| Trackers "Thank you for co-ordinating these books, what a find for us! We now have far more time to be with the children ... and the books are very 'family friendly', enabling parents to contribute and share observations and to have a lovely keepsake of their child's development. The books have also helped with our staff development too." Lianne Piggott, Manager at Bridges Childcare, Hereford ------------------------------------------------- Trackers 3-5 Trackers 3-5, like the earlier guide Trackers 0-3, provides a clear, structured way for those working with three to five-year-olds to measure their learning and development. Trackers link into Curriculum Guidance for the foundation stage, with content divided into various types of play activity and the six Areas of Learning. Each page is devoted to one area of activity within a particular Area of Learning. The first page within 'Communication, language and literacy', for example, is headed 'Interaction' and includes a checklist of 13 points of a child's progress from 'Confident enough to ask for something' to 'Takes turns in conversation' (see example). As well as providing straightforward checklists, each page includes space for extra comments. Dr Mortimer, an educational psychologist, also provides an introduction offering tips on how best to organise monitoring of groups of children via the checklist - and how best to respond to different rates of progress. Leadership Focus, Summer 2004 ------------------------------------------------- Trackers 3-5 From John Clare's column 'Any Questions?' Some time ago, you mentioned a booklet that helps parents monitor their children's development from birth to three years old. Is there something similar for those aged three to five? There is and it is fascinating. Called Trackers 3-5, it lists more than 300 statements of what most children at some point between those ages can do and invites you to record the date when you noticed they could. For example: uses words to express feelings; takes turns and shares fairly; concentrates on an activity for more than 20 minutes; dresses and undresses independently; initiates a conversation; asks why things happen; says 'please' and 'thank you' regularly; talks about the past; enjoys listening to nursery rhymes; can give you the sounds of letters; writes own first name; matches objects by colour and shape; counts to 10 from memory; dances to music, and so on. Saturday Telegraph (February, 2004) |