ECD Module 4

Programme Overview 

Welcome to this learning programme that will lead you to greater understanding of: 

• Facilitating the holistic development of babies, toddlers and young children
• Preparing resources and set up the environment to support the development of babies, toddlers and young children
• Observing and reporting on child development
• Engaging in sustained oral/signed communication and evaluate spoken/signed texts

As you work your way through the learning programme, you will gain competence against the following unit standards:

This learning programme is intended for all persons who need to: 

• Facilitate the holistic development of babies, toddlers and young children. This Unit Standard is for people who wish to enter or obtain recognition at an entry level of Early Childhood Development
• Prepare resources and set up the environment to support the development of babies, toddlers and young children. This unit standard is for people who wish to enter or obtain recognition at an entry level of Early Childhood Development (ECD)
• Observe and report on child development. This unit standard is for people who wish to enter or obtain recognition at an entry level of Early Childhood Development (ECD)
• Engage in sustained oral/signed communication and evaluate spoken/signed texts. Competence at this level will enable learners to participate effectively in oral/signed communication in most situations. Learners at this level are aware of their audiences and purposes for communication. They listen effectively and critically. They are able to identify or adopt the style and language register required in different situations. They can usually identify the assumptions and inferences in what people say/sign. They speak/sign fluently and confidently in both formal and familiar settings and can articulate their purpose and meaning clearly. They can use language to convey detailed information, and to express their ideas and feelings. They control complex sentence structures and language conventions in their spoken/signed communications.

Programme entry level requirements 
It is assumed that people learning towards this unit standard comply with the following entry level requirements: 

• Communication at NQF Level 3 or equivalent
• NQF Level 3 Unit Standard entitled Accommodate audience and context needs in oral/signed communication
• It is recommended that learners have:
• An understanding of the development of young children.

Programme Outcomes 
This learning programme is outcomes-based, which means we take the responsibility of learning away from the facilitator and place it in your hands. 

Your learning will begin in the workshop where you will identify the skills and knowledge you require in order to meet the specific outcomes and assessment criteria contained in the unit standard. 

In this learning programme, we will be covering the following learning outcomes:

• Learner Guide: The Learner Guide is designed as a guide for the duration of your learning programme and as the main source document for transfer of learning.  It contains information (the knowledge and skills that you need) and application aids that will help you to develop the knowledge and skills that are stipulated in the specific outcomes and assessment criteria.  The Learner Guide also indicates the formative assessment class activities that you need to complete as part of your PoE
• Learner Workbook: The learner workbook contains all the class activities that you will be completing to show formative learning.  These will be assessed as part of your PoE as formative assessment. You will be handing in the learner workbook as part of your PoE
• Learner PoE Guide: The learner PoE guide provides details about the assessment, such as the assessment preparation, plan and specific summative assessment activities that you need to complete in the workplace 

Both formative and summative assessment is used as part of this outcomes-based learning programme: 

• Formative Assessment:  In order to earn credits for this unit standard you will need to prove to an assessor that you are competent.  The class activities in your learner workbook are designed not only to help you learn new skills, but also to prove that you have mastered competence.  You will have to develop a PoE to hand in to an assessor so that you can be assessed against the outcomes of this unit standard.  Where you come across a class activity icon, you must complete the formative assessment activity in the learner workbook.  You can find the comprehensive guidelines for the development of your PoE in the learner PoE guide for the particular learning programme that you are working with.
• Summative Assessment:  The objective of the NQF is to create independent and self-sufficient learners.  This means that you will also have to do independent research and assignments, such as knowledge 1uestions, practical activity (completed in the workplace), summative project and logbook. 

The assessment process is discussed in detail in the learner PoE guide.  When you are ready, you will advise your mentor that you are ready for assessment. He or she will then sign off the required sections in the learner PoE guide and you will be able to submit your PoE for assessment. The summative assessment activities have been placed in the learner PoE guide for your convenience.  If any of your assessment is conducted using observation, role plays or verbal assessment, you should place a signed copy of the checklists in your learner PoE guide, after your mentor or line manager has completed it. 

The training provider will assess your portfolio.  If you are successful, you will receive the credit value of this learning programme. The entire assessment process is explained in the learner PoE guide. Please read this guide as soon as possible, as it explains the assessment process in detail and clearly explains your rights and responsibilities that will ensure that the assessment is fair, valid and reliable. 

If you are not successful, you will receive all the guidance needed to resubmit your Portfolio of Evidence within a specific time period, according to the requirements of the training provider.

Learner support
Please remember that as the programme is outcomes-based – this means the following:

• You are responsible for your own learning – make sure you manage your study, practical, workplace and portfolio time responsibly
• Learning activities are learner-driven – make sure you use the learner guide, learner workbook and learner PoE guide as they are meant to be used, and that you know and understand what the portfolio requirements are
• The facilitator is there to help you during the contact, practical and workplace periods of this programme – make sure that you have his/her contact details.

Please note the following: 

The content of this course is organised according to the learning outcomes in the relevant unit standards. This means that certain content may overlap or be duplicated in and among modules and Learning Units. You should see this is a useful opportunity to revise that particular information.