Planning for Learning

Expressive Arts and Design is one of the four specific areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum in England. This area of learning involves enabling children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and experiences for children to share their thoughts, ideas, and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, and design and technology.

In this Professional Certificate course, you will learn about Planning for Learning in the EYFS Expressive Arts and Design area. This involves understanding the key terms and vocabulary used in this area of learning, as well as developing the knowledge and skills to plan effectively for children's learning and development. Here are some of the key terms and vocabulary that you will encounter in this course:

Expressive Arts and Design: This is the specific area of learning in the EYFS curriculum that focuses on enabling children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and experiences for children to share their thoughts, ideas, and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, and design and technology.

Characteristics of Effective Learning: These are the three characteristics that describe children's learning styles and approaches: playing and exploring, active learning, and creating and thinking critically. These characteristics underpin the EYFS curriculum and are essential in supporting children's learning and development in all areas, including Expressive Arts and Design.

Development Matters: This is a non-statutory guidance document that supports the EYFS curriculum. It provides detailed information on the expected levels of development for children from birth to five years old in all areas of learning, including Expressive Arts and Design.

Prime and Specific Areas of Learning: The EYFS curriculum is divided into three prime areas of learning (Communication and Language, Physical Development, and Personal, Social, and Emotional Development) and four specific areas of learning (Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, and Expressive Arts and Design). Expressive Arts and Design is one of the specific areas of learning.

Creative Development: This is one of the three aspects of the Expressive Arts and Design area of learning. It involves supporting children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities for children to share their thoughts, ideas, and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, and role-play.

Expressive Arts: This is another aspect of the Expressive Arts and Design area of learning. It involves supporting children to use a range of media and materials to express their own ideas and to explore the work of others. This includes activities such as painting, drawing, sculpture, and collage.

Design and Technology: This is the third aspect of the Expressive Arts and Design area of learning. It involves supporting children to design, make, and evaluate their own models and structures using a range of materials and tools. This includes activities such as building with blocks, constructing with cardboard boxes, and using construction toys.

Schemas: These are the repeated patterns of behavior and interest that children display as they explore and learn about the world around them. Schemas can be observed in children's play and can provide insights into their learning and development. In the Expressive Arts and Design area of learning, children may display schemas such as enveloping (wrapping and covering objects), connecting (joining things together), and transforming (changing one thing into another).

Observation, Assessment, and Planning: These are the key processes involved in supporting children's learning and development in the EYFS. Observation involves watching and listening to children to understand their interests, strengths, and needs. Assessment involves making judgments about children's learning and development based on the observations made. Planning involves using the observations and assessments to plan experiences and activities that will support and extend children's learning and development.

Learning Intentions: These are the specific learning objectives that are planned for children in the Expressive Arts and Design area of learning. Learning intentions should be based on the Development Matters guidance and should be challenging, but achievable, for children.

Success Criteria: These are the specific outcomes that children are expected to achieve in order to demonstrate that they have met the learning intentions. Success criteria should be clear, measurable, and observable.

Differentiation: This is the process of adapting the learning experiences and activities to meet the individual needs and abilities of children. Differentiation can involve adjusting the level of challenge, providing additional support, or modifying the resources and materials used.

Inclusion: This is the process of ensuring that all children, regardless of their background, abilities, or needs, are able to access and participate in the learning experiences and activities. Inclusion involves providing a welcoming and supportive environment, using a range of teaching strategies and resources, and valuing and respecting diversity.

Equal Opportunities: This is the principle of ensuring that all children have the same opportunities to learn, develop, and achieve, regardless of their background, abilities, or needs. Equal opportunities involve challenging stereotypes and discrimination, promoting fairness and justice, and valuing and respecting diversity.

Partnership with Parents and Carers: This is the process of working collaboratively with parents and carers to support children's learning and development. Partnership involves communicating effectively, sharing information, and involving parents and carers in the planning and assessment processes.

Assessment for Learning: This is the process of using ongoing assessment to inform teaching and learning. Assessment for learning involves providing feedback, setting targets, and involving children in the assessment process.

Self-Assessment: This is the process of children assessing their own learning and development. Self-assessment involves children reflecting on their own work, setting their own targets, and evaluating their own progress.

Peer Assessment: This is the process of children assessing each other's learning and development. Peer assessment involves children providing feedback, sharing ideas, and supporting each other's learning.

Planning Cycle: This is the iterative process of observing, assessing, and planning for children's learning and development. The planning cycle involves setting learning intentions, planning experiences and activities, observing children's learning, assessing children's progress, and reviewing and adjusting the plans.

Long-Term Planning: This is the process of planning for children's learning and development over a longer period of time, such as a term or a year. Long-term planning involves setting overall learning intentions, identifying key topics and themes, and planning a sequence of experiences and activities that will support and extend children's learning and development.

Medium-Term Planning: This is the process of planning for children's learning and development over a medium-term period, such as half a term. Medium-term planning involves breaking down the long-term learning intentions into specific learning objectives, planning a series of experiences and activities that will support and extend children's learning and development, and identifying the resources and materials needed.

Short-Term Planning: This is the process of planning for children's learning and development on a day-to-day or weekly basis. Short-term planning involves using the medium-term plans to plan specific experiences and activities, identifying the learning intentions and success criteria, and considering the needs and abilities of the children.

Enabling Environment: This is the physical and social environment in which children learn and develop. An enabling environment is one that is safe, stimulating, and supportive, and that provides a range of opportunities and experiences for children to explore, play, and learn.

Continuous Provision: This is the ongoing provision of resources and activities that are available to children at all times, both indoors and outdoors. Continuous provision includes activities such as sand and water play, construction toys, role-play areas, and art and craft materials.

Adult-Led Activities: These are activities that are planned and led by adults, either individually or in groups. Adult-led activities are typically more structured and focused than continuous provision activities, and are designed to support and extend children's learning and development in specific areas.

Child-Initiated Activities: These are activities that are initiated and led by children, either individually or in groups. Child-initiated activities are typically more open-ended and exploratory than adult-led activities, and are designed to support and extend children's creativity, imagination, and independence.

Spontaneous Learning: This is the learning that occurs unexpectedly or unplanned, as a result of children's interests, ideas, or