeth o anghenion eraill
  • defnyddio iaith y corff i fynegi teimladau e.e. croesi dwylo i ddangos eu bod yn flin
  • datblygu emosiynau drwy gael yr iaith i ddisgrifio sut y maent yn teimlo.
Datblygiad gwybyddol
  • babanod yn defnyddio synau a mynegiant y wyneb i gyfathrebu eu hanghenion
  • defnyddio iaith i wneud cysylltiadau e.e. drwy drafod lliwiau wrth beintio
  • gofyn cwestiynau a gwneud synnwyr o’r atebion
  • defnyddio iaith i fynegi syniadau
  • gwrando ar gyfarwyddiadau neu stori
  • cefnogi plant i feddwl a chynllunio e.e. meddwl am gêm a chynllunio rheolau.
Ymddygiad
  • deall rheolau’r lleoliad neu reolau gêm benodol
  • deall ymddygiad derbyniol ac annerbyniol
  • galluogi plant i fynegi eu teimladau e.e. os oes plentyn yn teimlo’n rhwystredig neu’r bryderus
  • cefnogi plant i ddeall teimladau eraill neu esbonio teimladau eu hunain er mwyn rheoli eu hymddygiad.

Learning and play at home

Dysgu a chwarae yn y cartref

A group of young children in fancy dress

Parents/carers are the child's first educators and have a very important role to play in raising their children. They should appreciate their children by giving them a sense of identity and belonging and allowing them to develop healthily.

The Children's Act 1989 states that parents/carers have a responsibility to ensure that their children receive the appropriate care and education. They have a duty to ensure that their children receive medical examinations and immunisations as and when required, and that they develop healthily in order to be able to defend themselves against contagious diseases that are common amongst children.

Families/carers have more information about their children than anybody else, as well as an understanding of their ability, their likes and the care required. Children learn, grow and develop best when they have a positive relationship with their family. The family should provide daily care for their children, including food and drink, sleep, unconditional love, suitable clothing, a stable home and motivation in line with the child's age and stage of development. Children also need opportunities to learn about their background, their culture and their language. If the family offers the best possible care to their children, they will have an influence on every aspect of their life and development.

Families/carers are essential in the holistic development of children. They are central to their life and the family's well-being has an influence on children's well-being. It is important that practitioners support this relationship by sharing relevant information and working together in order to ensure the best possible outcomes for children. By sharing information, the child's behaviour at home can be compared to their behaviour at the setting. Any problems at home that could affect the child's learning, growth and development can also be identified. This information will contribute to practitioners' observations and should be shared with the parents. Sharing information can ensure a prompt response to any aspect that causes concern or difficulty.

The role of the family/carers is to develop a strong attachment to their children. They will meet their physical needs by sacrificing their sleep to get up during the night to feed the baby. This, in turn, will increase the confidence of the carer, especially if the child responds well. A strong attachment will allow children to explore their environment confidently. They will not be scared to leave the carer's side to learn from new experiences. Chatting to babies long before they are able to speak creates a strong attachment. This attachment will encourage families/carers to chat with the baby from the outset and this will contribute towards the baby's linguistic development as they grow older. A child who has developed a strong attachment will be able to deal with periods of uncertainty and will develop a positive self-image with the ability to cope with any fears or anxieties that they may face. They will also develop socially by being able to trust other people.

As the first educator, families/carers have a role to play in ensuring that their children learn how to behave appropriately and know what is expected of them within society. Children will learn about behaviour by imitating role models. If families/carers ensure that their children establish positive behaviour patterns during childhood, this will influence their behaviour in the future. Positive behaviour will contribute towards the child's learning, growth and development. If families/carers display positive role models by being fair, consistent and clear when setting boundaries, children will develop positive behaviour patterns.

Families/carers have a role to play in ensuring that their children learn, grow and develop to their full potential. The family is the focus of children and families/carers must develop self-confidence to participate in play activities with their children. Some families may feel that raising their children is very hard where there are periods of stress, loneliness, tiredness and worry for their children. On the other hand there are periods of joy and love which provide the opportunity to build confidence, not to worry unnecessarily and to take one day at a time. Children's development and identity is influenced more by parents/carers than anyone else, therefore it is important that they are confident in guiding their children correctly.

Some settings encourage parents/carers to help to prepare activities for children, such as gardening, story time or cooking sessions. This will give parents confidence when parenting so that they understand how important their role is. This, in turn, will give the parents the confidence to undertake such activities at home. It may also help the parents/carers to build a strong relationship with their children. The majority of settings have an 'open door' policy where parents/carers are encouraged to call in at any time. This will lead to a strong partnership between them and the staff, developing positive attitudes with the children and their families. By respecting parents' views and wishes, and recognising that they know their child best, they can be encouraged to play a significant role in their children's education.

Play is a natural instinct and it allows children to make choices and discover their own solutions. It helps children develop social skills and encourages them to develop emotionally and become physically healthy. Families/carers can ensure that their children take part in play activities by:

  • planning fun-filled activities and games that will encourage the children to continue to play
  • providing a safe environment with no hazards where children can safely take risks
  • choosing activities that are suitable for the children's age and stage of development - if the activities are too easy, they will get bored but if they are too difficult, they will create frustration
  • planning in order to ensure that there is sufficient time to finish the game or activity
  • being a good role model and taking part in activities so that children want to do the same
  • offering suitable toys and equipment such as bikes, balls, ropes and climbing equipment
  • playing with the child offering help to catch or throw a ball, for example
  • switching the television off in order to limit how much the child watches and encourage physical activities instead
  • take part in exercise that will contribute towards the child's physical development, including fine and gross motor skills, balance, hand-eye coordination.

Families/carers play a crucial role in ensuring that children have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of play opportunities and confidence needs to be developed in order to do this successfully.

Ten top tips:

  1. remember that every child is different and enjoy playing differently
  2. give your child the opportunity to choose the game they want to play
  3. don't solve every task for your child
  4. don't be a competitive parent or carer
  5. remember to take part in your child's pretend games
  6. allow your child to take part in challenges such as tree climbing - children learn by taking risks
  7. go out to play, it's healthier and more fun
  8. let your children teach you how to play with their toys and computer games
  9. share a game you used to play as a child
  10. enjoy playing.

Further reading:

Education Begins At Home:

https://bit.ly/2YkRJNi

Y rhieni/gofalwyr yw addysgwyr cyntaf y plentyn ac mae ganddynt rôl bwysig iawn wrth fagu eu plant. Dylent werthfawrogi eu plant drwy roi hunaniaeth a synnwyr o berthyn iddynt a chaniatáu iddynt ddatblygu’n iach.

Mae Deddf Plant 1989 yn nodi bod gan rieni/gofalwyr gyfrifoldeb i sicrhau bod eu plant yn derbyn y gofal a’r addysg briodol. Mae ganddynt ddyletswydd i sicrhau bod eu plant yn derbyn gwiriadau meddygol ac imiwneiddiadau yn ôl y drefn fel eu bod yn datblygu’n iach i fedru ymdopi a chlefydau heintus sy’n gyffredin ymysg plant.

Mae gan deuluoedd/gofalwyr fwy o wybodaeth am eu plant na neb arall yn ogystal â dealltwriaeth am eu gallu, eu hoffterau a’r gofal sydd ei angen arnynt. Gwelir fod plant yn dysgu, tyfu a datblygu orau pan mae ganddynt berthynas gadarnhaol gyda’u teuluoedd. Dylai’r teulu ddarparu gofal dyddiol i’w plant sy’n cynnwys bwyd a diod, cwsg, cariad diamod, dillad addas, cartref sefydlog a symbyliad yn ôl oed a cham datblygiad y plentyn. Mae angen hefyd rhoi cyfle i blant ddysgu am eu cefndir, eu diwylliant a’u hiaith. Os yw’r teulu yn cynnig y gofal gorau posib i’w plant yna byddant wedi cael dylanwad ar bob agwedd o’u bywydau a’u datblygiad.

Mae teuluoedd/gofalwyr yn holl bwysig wrth ystyried datblygiad cyfannol plant. Maent yn ganolog i’w bywyd ac mae llesiant y teulu yn cael dylanwad ar lesiant y plant. Mae’n bwysig bod ymarferwyr yn cefnogi’r berthynas hon drwy rannu gwybodaeth berthnasol a chydweithio er mwyn sicrhau canlyniadau gorau posib i’r plant. Drwy rannu gwybodaeth gellir adnabod sut mae’r plentyn yn ymddwyn gartref o gymharu â’r lleoliad, ac os oes yna broblemau yn y cartref all effeithio ar ddysgu, twf a datblygiad y plentyn. Bydd y wybodaeth yma yn cyfrannu at arsylwadau’r ymarferwyr a dylid eu rhannu gyda’r rhieni. Trwy rannu gwybodaeth gellir sicrhau ymateb cyflym i unrhyw agwedd sydd yn peri gofid neu anhawster.

Rôl teuluoedd/gofalwyr yw datblygu ymlyniad cadarn gyda’u plant. Byddant yn cwrdd â’u hanghenion corfforol drwy aberthu eu cwsg gan godi gyda’r nos i fwydo’r baban. Bydd hyn yn eu tro yn cynyddu hyder y gofalwr yn enwedig os yw’r plentyn yn ymateb yn dda. Bydd ymlyniad cadarn yn caniatáu plant i archwilio’r amgylchedd yn hyderus. Ni fyddant ag ofn gadael ochr y gofalwr er mwyn dysgu o’i brofiadau newydd. Mae cynnal sgyrsiau gyda babanod ymhell cyn iddynt fedru ynganu geiriau yn creu ymlyniad cryf. Bydd yr ymlyniad hwn yn annog teuluoedd/gofalwyr i gynnal sgyrsiau gyda’r baban o’r cychwyn cyntaf a fydd yn cyfrannu tuag at ddatblygiad iaith wrth dyfu yn hŷn. Bydd plentyn sydd wedi datblygu ymlyniad cadarn yn medru delio â chyfnodau o ansicrwydd, byddant yn datblygu hunanddelwedd bositif gan fedru ymdopi ag ofnau a phryderon a ddaw ar eu traws. Byddant hefyd yn datblygu’n gymdeithasol drwy allu i ymddiried ym mhobl eraill.

Fel addysgwyr cyntaf mae gan deuluoedd/gofalwyr rôl i gadarnhau bod eu plant yn dysgu sut i ymddwyn yn briodol a’r hyn a ddisgwylir ohonynt o fewn y gymdeithas. Bydd plant yn dysgu am ymddygiad drwy ddynwared modelau rôl. Os gwna deuluoedd/gofalwyr sicrhau bod eu plant yn sefydlu patrymau ymddygiad positif yn ystod plentyndod bydd yn dylanwadu ar eu hymddygiad yn y dyfodol. Bydd ymddygiad positif yn cyfrannu tuag at ddysgu, twf a datblygiad y plentyn. Os bydd teuluoedd/gofalwyr yn dangos rôl model bositif trwy fod yn deg, yn gyson ac yn glir o ran gosod terfynau bydd plant yn datblygu patrymau ymddygiad positif.

Mae gan deuluoedd/gofalwyr rôl i sicrhau bod eu plant yn dysgu, tyfu a datblygu hyd eithaf eu gallu. Y teulu yw canolbwynt plant ac mae’n hanfodol bod teuluoedd/gofalwyr yn meithrin hunanhyder i fedru cymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau chwarae gyda’u plant. Gall rai teuluoedd deimlo bod magu eu plant yn broses anodd iawn ble ceir cyfnodau o straen, unigrwydd, blinder a gofid am eu plant. Ar y llaw arall ceir adegau llawn hwyl a chariad sy’n gyfle i fagu hyder, i beidio mynd o flaen gofid a chymryd un dydd ar y tro. Mae datblygiad a hunaniaeth plant yn cael ei ddylanwadu mwy gan rieni/gofalwyr na neb arall ac felly mae’n bwysig eu bod yn hyderus i arwain eu plant yn y modd cywir.

Gwelir fod rhai lleoliadau yn annog rhieni/gofalwyr i ymuno â hwy wrth iddynt baratoi gweithgareddau i’r plant megis sesiynau garddio, darllen straeon neu goginio. Bydd hyn yn rhoi hyder i rieni wrth ymdrin â’u sgiliau rhianta fel eu bod yn ystyried pa mor bwysig yw eu rôl nhw. Bydd hyn yn eu tro yn rhoi hyder i rieni i gynnal gweithgareddau o’r fath yn eu cartrefi. Gall hefyd gyfrannu at y rhieni/gofalwyr yn adeiladu perthynas gadarn gyda’u plant. Mae gan y mwyafrif o leoliadau bolisi ‘drws agored’ ble anogir rhieni/gofalwyr i alw heibio unrhyw amser. Bydd hyn yn arwain at bartneriaeth gref rhyngddynt a’r staff gan feithrin agweddau cadarnhaol gyda’r plant a’u teuluoedd. Wrth barchu safbwyntiau a dymuniadau rhieni, a chydnabod mai nhw sydd yn adnabod eu plant orau gellir meithrin eu hyder i gymryd rhan sylweddol yn addysg eu plant.

Mae chwarae’n reddf naturiol ac mae’n galluogi plant i wneud dewisiadau a darganfod eu datrysiadau eu hunain. Mae’n helpu plant i ddatblygu sgiliau cymdeithasol a’u hannog i ddatblygu’n emosiynol a chorfforol iach. Gall teuluoedd/gofalwyr sicrhau fod plant yn cymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau chwarae trwy:

  • gynllunio gweithgareddau a gemau sy’n llawn hwyl fydd yn annog y plant i barhau i chwarae
  • ddarparu amgylchedd diogel sy’n rhydd o beryglon lle gall y plant gymryd risgiau yn ddiogel
  • ddewis gweithgareddau sy’n addas ar gyfer oed a cham datblygiad y plant - bydd gweithgareddau rhy hawdd yn eu diflasu tra bydd gweithgareddau rhy anodd yn creu rhwystredigaeth
  • gynllunio er mwyn sicrhau bod digon o amser i orffen y gêm neu’r gweithgaredd
  • bod yn fodel rôl da a chymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau fel bod y plant eisiau gwneud yr un peth
  • gynnig teganau ac offer addas megis beiciau, peli, rhaffau ac offer dringo
  • chwarae gyda’r plentyn gan gynnig cymorth i ddal neu daflu pêl, er enghraifft
  • ddiffodd y teledu er mwyn rhoi terfynau ar faint mae’r plentyn yn gwylio ac annog gweithgareddau corfforol yn lle hynny
  • wneud ymarfer corff fydd yn cyfrannu tuag at ddatblygiad corfforol y plentyn gan gynnwys sgiliau echddygol manwl a bras, cydbwysedd, cydsymud llaw a llygad.

Mae teuluoedd/gofalwyr yn allweddol wrth sicrhau bod plant yn cael cyfle i fwynhau chwarae amrywiol ac mae angen datblygu hyder i fedru gwneud hyn yn llwyddiannus.

Deg awgrym gwych:

  1. cofiwch fod pob plentyn yn wahanol ac yn mwynhau chwarae yn wahanol
  2. rhowch gyfle i'ch plentyn ddewis y gêm y mae am ei chwarae
  3. peidiwch â datrys pob tasg dros eich plentyn
  4. peidiwch â bod yn rhiant neu ofalwr cystadleuol
  5. cofiwch gymryd rhan yng ngemau ffug eich plentyn
  6. gadewch i'ch plentyn fwynhau heriau fel dringo coed - mae plant yn dysgu drwy gymryd risgiau
  7. ewch allan i chwarae, mae'n iachach ac yn llawer o hwyl
  8. gadewch i blant eich dysgu sut i chwarae gyda'u teganau nhw a’u gemau cyfrifiadurol
  9. rhannwch gêm yr oeddech chi'n arfer ei chwarae fel plentyn
  10. mwynhewch chwarae.

Darllen pellach:

Mae Addysg yn Dechrau yn y Cartref:

https://bit.ly/2Z3CyoQ

Links between the provision of a safe and stimulating environment and child development

Cysylltiadau rhwng darparu amgylchedd diogel ac ysgogol a datblygiad plant

A child playing in large soft blocks

It is important to provide safe and stimulating environments that develop and support children's holistic development in order to support their growth and development.

A positive environment enables practitioners to promote the physical, social, emotional, cognitive and linguistic development of children in their care.

In order to ensure a suitable environment to play, learn and develop, consideration needs to be given to space and equipment, hygiene and safety, as well as staffing levels, and the ability and knowledge of the staff to support each child in every aspect of their development. Early Years workers need to ensure a wide range of activities by arranging opportunities and equipment for playing and learning that will help a child fully develop. It may be that not every area in the setting is suitable to be used with all the children and care should be taken to ensure that each child can take part safely.

A wide variety of needs will need to be met, according to the children's age and development stage. It is important to understand the play needs and development needs of different age groups but all resources, toys and equipment must comply with safety standards. In order to ensure that toys are safe, they should display a mark that shows they have passed the safety tests and regulations and that they are suitable for the age range of the relevant children.

As children develop and master the activities with confidence, the practitioner will need to adapt the requirements. Children will play and take part in activities wherever they are given opportunities to do so and adults should ensure that suitable places are available for them. Play areas need to be regularly updated, with consideration given to the needs of the children who play there. When considering the cohort of children and their interests, purposeful but open-ended activities may be planned and provided that will allow children to devise their play so that they do not become bored.

Indoor and outdoor play experiences should be provided. Children love playing outdoors and nature has an important part to play in their emotional and physical development. Children are able to release, make a noise and use lots of energy when they are outdoors. As long as the children are wearing suitable clothing for all types of weather, outdoor play opportunities can be planned on a daily basis. The outdoor space used must be safe and stimulating and guidelines produced by Her Majesty's Inspectorate for Education and Training (Estyn) and Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) should be followed. Children of significantly different ages should not play in the same space at the same time. Older children can be quite boisterous when they play outdoors. The same basic rules apply with regard to supervision, safety, space and opportunities in outdoor areas as to children playing indoors, but planning will be needed for different types of play and activities on different surfaces if available. If the nursery, the school or the playgroup is small or if the building is old, there may not be a safe area of grass or surface and mats or carpets should be used instead. There may not be enough space for a climbing frame and bikes and practitioners will need to make the most of the area available There should be a sufficient number of staff to interact with the children, as well as to supervise them. If the staff play with the children and respect their ideas, this will help them to develop socially and cognitively.

Not every child develops at the same pace and resources and activities within settings should be suitable for every child. The activities need to provide enough opportunities for the children to be able to take risks safely. We cannot force children to do anything beyond their ability, nor should they be encouraged to go a step further than they feel is safe.

The challenge to practitioners is to balance the need for safety with the need for children and young people to take risks. Babies and children love to explore the world around them and early years practitioners need to ensure that they do so within safe limits. Babies and children are naturally curious and risk harm as they are not aware of danger, so what could go wrong should be considered as well as ways to prevent or mitigate the dangers. Keeping a risk assessment record helps early years practitioners to become aware of what they need to do to keep children safe. The practitioner should ensure that everybody encounters a variety of risks that will contribute towards developing their well-being.

It is essential that the practitioner ensures that the play environment is bilingual. This can be done by speaking Welsh on a regular basis with the staff at the setting and with all children. It is good practice for the staff to speak Welsh to each other so that the children hear this and imitate it. As such, the children will be immersed in the Welsh language and surrounded by it, and will acquire the language in a natural way without them realising. Practitioners have a very important role to play as children's linguistic development depends on hearing the Welsh language on a regular basis.

In order to acquire the new language, practitioners must support the children and take an active part in their play. Children must hear the practitioners:

  • suggesting vocabulary and pronouncing words correctly and clearly
  • repeating vocabulary and using language patterns consistently
  • giving the child time to process what they have heard and ensuring that they have understood
  • offering linguistic ideas
  • pointing to objects and saying the word
  • gesturing to show the meaning of words and sentences
  • introducing simple songs and rhymes and singing them over and over
  • rereading books over and over pointing to the story with their finger
  • creating opportunities for children to practice the words they have learnt e.g. maybe as part of role play activities
  • praising children immediately when they have said a Welsh word for the first time.

The indoor and outdoor early years environment should be bright, colourful, safe and stimulating for children. This will have a positive effect on the child's holistic development. This can be achieved in many ways, with the aim of ensuring that children learn to respect their environment and take advantage of the opportunities it provides.

Resources within the environment Description
Displays
  • they must include the children's work
  • the adult's role is to honour the work of the children by displaying it well
  • children and parents like to see their work on display
  • it is better to have a good, simple display than a bad, complex one
  • all children's work should be displayed, not just the best examples
  • a display should be interactive with a variety of writing, and not just template letters and computer print
  • 3-D displays, lift the flap, hanging work
  • asking questions may add interest, for example, 'can you find the three frogs?'
  • a display can encourage conversation and help children to understand that print has meaning and that letters are formed in a specific way
  • displays should be low enough for children to be able to see them and should be changed regularly to maintain interest.
Posters and murals
  • individual posters can be used or they can be used as part of a display
  • they should be purposeful, bright and colourful with no unsuitable images
  • posters provide an opportunity to show positive multicultural images at the setting
  • ABC, number and rhyme posters enhance the learning.
Book corner
  • a quiet, comfortable corner, with carpets and cushions or beanbags encourages children to use it
  • books should be displayed on the shelves in an attractive manner
  • headphones and stories on tapes may be placed there to add another dimension to the area.
Home corner
  • a home corner that is relevant to children stimulates their interest and increases their knowledge of the world
  • some children will be happy to play in a Wendy house, but others will prefer role play activities in the hairdresser
  • whatever is chosen, it must be relevant to the children's experiences.
Dining room
  • displaying the rules of behaviour in the dining room will encourage social development and good behaviour
  • displaying pictures of healthy foods around the room will encourage children to consider what is best to eat
  • knives and forks laid correctly, children to sit with children who use the correct cutlery for the correct purpose
  • children to pour their own drinks.
Sand, water and materials that are easy to use
  • when setting out stimulating resources in this area, children are given opportunities to develop creatively
  • if a sieve is placed in wet sand and moulds are placed in dry sand, children will benefit and will learn scientific concepts as they discuss the materials and experiment with them
  • placing small world toys in the sand or water will encourage more children to benefit from this activity
  • the toys used should not be limited to a basket of toys that are allowed in the water and in the sand - thought should be given when arranging the activity, as would be done for a mathematical activity or an activity in any other area.
Outdoor area
  • sufficient physical activities should be offered outside to encourage children's physical development
  • opportunities to run and climb
  • balls, hoops, beanbags to improve throwing, kicking and catching skills
  • bikes and scooters
  • adult intervention can help children to learn in areas where they face difficulties learning on their own
  • make the most of natural resources wherever possible
  • children like to climb trees and hide in the bushes, brush leaves and do the gardening, if they have resources to do so
  • providing a bird table and binoculars will allow children to observe nature
  • children must learn to take care of nature and the environment and must be encouraged to respect animals and birds and discouraged from pulling leaves off trees
  • children should be allowed out in all weathers, so suitable clothing must be provided or suitable clothing should be brought from home.
Pets
  • having an animal at the setting will teach the children how to look after animals, but animals should only be kept if somebody is willing to look after those animals appropriately
  • there are rules for looking after animals - the rules are updated regularly, so settings should be careful.

Further reading:

Play: health and wellbeing

https://bit.ly/2JKntmM

Play spaces: planning and design

https://bit.ly/2Z6pQ8T

Play and risk

https://bit.ly/2XXUhS0

Mae darparu amgylcheddau diogel ac ysgogol sy’n meithrin ac yn cefnogi datblygiad cyfannol plant yn bwysig er mwyn eu helpu i dyfu a datblygu.

Bydd amgylchedd cadarnhaol yn galluogi ymarferwyr i hyrwyddo datblygiad corfforol, cymdeithasol, emosiynol, gwybyddol ac ieithyddol y plant yn eu gofal.

Er mwyn cael amgylchedd addas i chwarae, dysgu a datblygu ynddo, mae angen ystyried gofod a chyfarpar, hylendid a diogelwch, yn ogystal â lefelau staffio, a'r gallu a'r wybodaeth sydd gan y staff i gefnogi pob plentyn ym mhob agwedd ar ei ddatblygiad. Mae angen i weithwyr y Blynyddoedd Cynnar sicrhau amrywiaeth eang o weithgareddau gan drefnu cyfleoedd a chyfarpar ar gyfer chwarae a dysgu a fydd yn gymorth i blentyn ddatblygu'n llawn. Efallai nad yw pob ardal yn y lleoliad yn addas i'w defnyddio gyda'r holl blant ac mae angen sicrhau bod pob plentyn yn medru cymryd rhan yn ddiogel.

Bydd angen darparu ar gyfer amrywiaeth eang o anghenion yn ôl oedran y plant a'u cam datblygiad. Mae'n bwysig deall anghenion chwarae ac anghenion datblygu gwahanol grwpiau oedran ond rhaid i bob adnodd, tegan a chyfarpar cydymffurfio â safonau diogelwch. Er mwyn sicrhau bod teganau yn ddiogel dylai marc fod arnynt sy’n dangos eu bod wedi pasio'r prawf a'r rheoliadau diogelwch a'u bod yn addas ar gyfer oedran y plant dan sylw.

Wrth i’r plant ddatblygu a meistroli’r gweithgareddau yn hyderus bydd angen i’r ymarferydd addasu'r gofynion. Bydd plant yn chwarae a chymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau ble bynnag cânt gyfle ac mae gan oedolion rôl i ddarparu mannau addas ar eu cyfer. Mae angen i fannau chwarae gael eu hadnewyddu’n gyson gan ystyried gofynion y plant sy’n chwarae yno. Wrth ystyried y garfan o blant a’u diddordebau gellir cynllunio a darparu gweithgareddau pwrpasol ond pen agored fydd yn caniatáu i blant i ddyfeisio eu chwarae fel nad ydynt yn diflasu gyda’r sefyllfa.

Bydd angen darparu profiadau wrth chwarae dan do ac yn yr ardal allanol. Mae plant wrth eu bodd yn chwarae yn yr awyr agored ac mae gan natur ran bwysig i'w chwarae yn eu datblygiad emosiynol a chorfforol. Mae plant yn gallu ymollwng, gwneud sŵn a defnyddio llawer o egni pan fyddant y tu allan. Cyn belled â bod gan y plant ddillad addas ar gyfer pob tywydd, gellir cynllunio ar gyfer chwarae yn yr awyr agored bob dydd. Mae angen i’r gofod allanol a ddefnyddir fod yn ddiogel ac yn ysgogol ac mae angen dilyn canllawiau Arolygiaeth Ei Mawrhydi Dros Addysg a Hyfforddiant yng Nghymru (Estyn) ac Arolygiaeth Gofal Cymru (AGC). Mae angen sicrhau na ddylai plant sy'n wahanol iawn o ran eu hoedran fod yn chwarae yn yr un lle ar yr un pryd. Gall plant hŷn fod yn wyllt iawn pan fyddant yn chwarae tu allan. Mae'r un rheolau sylfaenol yn wir am oruchwylio, diogelwch, gofod a chyfleoedd yn yr awyr agored â phan fydd plant yn chwarae dan do, ond bydd angen cynllunio ar gyfer gwahanol fathau o chwarae a gweithgarwch ar arwynebau gwahanol os ydynt ar gael. Os yw'r feithrinfa, yr ysgol, neu'r cylch chwarae'n un fach neu'r adeilad yn hen, efallai na fydd glaswellt neu lawr diogel ar gael a bydd angen defnyddio matiau neu garpedi yn lle hynny. Efallai na fydd lle ar gael ar gyfer ffrâm ddringo a beiciau a bydd angen i’r ymarferwyr gynllunio a gwneud y gorau o’r ardal sydd ar gael iddynt. Dylai fod digon o staff ar gael i ryngweithio â'r plant yn ogystal ag i'w goruchwylio. Os bydd staff yn chwarae gyda'r plant ac yn dangos parch i'w syniadau, bydd hynny'n help iddynt ddatblygu'n gymdeithasol ac yn wybyddol.

Nid yw pob plentyn yn datblygu ar yr un cyflymder ac mae angen sicrhau bod yr adnoddau a’r gweithgareddau o fewn lleoliadau yn addas ar gyfer pob plentyn. Mae angen i’r gweithgareddau roi digon o gyfleoedd i’r plant fedru cymryd risgiau yn ddiogel. Ni allwn orfodi plant i wneud dim sydd tu hwnt i’w gallu neu eu hannog i fynd gam ymhellach na ble maent yn teimlo’n ddiogel.

Yr her i ymarferwyr yw cydbwyso’r angen am ddiogelwch yn erbyn yr angen i blant a phobl ifanc gymryd risgiau a mentro. Mae babanod a phlant wrth eu bodd yn archwilio'r byd o'u cwmpas ac mae angen i ymarferydd blynyddoedd cynnar sicrhau eu bod yn archwilio o fewn terfynau diogel. Mae babanod a phlant yn naturiol chwilfrydig ac mewn risg o niwed gan nad ydynt yn ymwybodol o berygl felly mae angen meddwl beth allai fynd o'i le ac ystyried ffyrdd i atal neu leihau'r peryglon. Mae cynnal cofnod asesiad risg yn helpu'r ymarferwyr blynyddoedd cynnar i ddod yn ymwybodol o'r hyn y mae angen iddynt ei wneud i gadw plant yn ddiogel. Mae gan yr ymarferwr rôl i sicrhau bod pawb yn dod ar draws amrywiaeth o risgiau a fydd yn cyfrannu tuag at ddatblygu eu llesiant.

Mae’n hanfodol bod yr ymarferwr yn sicrhau bod yr amgylchedd chwarae yn ddwyieithog. Gellir gwneud hyn trwy siarad Cymraeg yn rheolaidd gyda staff y lleoliad a phob plentyn. Mae’n ymarfer dda i staff siarad Cymraeg a’i gilydd fel bod y plant yn clywed ac yn dynwared hyn. Trwy hyn bydd y plant yn cael eu trochi yn yr iaith Gymraeg wrth iddynt gael eu hamgylchynu gan y Gymraeg a chaffael yr iaith mewn ffordd naturiol heb iddynt sylweddoli. Mae gan ymarferwyr rôl bwysig iawn gan fod datblygiad ieithyddol plant yn dibynnu ar glywed y Gymraeg yn gyson.

Er mwyn caffael yn yr iaith newydd mae’n rhaid i ymarferwyr gefnogi’r plant a chymryd rhan weithredol yn eu chwarae. Rhaid i’r plant glywed ymarferwyr yn:

  • awgrymu geirfa ac ynganu geiriau yn gywir ac yn glir
  • ailadrodd geirfa a defnyddio patrymau iaith yn gyson
  • rhoi amser i’r plentyn brosesu'r hyn mae’n clywed a sicrhau bod y plentyn wedi deall
  • cynnig syniadau ieithyddol
  • pwyntio at wrthrych wrth ddweud y gair
  • ystumio i ddangos ystyr geiriau a brawddegau
  • cyflwyno caneuon a rhigymau syml a’u hail ganu drosodd a throsodd
  • ail ddarllen llyfrau drosodd a throsodd gan arwain y stori gyda bys
  • creu cyfleoedd i blant ymarfer y geiriau maent wedi dysgu wrth chwarae rôl efallai
  • canmol y plant yn syth ar ôl iddynt ddweud gair Cymraeg am y tro cyntaf.

Dylai’r amgylchedd blynyddoedd cynnar dan do ac yn yr ardal allanol fod yn llachar, yn lliwgar, yn ddiogel ac yn ysgogol i blant. Bydd hyn yn cael effaith bositif ar ddatblygiad cyfannol y plentyn. Gellir cyflawni hyn mewn amryw o ffyrdd gyda’r nod fod plant yn dysgu parchu eu hamgylchedd a manteisio ar y cyfleodd mae’n cynnig iddynt.

Adnoddau o fewn yr amgylchedd Disgrifiad
Arddangosfeydd
  • rhaid iddynt gynnwys gwaith y plant
  • rôl yr oedolyn yw anrhydeddu gwaith plant trwy eu harddangos mewn ffordd ddeniadol
  • mae plant a rhieni yn hoffi gweld eu gwaith wedi ei arddangos
  • gwell cael arddangosfa syml dda, nag un cymhleth gwael
  • arddangos gwaith yr holl blant, nid dim ond y gwaith gorau
  • dylai arddangosfa fod yn rhyngweithiol gydag amrywiaeth o ysgrifen ac nid dim ond llythrennau templed a phrint cyfrifiadur
  • arddangosfeydd 3-D, codi’r fflap, hongian gwaith
  • gall gofyn cwestiynau ychwanegu diddordeb, er enghraifft, ‘allu di ffeindio’r tri broga?’
  • gall arddangosfa annog sgwrsio a bod yn gymorth i blant ddeall fod ystyr i brint a bod llythrennau yn cael eu ffurfio mewn ffordd arbennig
  • dylai’r arddangosfa fod yn ddigon isel i’r plant ei weld a dylid ei newid yn gyson i gynnal diddordeb.
Posteri a murluniau
  • gellir defnyddio posteri yn unigol neu fel rhan o arddangosfa
  • dylent fod yn bwrpasol, yn llachar ac yn lliwgar a heb unrhyw ddelweddau anaddas
  • mae posteri yn gyfle i arddangos delweddau positif amlddiwylliannol yn y lleoliad
  • mae posteri ABC, rhif, rhigymau yn ychwanegu at y dysgu.
Cornel llyfrau
  • mae cornel tawel, cyfforddus, gyda charped a chlustogau neu fagiau ffa yn annog plant i’w ddefnyddio
  • dylid arddangos llyfrau yn ddeniadol ar y silffoedd
  • gellid gosod clustffonau a straeon ar dâp yno i ychwanegu pwrpas arall i’r ardal.
Cornel cartref
  • mae cornel cartref sy’n berthnasol i’r plant yn ysgogi eu diddordeb a chynyddu eu gwybodaeth am y byd
  • bydd rhai plant yn hapus i chwarae mewn tŷ bach twt, tra bod yn well gan eraill chwarae rôl yn y siop trin gwallt
  • beth bynnag sy’n cael i ddewis, rhaid iddo fod yn berthnasol i brofiadau’r plant.
Ystafell fwyta
  • bydd arddangos rheolau ymddygiad yn yr ystafell fwyta yn annog datblygiad cymdeithasol ac ymddygiad da
  • bydd gosod lluniau o fwydydd iach o amgylch yr ystafell yn annog plant i ystyried beth sydd orau i’w fwyta
  • cyllyll a ffyrc wedi’u gosod yn gywir, y plant i eistedd gyda phlant sy’n defnyddio offer bwyta at y pwrpas cywir
  • y plant i arllwys diod eu hunain.
Tywod, dŵr a defnyddiau hydrin
  • wrth osod adnoddau ysgogol yn yr ardal yma gellir sicrhau bod plant yn datblygu’n greadigol
  • os roddir rhidyll mewn tywod gwlyb a mowldiau mewn tywod sych yna bydd plant yn elwa ac yn dysgu cysyniadau gwyddonol wrth drafod ac arbrofi gyda’r defnyddiau
  • bydd rhoi teganau byd bach yn y tywod neu’r dŵr yn arwain at fwy o blant yn elwa o’r gweithgaredd
  • ni ddylid defnyddio ond y fasged o deganau sy’n mynd i’r dŵr a’r tywod - mae angen meddwl wrth drefnu’r gweithgaredd fel y gwneir gyda gweithgaredd fathemateg neu unrhyw ardal arall.
Ardal allanol
  • dylid cynnig digon o weithgareddau corfforol tu allan i helpu datblygiad corfforol y plant
  • cyfleoedd i redeg a dringo
  • peli, cylchoedd (hoops), bagiau ffa i wella sgiliau taflu, cicio a dal
  • beiciau a sgwter
  • gall ymyrraeth oedolyn gynorthwyo plant i ddysgu mewn ardaloedd maent yn cael anhawster ar ben eu hunain
  • gwneud y mwyaf o adnoddau naturiol ble’n bosib
  • mae plant yn hoffi dringo boncyff a chuddio yn y llwyni, brwsio dail a garddio os yw’r adnoddau ar gael iddynt
  • bydd darparu bwrdd adar ac ysbienddrych (binoculars) yn caniatáu i’r plant i arsylwi ar fyd natur
  • rhaid i blant ddysgu gofalu am fyd natur a’r amgylchedd a’u hannog i barchu anifeiliaid ac adar a pheidio tynnu dail o’r coed
  • dylid caniatáu plant allan ymhob tywydd, felly mae angen darparu dillad addas ar eu cyfer neu sicrhau eu bod yn dod â dillad addas gyda nhw o’r cartref.
Anifeiliaid anwes
  • bydd anifail yn y lleoliad yn dysgu plant sut i ofalu ar ôl anifeiliaid ond dylid ond eu cadw os oes yna rywun yn fodlon gofalu amdanynt yn y ffordd gywir
  • mae rheolau mewn lle ar gyfer cadw anifeiliaid - caiff y rheolau eu hadnewyddu yn gyson, felly mae’n rhaid bod yn ofalus.

Darllen pellach:

Chwarae: iechyd a lles

https://bit.ly/2LySTyU

Mannau chwarae: cynllunio a dylunio

https://bit.ly/30N526F

Chwarae a risg

https://bit.ly/2M6lqLA

How experiential learning contributes to holistic learning, growth and development

Sut mae dysgu drwy brofiad yn cyfrannu at ddysgu, twf a datblygiad cyfannol

A happy young child carrying a lamb

When proving experiences, the child goes through the process of observation, discovery or encountering something for the first time. The experience will be reinforced as the child encounters the same experience time after time. They will persevere with the task if they did not succeed the first time. Some children will have had more experience than others of encountering numerous risks while playing. This may depend on where children play when they are not at their settings. They may spend time in outdoor areas such as forests, gardens or parks where they will have had opportunities to explore and investigate the environment.

In order to allow children to learn through experience, the activities or play opportunities need to be spontaneous, and initiated by children. In order for this to happen, the environment will need to provide situations that encourage children to learn through their experiences. The practitioner's role is to provide suitable materials, equipment and resources that will allow this to happen successfully. The indoor and outdoor space should be flexible to enable children to change the space for different uses. The outdoor area can encourage children to explore and encounter challenges that they would not face in the indoor area. Learning through experience in the outdoor area will help children to increase their physical development, by practising fine and gross motor skills. This, in turn, will contribute to their health and fitness. By looking at the environment in a different way, perhaps by hanging upside down from a tree or by using a mirror to look at things differently, the child will start to understand and learn about the world around them.

It is important that children and young people are offered activities and opportunities that are suitable for their age and stage of development and that give them pleasure. Activities and experiences should be adapted to meet the needs of each individual child. Children will learn through play if they are interested in the activity. As a result, they will concentrate for a longer period of time. By using a child-centred approach to learning, children will learn by doing rather than being taught.

Children and young people learn when they:

  • feel safe
  • are stimulated
  • are challenged
  • can connect with others
  • need to make choices
  • need to explore the environment
  • need to express their feelings.

Play helps children to feel good about themselves. They will come to understand themselves by taking part in activities and experiences that contribute to the development of their physical, intellectual and linguistic skills. As well as getting to know themselves, play also helps children to learn about others around them and the wider environment. By playing freely, the child will build self-confidence and self-respect and will experiment with different feelings and show feelings when encountering different situations. They will use their imagination, their self-confidence and their socialising skills and will come to understand what they can achieve independently and when they need support.

It has been seen that children learn much more by taking a direct part in play. By experimenting and exploring, they will learn how things work and why things happen. This will give children control over their actions and will allow them to experiment with new activities in new situations as they get to know themselves better. When role playing or playing with friends, the child will be able to put themselves in a specific situation. They may imitate the behaviour of an animal they have heard about or read about in a story book. They will see some of their own characteristics come alive in the animals, and their personality and understanding of themselves will develop as a result.

Practitioners should support the children during play but it is also essential that they do not intervene too much. By using child-centred approaches, children can benefit from activities and experiences that will allow them to reach their full potential. It is essential that practitioners or parents/carers do not attempt to mould children into what they would like them to be. The children need to discover for themselves who they are and it is essential to respect their choices and decisions. By allowing children to identify their individual strengths, they can be empowered to discover themselves and the world around them.

It is essential that practitioners provide positive reinforcement when a child is seen accomplishing a specific task or action. If a child eats the vegetables on their plate and is praised by the practitioner for doing so, they are more likely to eat them again. The theorist Burrhus Skinner suggested that the timing of the reinforcement is very important. An action or behaviour that receives immediate reward is more likely to be repeated. So children should be rewarded as soon as possible following a positive action. Praising a child whilst they are tidying up is better than praising a child at the end of the day. Although it is not always possible to provide immediate reward, the child will know and understand if you explain the situation, for example, 'I will give you a sticker when we get back to school'. Skinner suggested that behaviour that is not reinforced disappears. A reward, such as a sticker, is not always necessary. All children enjoy adult attention.

In order to support children's holistic learning, growth and development, practitioners need to reinforce their achievements in a positive manner. This can be done by:

  • ensuring that the child feels safe during activities
  • ensuring that activities are challenging but achievable
  • listening to the opinions of children
  • understanding that children learn by watching others
  • encouraging children to make choices and decisions for themselves
  • offering intervention, but only when required
  • challenging children to think for themselves
  • allowing enough time for children to experiment and learn, without being rushed
  • praising children for their efforts and achievements
  • praising children for their use of the Welsh language
  • praising children for their use of correct language, whether that be Welsh or their first language.

Wrth dderbyn profiadau mae’r plentyn yn mynd drwy’r broses o arsylwi, darganfod neu ddod ar draws rhywbeth am y tro cyntaf. Bydd y profiad yn cael ei hatgyfnerthu wrth i’r plentyn ddod ar draws yr un profiad dro ar ôl tro. Bydd yn dyfalbarhau gyda’r dasg os na wnaeth lwyddo y tro cyntaf. Mae rhai plant wedi cael mwy o brofiad nag eraill gan ddod ar draws risgiau niferus yn eu chwarae. Gall hyn ddibynnu ar ble mae’r plant yn chwarae tu allan i’w lleoliadau. Efallai eu bod yn treulio amser mewn ardaloedd allanol megis coedwigoedd, gerddi neu barciau ble maent yn cael cyfleoedd i archwilio ac ymchwilio’r amgylchedd.

Er mwyn caniatáu i blant ddysgu drwy brofiad mae angen i’r gweithgareddau neu’r chwarae fod yn ddigymell, ac yn rhai sy’n cael eu cychwyn gan blant. Er mwyn i hyn ddigwydd bydd angen i’r amgylchedd annog sefyllfaoedd sy’n hyrwyddo plant i ddysgu trwy eu profiadau. Rôl yr ymarferwr yw darparu deunyddiau addas, offer ac adnoddau a fydd yn caniatáu hyn i ddigwydd yn llwyddiannus. Dylai’r gofod tu mewn a thu allan fod yn hyblyg er mwyn galluogi’r plant i’w newid at ddefnydd gwahanol. Mae’r ardal allanol yn medru symbylu plant i archwilio a dod ar draws heriau na fyddai’n digwydd yn ar ardal fewnol. Bydd dysgu trwy brofiad yn yr ardal allanol yn fantais i blant i gynyddu eu datblygiad corfforol, trwy ymarfer sgiliau echddygol manwl a bras. Bydd hyn yn eu tro yn cyfrannu tuag at iechyd a ffitrwydd plant. Wrth edrych ar yr amgylchedd mewn ffordd wahanol, efallai trwy hongian o goeden wyneb i waered neu ddefnyddio drych i weld pethau’n wahanol, bydd y plentyn yn dod i ddeall a dysgu am y byd o’i hamgylch.

Mae’n bwysig bod plant a phobl ifanc yn cael gweithgareddau a phrofiadau sy’n addas ar gyfer eu hoed a’u cam datblygiad ac sydd yn rhoi pleser iddynt. Mae angen addasu’r gweithgareddau a’r profiadau er mwyn diwallu anghenion pob plentyn unigol. Bydd plant yn dysgu trwy chwarae os yw’r gweithgaredd o ddiddordeb iddynt. Yn sgil hyn byddant yn canolbwyntio am fwy o amser. Trwy ddefnyddio’r dull plant-ganolog o ddysgu bydd y plant yn dysgu trwy wneud yn hytrach na chael eu dysgu.

Mae plant a phobl ifanc yn dysgu pan fyddant:

  • yn teimlo'n ddiogel
  • yn cael eu hysgogi
  • yn cael eu herio
  • yn gallu ymwneud ag eraill
  • angen gwneud dewisiadau
  • angen archwilio’r amgylchedd
  • angen mynegi eu teimladau.

Mae chwarae yn cynorthwyo plant i deimlo’n dda am eu hunain. Byddant yn dod i ddeall am eu hunain wrth gymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau a phrofiadau sy’n cyfrannu tuag at ddatblygu eu sgiliau corfforol, deallusol ac ieithyddol. Yn ogystal â dod i adnabod eu hunain mae chwarae yn cynorthwyo plant i ddysgu am eraill o’u cwmpas a’r amgylchedd ehangach. Wrth chwarae’n rhydd bydd y plentyn yn adeiladu hunan hyder a hunan-barch, bydd yn arbrofi gyda gwahanol deimladau ac arddangos teimladau pan ddaw ar draws gwahanol sefyllfaoedd. Bydd yn defnyddio ei ddychymyg, ei hunan hyder a’i sgiliau cymdeithasu gan ddod i ddeall beth mae’n medru cyflawni yn annibynnol a phryd bydd angen cymorth.

Gwelir fod plant yn dysgu llawer mwy wrth gymryd rhan uniongyrchol mewn chwarae. Trwy arbrofi ac archwilio byddant yn dysgu sut mae pethau yn gweithio a pham mae pethau yn digwydd. Bydd hyn yn rhoi rheolaeth i’r plant dros eu gweithredoedd a’u caniatáu i arbrofi gyda gweithgareddau newydd mewn sefyllfaoedd newydd gan ddod i adnabod eu hunain yn well. Wrth chwarae rôl neu chwarae gyda ffrindiau bydd y plentyn yn medru rhoi ei hun mewn sefyllfa benodol. Efallai bydd yn dynwared ymddygiad anifeiliaid y gwnaeth glywed neu ddarllen amdanynt mewn llyfr stori. Bydd yn gweld rhai nodweddion o’i hunan yn dod yn fyw yn yr anifeiliaid, ac yn sgil hyn gwelir ei bersonoliaeth a dealltwriaeth o’i hunan yn datblygu.

Mae angen i’r ymarferwr gefnogi’r plant yn ystod y broses chwarae ond eto mae’n hanfodol nad ydynt yn ymyrryd yn ormodol. Trwy ddefnyddio’r dulliau gweithredu plant-ganolog gall blant fanteisio ar weithgareddau a phrofiadau a fydd yn cwrdd â’u potensial yn llawn. Mae’n hanfodol nad yw ymarferwyr neu rieni/gofalwyr yn ceisio mowldio plant i’r hyn maent am iddynt fod. Mae angen i’r plant ddarganfod dros eu hunain pwy ydynt ac mae’n hanfodol parchu eu dewisiadau a’u penderfyniadau. Trwy ganiatáu i’r plant adnabod eu cryfderau unigol gellir rhoi’r grym iddynt ddarganfod eu hunain a’r byd o’u hamgylch.

Mae’n hanfodol bod yr ymarferwr yn atgyfnerthu yn gadarnhaol yn sgil sefyllfa ble gwelir plentyn yn cyflawni tasg neu weithred benodol. Os yw plentyn yn bwyta'r llysiau sydd ar ei blât a bydd yr ymarferwr yn ei ganmol am wneud, bydd yn fwy tebygol o’i bwyta eto. Awgrymodd y damcaniaethwr Burrhus Skinner fod amseriad yr atgyfnerthiad yn bwysig iawn. Mae gweithred neu ymddygiad sy’n cael ei wobrwyo’n syth yn fwy tebygol o gael ei ail wneud. Felly dylai plant gael eu gwobrwyo cyn gynted â phosib yn dilyn gweithred bositif. Mae canmoliaeth i blentyn tra ei fod yn tacluso yn well na chanmoliaeth i blentyn ar ddiwedd y dydd. Er nad yw bob amser yn bosib gwobrwyo yn syth, bydd y plentyn yn gwybod a deall os wnewch esbonio’r sefyllfa, er enghraifft, ‘fe gei di sticer pan gyrhaeddwn nôl i’r ysgol’. Awgrymodd Skinner fod ymddygiad sydd ddim yn cael eu hatgyfnerthu yn diflannu. Nid oes angen rhoi gwobr, megis sticer bob amser. Mae pob plentyn yn mwynhau cael sylw oedolion.

Er mwyn cefnogi dysgu, twf a datblygiad cyfannol plant mae angen bod yr ymarferwr yn atgyfnerthu eu cyflawniadau yn gadarnhaol. Gellir gwneud hyn drwy:

  • sicrhau bod y plant yn teimlo’n ddiogel wrth ymgymryd â gweithgareddau
  • sicrhau bod gweithgareddau yn heriol ond yn gyraeddadwy
  • gwrando ar farn plant
  • deall bod plant yn dysgu trwy wylio eraill
  • hyrwyddo plant i wneud dewisiadau a phenderfyniadau drostynt eu hunain
  • cynnig ymyrraeth, dim ond pan fod angen
  • herio plant i feddwl dros eu hunain
  • caniatáu digon o amser i blant i arbrofi a dysgu, heb gael eu rhuthro
  • canmol plant am eu hymdrechion a’u cyflawniadau
  • canmol plant am eu defnydd o’r iaith Gymraeg
  • canmol plant am eu defnydd o iaith gywir boed yn Gymraeg neu’n fam iaith.

Providing meaningful and pleasant activities, using observations and using the lessons learnt in order to provide new activities

Darparu gweithgareddau ystyrlon a phleserus, defnyddio arsylwadau ac ymgorffori'r hyn a ddysgwyd er mwyn darparu gweithgareddau newydd

When observing children, it is possible to identify their stage of growth, their holistic development and how they develop schema. It is essential that practitioners are able to work in ways that use observations, choosing the appropriate method for the specific area that requires attention. The methods are very flexible and can be used successfully for several areas of development and practitioners must choose the most suitable method for the child being observed.

Observation method Purpose of the observation
Free Description
  • concentrating on one area of development
  • specific activity - doing a jigsaw, sorting shapes, lotto game.
Checklist
  • comparing the skills of a group of children
  • developmental progress
  • development of schema
  • physical skills - fine motor skills, gross motor skills.
Time Sample
  • language skills
  • development of schema
  • an activity chosen by the child
  • social skills - interaction between the child and other children.
Events Sample
  • specific behaviour, conflict
  • sequence of events
  • development of schema.
Diagrammatic Charts
  • growth charts for height/weight
  • flow charts for the child's movements around the setting, development of schema
  • sociogram for children's choices with regard to friends, asking the children about their friends.

The purpose of observation is to discover specific information about children in order to ensure suitable provision. Children may be observed in order to:

  • discover the pattern of their development
  • collect information on their progress
  • discover their interests
  • discover specific problems, such as communication difficulties, behavioural issues
  • meet the needs of children
  • evaluate the provision
  • plan for the next stage.

When observing, the practitioner will be able to ensure that they can provide for children in line with their responsibilities. This means working in a way that enables the practitioner to plan, prepare, take action, monitor, evaluate and review the progress of the child or the provision. This is called the planning cycle and implementing this cycle ensures progression and consistency in the provision and that planning work considers and meets the individual needs of each child.

Children must have access to activities, experiences and routines on a daily basis that are of interest to them and that are meaningful and enjoyable. Children will learn through play without adult support but sometimes input will be required from the practitioner in order to ensure a rich environment that offers numerous possibilities. This is the duty of the practitioner and can be achieved by responding to the needs of children, balancing risk and challenge, developing positive relationships and promoting independence skills.

Responding to a range of needs

By identifying the needs of children and extending and supporting their learning, practitioners will treat them with dignity and respect. This will enable the children to know themselves and to develop in a confident manner. An environment that is relevant to the needs of children should be provided so that they are given opportunities to develop to their full potential. Their age, stage of development, interests, previous experiences and their ability to make decisions and solve problems must be considered. The environment should be carefully organised and resources and activities that are of interest to the child and that enable them to have experiences that will extend their ability within each area of development should be prepared.

Balancing risk and challenge to promote holistic learning, growth and development

Although the environment should be hazard-free, it is important to offer children opportunities to manage risk themselves. An environment without any risks will not motivate or challenge children. They need the opportunity to explore the environment and to make their own decisions. They need opportunities to solve problems and consider what could happen if they are not careful. Giving children opportunities to take part in activities with other children will challenge them to listen to each other's ideas, to learn from their mistakes and to take action to improve the situation.

Developing positive relationships

By concentrating on the child, their interests and their previous experiences can be considered and their ideas can be listened to. By doing so, children become part of the planning stage. The practitioner's role is to give children choices. This provides a basis for ensuring that the child develops independently to be able to formulate their own opinions. Not every activity and area in the setting is suitable to be used with all children and they will need to be adapted so that each child can take part safely. Practitioners need to come to know children and this will enable them to trust in them to provide activities and experiences that will provide sufficient stimulation. By taking part and playing with other children, they will be given opportunities to share ideas and to listen to the opinions of others.

Promoting independence skills

Not every child develops at the same pace and resources and activities within care and education settings for children should be suitable for every child and promote their independence skills. Children's needs and understanding vary and they have different interests. By identifying their interests, it is possible to develop their independence and their ability to make choices. Offering resources and activities that develop independence skills encourages children to learn at their own pace. Children should also be encouraged to develop independence by practising personal care skills, such as going to the toilet, washing their hands, combing and brushing their hair and brushing their teeth. They can learn more about the importance of personal care skills by singing songs and rhymes that will bring an element of fun to the process.

By incorporating all of the above, practitioners can:

  • consolidate the skills gained
  • plan for progression
  • adapt practice to differentiate and provide extended opportunities.

Evaluating the activities and experiences provided for children will provide a significant amount of information about their success. It will be possible to note whether the provision was sufficient to be able to complete the activities successfully. Practitioners will be able to see whether children liked the activities, which activity was most successful and what children learnt. Practitioners will be able to observe the skills used by children taking part. Children's needs change, and therefore plans will need to be changed in line with children's needs. This will enable practitioners to plan for progress.

The process of planning for progress is the same for babies and older children. It is good practice to ensure that every member of staff within the setting takes part in the planning work as everybody can contribute in a different way and everybody will be able to help to prepare resources, activities and new experiences for children. Occasionally, plans may be repeated if children have not adopted a specific skill, but on the other hand, a child may need to be moved forward in order to learn different skills and concepts.

Practitioners will need to adapt their practice in order to differentiate and meet the specific needs of each child. Plans will depend on children's interests and occasionally they will respond in an unexpected manner which will lead to a change in the plans. If the activity is too easy for the child, then the activity will need to be adapted in order to extend the learning and development of the child. The plans must enable each child to take part, reflecting their background and their cultures. If the activities and the experiences promote equal opportunity, children will feel more confident in themselves and will achieve well.

Further reading:

Play and risk

https://bit.ly/2XXUhS0

Building resilience – the importance of playing

https://bit.ly/1I1j5ep

Wrth arsylwi plant mae’n bosib darganfod eu cam twf, eu datblygiad cyfannol a sut maent yn datblygu sgema. Mae’n hanfodol bod ymarferwr yn gallu gweithio mewn ffordd sy’n defnyddio arsylwadau gan ddewis y dull addas ar gyfer y maes penodol sydd angen sylw. Mae’r dulliau yn hyblyg iawn a gellir defnyddio rhai yn llwyddiannus ar gyfer sawl maes datblygiad a rhaid i’r ymarferwr benderfynu ar y dull sydd fwyaf addas ar gyfer y plentyn a arsylwir.

Dull arsylwi Pwrpas yr arsylwi
Disgrifiad Rhydd
  • canolbwyntio ar un maes datblygiad
  • gweithgaredd penodol - gwneud jig-so, didoli siapiau, gêm loto.
Rhestr Wirio
  • cymharu sgiliau grŵp o blant
  • cynnydd datblygiadol
  • datblygiad sgema
  • sgiliau corfforol - sgiliau echddygol manwl, sgiliau echddygol bras.
Sampl Amser
  • sgiliau iaith
  • datblygiad sgema
  • gweithgaredd o ddewis y plentyn
  • sgiliau cymdeithasol - rhyngweithiad rhwng plentyn a phlant eraill.
Sampl Digwyddiad
  • ymddygiad penodol, gwrthdaro
  • patrwm digwyddiadau
  • datblygiad sgema.
Siartiau Diagramatig
  • siartiau twf ar gyfer taldra/pwysau
  • siart lif ar gyfer symudiadau’r plentyn o amgylch y lleoliad, datblygiad sgema
  • sosiogram ar gyfer dewisiadau plant o ran ffrindiau, holi plant am eu ffrindiau.

Pwrpas arsylwi yw darganfod gwybodaeth benodol am blant er mwyn darparu yn addas ar eu cyfer. Gellir arsylwi plant er mwyn:

  • darganfod patrwm eu datblygiad
  • casglu gwybodaeth am eu cynnydd
  • darganfod eu diddordebau
  • darganfod problemau penodol, megis anhawster cyfathrebu, materion ymddygiad
  • cwrdd ag anghenion plant
  • gwerthuso darpariaeth
  • cynllunio ar gyfer y cam nesaf.

Wrth arsylwi, bydd yr ymarferwr yn gallu sicrhau ei bod yn darparu ar gyfer y plant yn unol â’r cyfrifoldebau. Golyga hyn gweithio mewn ffordd sydd yn caniatáu cynllunio, paratoi, gweithredu, monitro, gwerthuso ac adolygu cynnydd y plentyn neu’r ddarpariaeth. Gelwir hyn yn gylch cynllunio ac wrth ei weithredu gellir sicrhau bod yna ddilyniant a chysondeb yn y ddarpariaeth a bod y cynllunio yn ystyried a chwrdd ag anghenion unigol pob plentyn.

Rhaid i blant gael mynediad at weithgareddau, profiadau ac arferion dyddiol sy’n ennyn eu diddordeb yn ogystal â bod yn ystyrlon a phleserus. Bydd plant yn dysgu trwy eu chwarae heb gymorth yr oedolyn ond weithiau bydd angen mewnbwn yr ymarferwr er mwyn sicrhau bod yr amgylchedd yn gyfoethog ac yn un sy’n cynnig llawer o bosibiliadau iddynt. Dyma yw dyletswydd yr ymarferwr a gellir cyflawni hyn trwy ymateb i anghenion y plant, cydbwyso risg a her, meithrin perthnasoedd cadarnhaol a hybu sgiliau annibyniaeth.

Ymateb i amrywiaeth o anghenion

Trwy adnabod anghenion plant ac ymestyn a chefnogi eu dysgu bydd yr ymarferwr yn eu trin ag urddas a pharch. Bydd hyn yn galluogi’r plant i adnabod eu hunain a datblygu yn hyderus. Rhaid darparu amgylchedd sy’n berthnasol i anghenion plant fel eu bod yn derbyn cyfleodd i ddatblygu hyd eithaf eu gallu. Mae’n rhaid ystyried eu hoed, eu cam datblygiad, eu diddordebau, eu profiadau blaenorol a’u gallu i wneud penderfyniadau a datrys problemau. Mae angen trefnu’r amgylchedd yn ofalus a pharatoi adnoddau a gweithgareddau sy’n cynnal diddordebau’r plentyn yn ogystal â’u caniatáu i gael profiadau a fydd yn ymestyn eu gallu o fewn pob maes datblygiad.

Cydbwyso risg a her er mwyn hybu dysgu, twf a datblygiad cyfannol

Er y dylai’r amgylchedd fod yn un sydd yn rhydd o beryglon mae’n bwysig fod yna gyfleodd i blant fedru rheoli eu risgiau eu hunain. Ni fydd amgylchedd heb risgiau o gwbl yn symbylu nac yn herio plant. Mae angen iddynt gael cyfle i archwilio’r amgylchedd a gwneud penderfyniadau dros eu hunain. Maent angen cyfleoedd i ddatrys problemau ac ystyried beth all ddigwydd wrth beidio â bod yn ofalus. Bydd rhoi cyfleoedd i blant ymgymryd â gweithgareddau gyda phlant eraill yn eu herio i wrando ar syniadau ei gilydd, dysgu oddi wrth eu camgymeriadau a gweithredu er mwyn hwyluso’r sefyllfa.

Meithrin perthnasoedd cadarnhaol

Wrth ganolbwyntio ar y plentyn gellir edrych ar ddiddordebau’r plentyn, y profiadau maent eisoes wedi derbyn a gwrando ar eu syniadau. Trwy wneud hyn bydd y plant yn rhan o’r cynllunio. Rôl yr ymarferwr yw rhoi dewisiadau i’r plant. Mae hyn yn sail ar gyfer sicrhau bod y plentyn yn datblygu’n annibynnol i fedru llunio barn ei hunain. Nid yw pob gweithgaredd ac ardal yn y lleoliad yn addas i'w defnyddio gyda'r holl blant ac mae angen eu haddasu fel bod pob plentyn yn medru cymryd rhan yn ddiogel. Mae angen i ymarferwyr ddod i adnabod y plant a bydd hyn yn caniatáu’r plant i ymddiried ynddynt i ddarparu gweithgareddau a phrofiadau a fydd yn eu symbylu yn ddigonol. Wrth gymryd rhan a chwarae gyda phlant eraill mae plant yn cael cyfleoedd i rannu syniadau a gwrando ar farn eraill.

Hybu sgiliau annibyniaeth

Nid yw pob plentyn yn datblygu ar yr un cyflymder ac mae angen sicrhau bod yr adnoddau a’r gweithgareddau o fewn lleoliadau gofal ac addysg plant yn addas ac yn hyrwyddo sgiliau annibyniaeth pob plentyn unigol. Mae anghenion a dealltwriaeth plant yn amrywio ac mae ganddynt ddiddordebau gwahanol. Trwy adnabod eu diddordebau mae modd datblygu eu hannibyniaeth a’r gallu i wneud dewisiadau. Bydd cynnig adnoddau a gweithgareddau sy’n datblygu sgiliau annibyniaeth yn annog plant i ddysgu ar gyflymder eu hunain. Mae angen hefyd hybu plant i ddatblygu annibyniaeth drwy ymarfer sgiliau gofal personol, hynny yw, defnyddio’r toiled, golchi dwylo, cribo a brwsio gwallt a glanhau dannedd. Gellir dysgu mwy am bwysigrwydd sgiliau gofal personol wrth ganu caneuon a rhigymau a fydd yn gwneud y broses yn un hwyliog.

Wrth i’r ymarferwr ymgorffori hyn oll gellir:

  • atgyfnerthu'r sgiliau a ddysgwyd
  • cynllunio ar gyfer cynnydd
  • addasu ymarfer er mwyn gwahaniaethu a chynnig cyfleoedd estynedig.

Wrth werthuso’r gweithgareddau a phrofiadau a ddarperir i blant gellir darganfod llawer o wybodaeth am eu llwyddiant. Gellir darganfod a oedd y ddarpariaeth yn ddigonol i fedru cyflawni gweithgareddau yn llwyddiannus. Bydd yr ymarferwr yn medru gweld a oedd y plant yn eu hoffi, pa weithgaredd oedd mwyaf llwyddiannus a beth oedd y plant wedi dysgu. Bydd yr ymarferwr yn medru arsylwi ar y sgiliau a ddefnyddiodd y plant wrth gymryd rhan. Rhaid cofio bod anghenion plant yn newid ac felly mae angen newid cynlluniau i gyd-fynd ag anghenion y plant. Bydd hyn yn caniatáu’r ymarferwr i gynllunio ar gyfer cynnydd.

Mae’r broses o gynllunio ar gyfer cynnydd yr un peth ar gyfer baban a phlant hŷn. Mae’n ymarfer da bod pob aelod o staff o fewn y lleoliad yn cymryd rhan yn y cynllunio gan fod pawb yn medru cyfrannu yn wahanol ac fe fydd pawb yn medru cynorthwyo wrth baratoi adnoddau, gweithgareddau a phrofiadau newydd i’r plant. Weithiau, gellir ailadrodd cynlluniau os nad yw’r plentyn wedi mabwysiadu sgìl penodol ond ar y llaw arall efallai bydd angen symud y plentyn ymlaen i ddysgu sgiliau a chysyniadau gwahanol.

Bydd yn ofynnol i ymarferwyr addasu eu hymarfer er mwyn gwahaniaethu a chwrdd ag anghenion penodol pob plentyn. Bydd cynlluniau yn ddibynnol ar ddiddordebau plant ac weithiau bydd ymateb plant yn annisgwyl ac yn arwain at newid yn y cynlluniau. Os yw’r gweithgaredd yn rhy hawdd i’r plentyn yna bydd angen addasu’r gweithgaredd er mwyn ymestyn dysgu a datblygiad y plentyn. Rhaid bod y cynlluniau yn galluogi pob plentyn i gymryd rhan gan adlewyrchu eu cefndir a’u diwylliannau. Os yw’r gweithgareddau a’r profiadau yn hyrwyddo cyfle cyfartal bydd plant yn teimlo’n fwy hyderus yn eu hunain ac yn cyflawni’n dda.

Darllen pellach:

Chwarae a risg

https://bit.ly/2M6lqLA

Cynyddu gwytnwch – pwysigrwydd chwarae

https://bit.ly/1lyh8fx

Promoting holistic learning, growth and development using positive reinforcement and praise and identifying any developmental delay amongst children

Hybu dysgu, twf a datblygiad cyfannol gan ddefnyddio atgyfnerthiad cadarnhaol a chanmoliaeth ac adnabod oedi o ran datblygiad plentyn

A toddler eating food

It is essential that practitioners work in a way that promotes children's holistic learning, growth and development. This can be done by ensuring a safe and stimulating environment both indoors and outdoors that promotes every aspect of development. If the activities and experiences within the environment are fun, they will encourage children to explore the environment and to learn through play. Practical opportunities should be offered for children to learn through experience and an emphasis should be placed on speaking, listening and interacting with others. Children's independence skills should be developed by incorporating these skills into their daily routines. It is essential to understand how children learn and develop so that they can be challenged to reach their full potential. Children's holistic learning, growth and development can be promoted by providing a variety of fun opportunities and experiences, such as:

  • experimenting in a safe environment
  • ensuring time to explore
  • providing direct experiences
  • meeting their needs
  • following their interests
  • revisiting their learning
  • developing independence skills
  • developing new skills
  • developing ideas
  • making decisions
  • using their imagination
  • healthy eating
  • doing physical exercise
  • controlling body movements
  • playing individually and in groups
  • expressing themselves
  • developing to be independent learners
  • practising the Welsh language
  • discussing and questioning
  • spontaneous play
  • structured play
  • concentrating
  • using equipment for specific purposes
  • helping others and asking for help
  • using their senses
  • following instructions
  • sharing and waiting for their turn
  • speaking about their experiences
  • expressing opinions.

When encouraging children, practitioners must offer praise no matter how small the achievements. Receiving praise will give children a sense of self-value and will encourage them to continue to learn. Offering positive reinforcement in a situation where the child has accomplished a task or a specific action is considered good practice that practitioners should adopt as part of their daily routine. An action or behaviour that receives immediate reward is more likely to be repeated. So children should be rewarded as soon as possible following a positive action. All children enjoy adult attention. If the practitioner praises the child for doing something positive, then the child is likely to repeat the action.

Examples of when practitioners can use positive reinforcement and praise:

  • tidying up
  • being polite
  • helping others
  • sharing and waiting for their turn
  • completing homework
  • accomplishing tasks independently
  • eating food
  • using a knife and fork
  • going to the toilet
  • hand washing
  • considering the feelings of others
  • showing respect
  • following rules
  • taking responsibility.

It is essential that every practitioner within care and education settings for children is aware of the norms with regard to child development. This will enable them to identify any delay and when a child is not developing in line with their age and expected stage of development. In such situations, practitioners will need to act in a way that considers the welfare of the child. If the delay is a matter that can be solved within the setting and the home, steps may be taken to do so. If the child has difficult recognising letters, flash cards could be prepared, reading books containing letters and words and pictures could be offered, working with the parents/carers. Whatever the delay, it is essential that practitioners implement the inclusive method, allowing the child to take part in all activities at the setting. Each child has the right to take part in activities and experiences, but if this is not possible, consideration should be given to how activities can be adapted to meet the needs of all children.

The majority of children and families who need additional support will be able to get such support from professionals working within the setting, the school or the health centre. Occasionally, multi-agency workers will need to get together in order to discover the best way forward for the child. This will avoid numerous appointments with different services. Before referring a case, practitioners must ask for consent from the child's parents/carers and all discussions must be clear and understandable to all involved.

Very often, the planning for access and resources happens following meetings with external agencies and other professionals. The planning will happen with support from the parents/carers as they are the ones who know their child best. Practitioners will need to work in a way that develops a good relationship with the parents/carers to ensure that children receive the best quality of care and intervention.

Mae’n hanfodol bod ymarferwyr yn gweithio mewn ffordd sy’n hybu dysgu, twf a datblygiad cyfannol y plant. Gellir gwneud hyn drwy sicrhau bod amgylchedd diogel ac ysgogol dan do a thu allan sy’n hyrwyddo pob agwedd o ddatblygiad yn cael ei ddarparu. Wrth i’r gweithgareddau a’r profiadau o fewn yr amgylchedd fod yn rhai hwyliog byddant yn denu’r plant i ymchwilio’r amgylchedd gan ddysgu trwy chwarae. Bydd angen cynnig cyfleoedd ymarferol i blant ddysgu drwy brofiad a rhoi pwyslais ar siarad, gwrando a rhyngweithio ag eraill. Mae angen meithrin sgiliau annibyniaeth plant trwy ymgorffori’r sgiliau i mewn i’w arferion dyddiol. Mae’n hanfodol deall sut mae plant yn dysgu a datblygu fel y gellir eu herio i gyrraedd eu llawn botensial. Gellir hybu dysgu, twf a datblygiad cyfannol plant drwy ddarparu amrywiaeth o gyfleodd a phrofiadau hwylus megis;

  • arbrofi mewn amgylchedd diogel
  • sicrhau amser i ymchwilio
  • derbyn profiadau uniongyrchol
  • cwrdd â’u hanghenion
  • dilyn eu diddordebau
  • ail-ymweld â’u dysgu
  • meithrin sgiliau annibyniaeth
  • datblygu sgiliau newydd
  • datblygu syniadau
  • gwneud penderfyniadau
  • defnyddio eu dychymyg
  • bwyta’n iach
  • gwneud ymarfer corff
  • rheoli symudiadau’r corff
  • chwarae unigol ac mewn grwpiau
  • mynegi eu hunain
  • datblygu’n ddysgwr annibynnol
  • ymarfer yr iaith Gymraeg
  • trafod a chwestiynu
  • chwarae’n ddigymell
  • chwarae’n strwythuredig
  • canolbwyntio
  • defnyddio offer i bwrpas
  • helpu eraill a gofyn am gymorth
  • defnyddio’u synhwyrau
  • dilyn cyfarwyddiadau
  • rhannu ac aros tro
  • siarad am eu profiadau
  • mynegi barn.

Wrth i ymarferwyr hybu plant mae’n hanfodol eu bod yn cynnig canmoliaeth ta waeth mor fach yw eu cyflawniadau. Bydd derbyn canmoliaeth yn rhoi teimlad o hunan werth i blant a’u hannog i barhau gyda’r dysgu. Mae cynnig atgyfnerthiad cadarnhaol mewn sefyllfa lle gwelir plentyn yn cyflawni tasg neu weithred benodol yn arfer da y dylai ymarferwyr eu mabwysiadau yn eu trefn ddyddiol. Mae gweithred neu ymddygiad sy’n cael ei wobrwyo’n syth yn fwy tebygol o gael ei ail wneud. Felly dylai plant gael eu gwobrwyo cyn gynted â phosib yn dilyn gweithred bositif. Mae pob plentyn yn mwynhau cael sylw oedolion. Os bydd ymarferwr yn canmol plentyn am wneud rhywbeth positif yna mae’n debygol i ailadrodd y weithred.

Enghreifftiau o bryd all yr ymarferwr ddefnyddio atgyfnerthiad cadarnhaol a chanmoliaeth:

  • tacluso
  • bod yn gwrtais
  • helpu eraill
  • rhannu ac aros tro
  • cwblhau gwaith cartref
  • cyflawni tasgau yn annibynnol
  • bwyta bwyd
  • defnyddio cyllell a fforc
  • defnyddio’r toiled
  • golchi dwylo
  • ystyried teimladau eraill
  • dangos parch
  • dilyn rheolau
  • cymryd cyfrifoldeb.

Mae’n hanfodol bod pob ymarferwr o fewn lleoliadau gofal ac addysg plant yn ymwybodol o normau datblygiad plant. Bydd hyn yn eu caniatáu i adnabod unrhyw oedi ac os nad yw plentyn yn datblygu yn unol â'i oedran a'i gam datblygu disgwyliedig. Mewn sefyllfa o’r fath mae angen i’r ymarferwr weithredu mewn ffordd sy’n ystyried lles y plentyn. Os yw’r oediad yn fater a all gael ei ddatrys o fewn y lleoliad a’r cartref gellir cymryd camau i wneud hynny. Petai’r plentyn yn cael anhawster i adnabod llythrennau gellir paratoi cardiau fflach, cynnig llyfrau darllen llythyren a gair a llun gan ryngweithio gyda’r rhieni/gofalwyr. Beth bynnag yw’r oediad mae’n hanfodol bod yr ymarferwr yn gweithredu’r dull cynhwysol gan ganiatáu’r plentyn i gymryd rhan yn holl weithgareddau lleoliad. Mae gan bob plentyn yr hawl i gymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau a phrofiadau ond os nad yw hyn yn bosib mae angen ystyried sut y gellir addasu’r gweithgareddau er mwyn diwallu anghenion pob plentyn.

Bydd mwyafrif y plant a’r teuluoedd sydd angen cymorth ychwanegol yn gallu ei dderbyn oddi wrth bobl broffesiynol sy’n gweithio o fewn y lleoliad, yr ysgol neu’r ganolfan iechyd. Weithiau bydd angen i weithwyr amlasiantaethol ymuno â’i gilydd er mwyn darganfod y ffordd orau ymlaen i’r plentyn. Bydd hyn yn osgoi apwyntiadau niferus gyda gwahanol wasanaethau. Cyn gwneud cyfeiriad bydd rhaid i’r ymarferwr dderbyn caniatâd rhieni/gofalwyr y plentyn a bydd rhaid sicrhau bod yr holl drafodaethau yn glir ac yn ddealladwy i bawb.

Yn aml iawn, bydd y cynllunio ar gyfer mynediad ac adnoddau'n digwydd yn dilyn cyfarfodydd gydag asiantaethau allanol a gweithwyr proffesiynol eraill. Bydd y cynllunio'n digwydd gyda chymorth y rhieni/gofalwyr gan mai nhw yw'r rhai sy'n adnabod eu plentyn orau. Bydd angen i’r ymarferwyr weithio mewn ffordd sy’n meithrin perthynas dda gyda’r rhieni/gofalwyr fel bod y plant yn cael y gofal a’r ymyrraeth o'r ansawdd gorau.