Expressive Arts and Design (EAD) is a significant part of our lives whether or not we always recognise it as such. From a TV theme tune, the design of a T-shirt or the advert on a billboard, expressive arts and design is a constant presence.
In addition, how many of us have doodled with a pen or more consciously set out to express ourselves through drawing, singing or dancing? It would appear that humans are unique in their need to express themselves through the Arts. Early examples of pattern-making have been found in the Blombos caves in South Africa dating back more than 75,000 years, suggesting that art is a significant part of human evolution. Art in its many forms can be seen throughout the world and in every society past and present. So it is within this context that it is worth considering the revised EAD area within the EYFS framework.
A good starting point when looking at how to approach the revised EAD area of learning and development is to recognise that it does not sit in isolation from the other revised areas of learning and development:
PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
A major part of Personal, Social and Emotional Development is the quality of relationships between adults and children. Where these relationships are strong, children are likely to be exploring media and materials and be inventive, which are components of the revised EAD. The revised framework also has a focus on self-regulation as well as building relationships. While self-regulation is complex, it involves the development of perseverance as well as being able to express emotions appropriately.
Through activities and an environment for EAD, children may find ways to express their feelings and learn to collaborate and be with others.
Consider the following:
- Do key persons have strong relationships with children so as to support self-regulation but also to give children confidence to ‘have a go’?
- Do you plan projects for children that require a process; for example, making pots and then decorating them?
- Do adults role model how to persevere and cope with setbacks by, for example, working alongside them on their own projects?
- Do you involve children in planning and implementing activities such as designing dens or planning a party?
- Does your environment offer plenty of opportunities for children to play with a range of materials and media in ways that allow them to safely express their feelings, such as a sound wall or large spaces of printing and painting?
COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE
The revised education programme, and in particular the early learning goals (ELGs) for EAD, are tied in with children’s communication and language. There is an expectation that children at the end of their Reception year will be able to talk about what they have created, sing nursery rhymes as well as ‘invent, adapt and recount narratives and stories’. These language-based activities link closely to the revised Communication and Language education programme.
In addition, there is a requirement within the EAD education programme to develop children’s vocabulary. This again links to communication and language. Another link between EAD and communication and language is listening. Being able to listen and respond to sounds and speech is important in music-making, dance, but also in role play.
- Do you introduce children to a wide range of stories and nursery rhymes?
- Do you regularly tell stories to children and encourage them to participate, by for example suggesting endings or finding props?
- Do you extend children’s vocabulary so that children have words for what they are seeing and hearing – ‘that type of blue is known as “navy” blue’?
- Do you provide a range of musical instruments and draw children’s attention to the sounds they make?
- Do you play games that involve listening or matching sounds?
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
Many of the Arts involve some level of movement. This might be whole-body movement when responding to music or fine motor skills when using a paintbrush or moulding clay. Interestingly, the use of tools is in the ELGs for both areas of learning and development. While younger children often need first of all to explore materials, as children progress they have clearer ideas of what they would like to do. This may involve the use of tools or certain skills, such as cutting a circular shape or sewing to bring two pieces of fabric together.
- Do you have a wide range of tools that are introduced when developmentally appropriate to children?
- How do you ensure that children develop the skills that they need to use tools in ways that are enjoyable?
- Is equipment at the right height for children to make using materials and media such as sand, paint or junk modelling accessible?
LITERACY
This area of learning and development has a focus on stories, rhymes, songs and poems and so has links to one of the ELGs for EAD. In addition, there are also plenty of opportunities to combine early writing with EAD as children may choose to ‘write’ things down as part of role play. As stories and story-telling are part of EAD, we may also scribe for children and so help them to see the link between their ideas and print.
- Is the range of books available for children of high quality with excellent illustrations?
- Do you draw children’s attention to the illustrations and talk not just about the content, but where appropriate about the style of the images themselves?
- Do you provide a wide range of props for mark-making?
- Do you regularly scribe for children; for example, as they tell stories?
MATHEMATICS
In addition to number, the education programme for Mathematics includes a focus on shape, space and measures as well as recognising patterns and spotting connections, while the revised EAD involves children being able to appreciate what they are seeing and hearing. The ELG for EAD also requires children to explain the process they have used in their creations. It may not seem immediately obvious, but there are plenty of opportunities for adults to draw children’s attention to different aspects of mathematics; for example, as they respond to music or as using props for role play.
Interestingly, how pleasing we find many visual designs is linked to symmetry, but also patterns. It is well known that odd numbers, for example, often work better in some situations, so three birds on a branch may look better than two, and five roses in a vase are more visually pleasing than four. Drawing children’s attention to what they see and hear from a mathematical perspective supports both areas of learning and development.
- Do you encourage children to hear the beat and rhythms when they listen or move to music?
- Do you draw children’s attention to the structure of some songs, such as verse then chorus?
- Do you draw children’s attention to the way that some sounds and measures are linked; for example, the fuller a bottle or the longer the chime bar, the deeper the sound?
- When children prefer one design over another, do you help them to notice the impact of patterns, shape or other mathematical concepts in their preference?
- When children are exploring media and materials, is their attention drawn to mathematical concepts of shape, size and comparative measures – ‘I can see that Mummy is much taller than baby in your painting’?
UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD
- The revised education programme for EAD focuses on developing children’s ‘artistic and cultural’ awareness. This has the potential to be a natural fit with helping children to explore ‘People, culture and communities’ within the ELG, as art and culture cannot be separated. In addition, the education programme for Understanding the World (UTW) suggests that children should visit places of interest, which could of course include galleries, workshops and theatres or dance studios. Meeting people is also part of the UTW education programme and so children’s artistic and cultural awareness can also be developed by meeting a range of people involved in the Arts, such as illustrators, storytellers and sculptors, which may include children’s family members.
- How do you help children to experience music from different cultures, including nursery rhymes and musical instruments?
- How does your environment and the resources in it showcase different traditions of design; for example, Japanese or Islamic art?
- Have you developed your curriculum to include visiting places associated with the Arts, such as visiting an art gallery, walks to notice designs in the environment?
- Have you developed your curriculum so that children will meet a range of people associated with the ‘Arts’?
QUALITY OF EXPERIENCES
As well as the links to the other areas of learning and development, there are some aspects of delivering EAD that are worth unpicking further. The education programme states that children need to experience quality when it comes to the Arts. For some adults working in early years settings, this does not pose a problem. Their own knowledge of different art forms is extensive and they intuitively know what ‘quality’ means both in terms of what is presented to children, but also how best to support children as they explore for themselves different media and materials.
- How knowledgeable are you or your team in terms of knowledge about a range of art forms?
- How well do adults interact with children so as to draw their attention to the features of what they are seeing, hearing or doing?
- How confident are your team in supporting children as they explore media and materials?
- How good are adults at helping children to develop their own ideas while learning techniques and skills?
- Are there any areas in which further training might be helpful?
VARIETY
As well as ‘quality’ in terms of children’s experiences of the Arts, the education programme for EAD sets out the need for variety, but also for children to have opportunities for repetition and ‘depth’ of experiences.
The Arts comprise a range of different forms. Assuming design and crafts are also included such as floristry, carpentry and needlework, there are plenty to choose from. It may be worth considering as part of your curriculum how you will provide a wide variety of experiences for children, but also when and how children will have the opportunity to revisit in order to develop their skills, knowledge and appreciation. The focus on repetition means that ‘one-off’s’ that are not used to build on are to be avoided; for example, a visit to a pantomime without any opportunities for children to explore the story further or integrate elements into their role play.
- How do you ensure that children will have opportunities to experience a variety of art forms?
- How does your approach enable children to make sense of and build on their experiences?
- How do you ensure that the opportunities you plan for children are appropriate for their interests as well as their age and stage of development?
- Do you involve parents and the wider community in your planning of EAD?
EXPLAINING AND PERFORMING WITHIN THE ELGs
If you work with Reception-aged children, the ELGs that involve sharing and explaining their creations’ performance are worth noting. While it is made clear that the set of ELGs is not a curriculum in itself, these elements may need integrating into your practice. As we have already seen, children will firstly need plenty of opportunities to engage with the Arts, but also to develop the vocabulary and language that is specific to what they are seeing, hearing and doing.
They will also need strong relationships with adults as children are more likely to talk and explain what they are doing to adults they trust and like. Adults are also role models both in terms of engaging with the Arts, but also in language terms. If adults combine both by, for example, painting alongside a child while narrating what they are doing, children can reap huge benefits.
ABOUT THIS SERIES
This series on the seven areas of learning aims to help you prepare for the introduction of the revised EYFS in September this year by:
- comparing the 2017 and 2021 educational programmes and Early Learning Goals
- highlighting the significant changes
- exploring key aspects of practice.
Expressive arts and design before and after: the changes in close-up
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES
EYFS 2017
EAD involves enabling children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role play, and design and technology.
EYFS 2021
The development of children’s artistic and cultural awareness supports their imagination and creativity. It is important that children have regular opportunities to engage with the arts, enabling them to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials. The quality and variety of what children see, hear and participate in is crucial for developing their understanding, self-expression, vocabulary and ability to communicate through the arts. The frequency, repetition and depth of their experiences are fundamental to their progress in interpreting and appreciating what they hear, respond to and observe.
The changes in close-up
Positives
- There is a focus on ensuring that children have opportunities to experience a wide range of arts. As there is no list, early years settings have the freedom to decide on what will be of benefit and of interest to the children they work with.
- The requirement for frequency, repetition and depth of experiences should nudge settings away from planning ‘one-offs’ such as foot painting which are often designed and directed by adults. ‘One-offs’ often limit children’s creativity and do not allow children to build on from what they have experienced.
- The education programme maintains a focus on children’s exploration and participation using a wide range of media and materials.
Negatives
While ‘design’ remains in the title of this area of learning and development, it does not figure in the education programme. This is disappointing as the actual process of design is an essential aspect in the production of any art form.
EARLY LEARNING GOALS:
EYFS 2017
Exploring and using media and materials
children sing songs, make music and dance, and experiment with ways of changing them. They safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function.
Being imaginative
children use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about uses and purposes. They represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology, art, music, dance, role play and stories.
EYFS 2021
ELG: Creating with Materials
Children at the expected level of development will:
- Safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function;
- Share their creations, explaining the process they have used;
- Make use of props and materials when role playing characters in narratives and stories.
ELG: Being Imaginative and Expressive
Children at the expected level of development will:
- Invent, adapt and recount narratives and stories with peers and their teacher;
- Sing a range of well-known nursery rhymes and songs;
- Perform songs, rhymes, poems and stories with others, and – when appropriate – try to move in time with music.
The changes in close-up
Positives
- It is good to see that the ELG ‘Creating with Materials’ retains the statement about using and exploring a variety of materials, tools and techniques.
Negatives
- The previous ELGs highlighted originality and ideas, thoughts and feelings in the creative process. This is not the focus in these ELGs.
- The change in the titling and content of the ELGs implies that ‘being imaginative’ only occurs when language is being used as the tool for expression. The previous ELGs conveyed the concept that being imaginative can be reflected through a wide range of media and materials.
- The need for children to share creations and also to sing for performance runs the danger of children incorrectly learning that artistic endeavours are about pleasing others rather than about self-expression and creativity for its own sake.
- There is an unnecessary statement for children to make use of props and materials in role play as many children will do this in any case. Furthermore, it could be argued that the provision of props and materials and the requirement for their use may restrict children’s own inventiveness.
Positive and negative
The performance element with others of the ‘being imaginative and expressive’ ELG could be positive for some children’s confidence and social skills. On the other hand, this could inhibit individual creativity and also become a barrier for children who have learning or social communication needs.
