Question

Discuss briefly the five domains of development taken into consideration for school readiness, as described in the Foundations of School Readiness hand out.

Answer 1

DOMAINS OF DEVELOPMENT FOR SCHOOL READINESS

Children development occurs at varying rates, and as such we should not expect all children to reach a common “standard” of readiness. Children come from different cultures, with unique life experiences, and a range of ability levels. Therefore, it is anticipated that children may demonstrate competencies in individual ways and should be expected to show different patterns of development.

1. Physical Well-Being and Motor Development. Children’s physical development (e.g. growth patterns of height and weight)

Health status (the ability to see and hear)

Physical abilities (e.g. ability to move to get needs met, assisted or unassisted)

Proper nutrition and rest have a strong impact on readiness to learn, providing children with the energy and mobility to explore their environment and increase their ability to concentrate. Early identification of needs and provision of intervention services are c ,ritical for children with disabilities.

2. Social and Emotional Development.

Children’s knowledge of their own feelings and those of others .

The ability to develop positive relationships .

An interest in and demonstration of interpersonal skills needed to maintain positive relationships with adults and peers.

The capability of engaging and cooperating within a group.

The ability to demonstrate the skills needed to get along with peers (e.g. managing conflicts in a positive way) .

3. Approaches to Learning.

Curiosity, Enjoyment of learning , Confidence , Creativity , Attention to task , Reflection, Interests and attitudes These are manifested in all domains and curriculum areas, including music, dramatic play, and art.

4.Language Development. o

Expressive (e.g. expressive speech that is understood or use of a nonverbal system of communication)

Understanding skills to effectively interact with others .

Early literacy skills are a part of language development (e.g. an awareness of print, an understanding that writing has a purpose).

Language development and early literacy skills are correlated to how effectively children can communicate their needs, interact socially with others, and describe events, thoughts, and feelings.

5.Cognition and General Knowledge.

Basic knowledge of concepts and the workings of the environment in which the child participates (e.g. knows his/her own name, understanding basic science concepts)

Cognitive competencies like early mathematical skills (e.g. number sense, discriminating shapes and colors, simple patterns, size, location, and time)

Basic problem-solving skills (e.g. acknowledging similarities and differences, identifying solutions, and increasing attention and focus to challenging tasks.

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