The foundation stage, to be introduced in September this year, will broaden substantially the age range of children covered by the new early years curriculum. The new early learning goals will apply to children from age three to the end of the reception year, which could mean as old as five years 11 months. This is a time in a child's life, as the new curriculum guidance points out, when 'growth is both rapid and differential', 'a crucial stage of life in terms of physical, intellectual, emotional and social development'. Practitioners must have a sound knowledge of child development if they are to be able to implement the new curriculum effectively.
Different rates and patterns
Children develop at different rates and their development often follows different patterns. There have been many attempts to define children's development in clear stages and sequences, with actions or aspects of growth linked to particular ages. These maps of so-called normal development can make parents feel anxious or proud depending on their child's rate of progress. Yet we all know that many apparent failures to match up to the expected norms do not automatically lead to a lifetime of backwardness. Not being able to cut with scissors accurately at the age of four does not necessarily mean that you will never be able to do so.
Adult expectations
Patterns of child development may be shaped by social and cultural expectations. We cannot be sure of the extent to which the developmental differences in girls and boys are brought about by the tendency for adults to always ask first whether the baby is a girl or a boy, and then interact with the baby accordingly. And the growing expectation in this country that children will be reading by the age of seven, for example, contrasts with views in Scandinavia, where no-one would expect a child to even begin reading until that age.
Development is not inflexibly determined, the rate, sequence and direction of children's progress will depend on the particular childrearing practices of the society in which they live. In British schools and nurseries, children are drawn from a wide variety of social backgrounds and represent a rich diversity. Their patterns of development may vary markedly, every child reflecting in their development and enthusiasms the cultural traditions and beliefs they have acquired from their own family and community.
We all know that comparing any two children of a given age will show up wide differences between them. This is not to say that the textbook knowledge of child development is not helpful to practitioners. It does mean that practitioners have to view development with flexibility and sensitivity, being careful not to adopt an ethnocentric interpretation of it.
Development and curriculum
A knowledge of child development is vital if practitioners are to implement the curriculum appropriately. We simply cannot plan effectively for young children if we do not have an insight into their likely paths of development.
Physical action is the earliest means used by children to communicate ideas and it continues to underpin their thinking for some years to come. Its role is also underlined in research and theory where the stress is upon young children's ability to represent their ideas and feelings, and is an important precursor to literacy.
Similarly, outdoor play is part of the tradition of early childhood care and education, but its importance is now also reinforced by those who are concerned with such varied topics as mental health and asthma. There are many striking connections between the traditions of early childhood education and current insights developed through developmental psychology and other branches of science. Practitioners should draw strength from these connections.
Regression or progress?
One of the most important reasons for practitioners to have a good understanding of the ways in which young children develop is to help them understand that what may look like regression can be consolidation or progress. A child's consolidation of learning sometimes takes the form of checking new learning against old and trusted concepts.
Mathematical development
Take the example of Leo. Working with an adult, Leo used a ruler to measure the piece of card he wanted for his model and seemed confident in talking about how may centimetres he would need. However, on the same day in writing and drawing workshop, he cut out and marked into sections a cardboard ruler and used this to play at measuring the books in the book area. He used a wide range of vocabulary related to length, some of which was pertinent and some of which was not.
'I think this book is three yards long, it'll be too small!' he said at one stage, carefully consulting the ruler. This observation could be interpreted as regression, a failure to understand the work on centimetres. However, with an informed understanding of young children's thinking, a different interpretation is possible. Leo may be seen to be checking out new learning against what he already knew about measurements and coming to terms with it.
Language development
There is a period when children who are in the early stage of learning English as an additional language may seem to regress. At one stage they may attempt to use known coherent phrases, perhaps from a familiar story with apparent understanding. At a later stage they may find these phrases unequal to the ideas they want to communicate and will attempt to use their existing vocabulary in what is likely to be a less grammatical form.
Similar things may happen when children are beginning to explore writing. Initially they may rely on words they know they can spell or those that they can copy from print in the environment. As they attempt to express wider meanings, using a range of words they cannot yet spell, their efforts may look like a regression unless we understand that this is a healthy developmental step.
Behavioural development
When a new baby is born, older brothers and sisters may begin to behave like a baby. Family members often reprimand them for being babyish. But adults with an understanding of children's learning will encourage young children to explore babyhood through this apparent regression, while at the same time helping them to think about what advantages they may enjoy from being the older sibling.
Very young babies
One of the most exciting reasons for practitioners to build up their knowledge of child development is because it highlights the amazing competence that has been shown by young babies in a range of research studies. Recent studies have given new insights into, for example, the striking mathematical and musical abilities of very young babies. This knowledge helps us not to underestimate but to build on the abilities of children as they grow older.
Political pressure
Growing political interest in childcare has brought outside pressures as well as new opportunities to develop early years provision. The increasing demands by policymakers for early childhood educators to introduce more formal approaches to the curriculum at an earlier and earlier age need to be challenged.
Early childhood practitioners have an important role in acting as advocates for young children. We need to argue about what's right for young children in the light of what we know about their development. However, if we are to be taken seriously, we must be able to justify our arguments with the documented evidence and first-hand working experience that is the basis of our knowledge of children's development.
Linda Pound is academic leader for early childhood programmes at the University of North London
