EDUC06029 2022 ECEC Practice Placement Year 2

Apply the knowledge, skills, understanding, values and principles to support and lead the health, wellbeing, care, learning and development of young children through evidence-informed care and pedagogical practices.

Articulate the view of the child and childhood that underpins student practices and develop an understanding of the child as a co-constructor of their lived experiences.

Apply an emerging professional identity as reflective, ethical, flexible and autonomous professionals working within the regulatory and wider Irish ELC context.

Develop the ability to communicate with others to build inclusive relationships and partnerships with children, families and communities from diverse environments.

Understand the individual identities of children and demonstrate cultural competence.

Engage in interdisciplinary working and with communities of practice with peers and professionals from multiple disciplines.

Students must attend mandatory placement preparation provision. Students will be immersed in a practice placement for a period of 12 weeks. Their work in settings will be underpinned by Aistear, Siolta and the Early Years Services Regulations.

Visiting Tutor Visit: Students will receive 2 visits from a tutor from the teaching team at IT Sligo. These visits will be structured around a set of questions that the students will have prior knowledge of and will cover the learning objectives for the module. This is a formative and summative assessment.

Portfolio: Students will complete a number of practice tasks which will be written up in their portfolio. They will make explicit links between theory and their understanding, practices and values. Portfolio is summative assessment.

Review: Students will reflect on their placement experience with peers and the development of their knowledge, practices, and values throughout. Review is summative assessment. 

Community of Practice: Students will engage in 2 community of practice sessions facilitated by a VT and  2 peer facilitated sessions. Community of practice is tutor and peer formative assessment and feedback of placement process and summative assessments.

Students must pass all elements of the placement assessment. 

There is only 1 repeat attempt at placement. 

This module has components passes. Only one repeat attempt of each component allowed. Failed components may require a repeat placement,

LO 1) Apply the knowledge, skills, understanding, values and principles to support and lead the health, wellbeing, care, learning, and development of young children through evidence-informed care and pedagogical practices including play.

Students will apply their knowledge of pedagogy and curricula which is emergent, enquiry based, inclusive, age and stage appropriate, aligned to children’s interests, needs, strengths and dispositions in order to support children's play, emergent language, literacy, digital literacy and learning, numeracy, arts, creativity, and problem-solving skills, STEAM understanding and to support the physical and mental health, care, wellbeing and safety of young children. Students will gain insight into providing and presenting learning opportunities that foster children’s creativity, aesthetic awareness, meaning making and imagination. They will do this whilst working within current legislation, regulatory requirements, policies, and procedures relevant to their role in their placement ELC setting.

LO 2) Articulate the view of the child and childhood that underpins student practices and develop an understanding of the child as a co-constructor of their lived experiences

Students will discuss the significance of adopting a child-centred approach that views children as competent, active agents and as protagonists of their own learning. They will consider the importance of a rights-based approach to ELC promoting children’s agency and children’s right to citizenship which encompasses their full participation in the social and cultural life of their community. Students will explore their understandings of learning as a co-constructed and open-ended process that ensures children’s successful social engagement and encourages further learning.

LO 3) Demonstrate an emerging professional identity as reflective, ethical, and autonomous professionals within the Irish ELC context

Students will consider the significance to practice of effective reflective practice both in and on practice and they will engage in regular self-reflection and group reflection which is grounded in reflective practice theory. They will also support others in reflection of individual and group practice. Students will show an ability to effectively deal with unpredictability and uncertainty. They will effectively manage challenges that arise including self-care, self-regulation, social conflicts, team interactions, and stakeholder relationships. Students will build, maintain and advocate for highly reciprocal, responsive and highly respectful relationships with babies, toddlers and young children throughout the placement. Engage with and ensure continuous compliance with current legislation, regulations and frameworks relevant to early childhood.

LO 4) Develop the ability to communicate with others to build inclusive relationships and partnerships with children from diverse environments

Students will demonstrate strong interpersonal, intrapersonal and self-awareness skills in interactions with others. Students will begin to establishing partnership relationships with parents based on mutual understanding, trust and cooperation. This will be built on open communication and reciprocal dialogue with parents and strong pedagogical relationships with children, based on sensitive responsivity. The impact of these experiences on relationships and partnerships will be explored. 

LO 5) Understand the individual identities of children and demonstrate cultural competence

Students will develop and implement strategies that foster children’s sense of identity and belonging. Students will develop inclusive practices that facilitate children and families within a plurality of value systems and proactively address discrimination. They will facilitate intercultural dialogue within the ELC and wider community. Students will encourage children’s personal initiatives and offer personalised and individual learning support.

LO 6) Engage in interdisciplinary working and with communities of practice with peers and professionals from multiple disciplines

Students will establish cooperative relationships with other professionals and networking with other professionals as opportunities arise over the course of their placement. They will share ideas and expertise with colleagues in team meetings and engage with other professionals and professional organisations in support of children's learning, wellbeing and development.