Guest Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 Hi I'm in my first year of University doing a BA Hons Early Years with QTS. I was just wondering if any of you lovely people could give me some ideas of how Vygotskys learning theory is linked in practice to the outdoors. Vygotsky I know is working with an able other but my minds gone blank and any ideas would be greatly appreiated. Thank you
AnonyMouse_18183 Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 Welcome to the forum stacey2712. I haven't got much to say but 'sustained shared thinking' can be done outdoors as well as indoors. There are a few resources that I can name that you could study, one of them is 'Supporting Young Children's Sustained Shared Thinking, An Exploration' by Marion Dowling. (The British Association for Early Childhood Education) Jeni Riley also discusses sustained shared thinking in 'Learning in the Early Years 3-7' 2007 London: SAGE Publications. I hope this is useful, hopefully some one will come along shortly with some more information.
Guest Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 I've found a useful article - if you click on the website link below and then click on 'Article' under Leif Strandberg. It's all about Vygotsky and may help you. http://www.conference.storyline.nu/ By the way welcome to the forum
Guest Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 Thank you, it was very helpfull. However I need examples of how the theory is put into everyday practice eg a practitioner ve modelling how to put up a tent - working with an able other. I already have used this in my essay but more ideas would be more than welcome. Ps the reason I'm struggling so much is because my placement had no outdoor provision so I'm making it up hence the reason I have no clue what I'm doing lol. Thank you anyways
Guest Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 I went to visit Farley Nursery School a few weeks a go. It is an outdoor learning environment nursey (so the opposite to your placement). If you click on the above link it takes you to their website and there may be some ideas you could use.
AnonyMouse_13453 Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 Hoe about the zone of proximal development? We have a steep grassy slope which young children watch older or more able children run down, they obviously want to do it too, but haven't the confidence. We watch them climb to the top and look down then 'chicken out'. When they are ready, they ask for help and we hold their hands and take them down slowly, gradually increasing the pace each time as they grow more confident. Then the next step is for us to stand at the bottom and catch them as they come down. Then they go solo. This is what I cited for ZPD. Does it help?
Guest tinkerbell Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 The snow was a classic example teaching the children to make snow balls and then turn them into snowmen. The snow was really powdery and they just couldn't get the snow to 'stick' together in a small ball so it was working together and modelling how to do it. Planting is another good one of working alongside the children ... Tinkerbellx
AnonyMouse_15046 Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 I would go along with Cait using the ZPD. How about the child catching a ball? If the child has the motor skills to learn to catch a ball he/she will learn by copying other children (or adults) and enjoy the game. If a child does not have the coordination to catch it then it is outside his/her ZPD and that child will not succeed, get fed up and wander off to try something else. This shows how we should observe children in their ZPD to assess their levels of development rather than observing what they do alone. Good luck
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