Not ready for small group activities

[AnonyMouse_4562]

Hi,

I have a couple of summer born children this year who are finding it particularly difficult to participate in some of our focused activities which we do in our key groups (10 children). We usually have a few children each year that need a little bit of extra guidance but the children in question this year are taking the adults attention away from the other children so much that their learning is being effected.

I am always open to changing routines and provision to suit a cohort so any ideas will be gratefully received.

Having our focused activities in small groups has worked well for 5 years now and we have introduced objective led planning this year instead of individual next steps (apart from those who need extra support in a particular area). I was thinking for some activities that I could split the small group into 2 groups of 5 and have half doing an independent Ti activity while the others are with the adult.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Green Hippo x

[AnonyMouse_2157]

I am watching this with interest as we are very similar e.g. family groups session with a group of 13 but we keep it really simple and short and sweet - something they can all join in no matter what ability e.g. a number song/rhyme, a game where they have to move - rolling the ball to each other to get to know their new friends names etc.

At this time of year it may be too much to ask of the very youngest or indeed of the ones who have yet to develop their concentration and listening skills and you may have to rethink doing more focused activities with smaller groups who are ready for more focus activities at another time?

[Guest]

we are finding it harder this year, but keeping it very active/exciting is helping.... but we have a very autistic boy who has little speech who can't cope with group time. he has a smaller group but when he is left to play, whilst the group do group time teaching activity, the rest of the group want to do the same. and fair enough...... and when he joins the group he disrupts it, making noises, which is where he's at i know, but very hard. my nursery nurse has kept him alone in her room and played and we have split her group between myself and other nursery nurse, but then her children are confused and she needs to assess them/get to know their ability. also it means that our group's don't get the attention they need... we have referred him to IDS but until they offer advice we are stumped ..... we have tried koosh ball, carpet square, photo of him at group time, bit of makaton etc. never had a child who is so needy before

[AnonyMouse_4562]

The teacher who was doing an observation of me asked me whether one of the children was ready for small group activities. This got me thinking...should we create a way of having smaller groupings etc I haven't taught under 3s but from what I can gather from pre-school practitioners on here, you do some sort of group activity with them? So I don't want to stop group activities for my younger 3 year olds. The thing is that 28 children are benefitting from small group activities.

What to do...

[AnonyMouse_30128]

How about having one small targeted group with those children who are finding it difficult....perhaps in a separate room if poss. Working on listening or turn taking with high level of props and simple books/rhymes etc and then split the more able ones between the rest of the staff so that they have larger groups who are more in tune with the activity?

[AnonyMouse_4562]

That's definitely a possibility. Would have to consider whether the other children's learning would be suffering for a few. Also, especially with C&L type activities that these children need good role-models? They are definitely better with more visuals and tangibles.

Definitely something to consider...

[AnonyMouse_30128]

It would be a more targeted approach .....and in terms of ofsted would be seen as narrowing the gap. Their role model of course would be an excellent teacher like yourself :1b We work in a similar way to this and we have seen some good results last term....we have only just settled the children in so are starting small group time next week.

[Guest]

I would split your small group in half to be honest. I work in a 2-5 room and with more 2's than 3's, our key groups are small ATM (7) which means we have less children at our activity times.

 

The younger children possibly just aren't developmentally ready for it. It might be worth changing the level of the focused activity too, so it allows them to be supported in getting ready for that focused time. Lots of physical play would be beneficial IMO.