DR86 04 (CCLD 411)Evaluate, assess and support children’s mathematical learning, exploration and problem solving

Elements of competence

CCLD 411.1Facilitate the assessment and support of children’s exploration and problem solving skills

CCLD 411.2Facilitate the assessment and support of children’s mathematical learning

CCLD 411.3Support the monitoring, evaluation and planning of improvements to support children’s mathematical development, exploration, and problem solving

About this Unit

This Unit is about evaluating and supporting children's early mathematical learning, exploration and problem solving. The Unit is closely linked to early education settings where the main purpose is children’s care, learning and development, but could be applicable in other circumstances. Each home country has different curriculum and assessment frameworks for early education and you should approach this Unit in the context of the requirements of your home country.

This Unit is for you if you are involved in the evaluation and support of children's early mathematical learning, exploration and problem solving, either as a manager or lead/senior practitioner or if you work in support of others and have significant responsibility for supporting children, families, colleagues and other adults within the setting or service. It may also be appropriate for you if you work in support of other professionals with specific expertise in particular areas concerning children's development.

Keywords

What we mean by some of the words used in this Unit
Children / Children with whom you work, except where additional requirements are indicated
Exploration / Look into and find out about, thoroughly examine something, such as objects, ideas, people
ICT (Information Communication Technology) / Examples are computers, calculators, electronic devices, audiovisual equipment, programmable toys, digital cameras
Problem solving / Finding solutions for problems, early mathematical thinking and development
Reflective practice / The process of thinking about and critically analysing your actions with the goal of changing and improving occupational practice

Evidence Requirements for the Unit

It is essential that you adhere to the Evidence Requirements for this Unit

GENERAL GUIDANCE
  • Evidence must be provided for ALL of the performance criteria and ALL of the knowledge.
  • Work with children and families does not lend itself to a series of fragmented activities. When assessment planning it is essential that assessors and candidates identify opportunities to integrate a number of activities for assessment on any particular occasion.
  • Assessment of knowledge and understanding should wherever possible be carried out during performance to ensure that theory and practice are linked.
  • The evidence must reflect, at all times, the policies and procedures of your workplace as linked to current legislation and the values and the principles for good practice in children’s care, learning and development.
  • All evidence must relate to your own work practice.

SPECIFIC Evidence Requirements for this unit
Simulation:
  • Simulation is not permitted for this unit.

The following forms of evidence ARE mandatory:
  • Direct Observation: Your assessor or expert witness must observe you in real work activities which will provide evidence of some part of each element in this unit.
  • Reflective Accounts: You should describe your actions in a particular situation and explain why you did things. You may be able to use a reflective account to provide some of the performance evidence for this unit. e.g. how you encouraged and supported colleagues to reflect on practice.

Issues for consideration:
  • The following performance criteria may be difficult to evidence by observation and/or expert witness testimony.
Element 1 – PC’s 2, 4, 6 and 8
Element 2 – PC’s 2, 4, 6 and8
Element 3 – PC’s 1, 2 and 5
Competence of performance and knowledge could also be demonstrated using a variety of evidence from the following:
  • Questioning/Professional Discussion: Questions may be oral or written. In each case the question and your answer will need to be recorded. Professional discussion should be in the form of a structured review of your practice with the outcomes captured by means of audiotape or a written summary. These are particularly useful to provide evidence that you know and understand principles which support practice, policies, procedures and legislation, and that you can critically evaluate their application e.g. significant theoretical perspectives on children's learning and how these affect your practice, current research relevant to this unit, referral systems and how you encourage and support multi-agency working. In addition the assessor/expert witness may also ask questions to clarify aspects of your practice.
  • Products: These are non-confidential records made, or contributed to, by you, e.g. curriculum plans, assessment documentation, pro forma is for observation, documented procedures for consultation with children and families, monitoring and evaluation findings.
  • Confidential Records: These may be used as evidence but must not be placed in your portfolio, they must remain in their usual location and be referred to in the assessor records in your portfolio e.g. individual child records, commercial information, inspection reports.
  • Original Certificates and other evidence of prior experience and learning: Where you have relevant prior experience it must match the requirements of the standards. Certificates of training, awards and records of attendance must be authentic, current and valid. Your assessor will also want to check the content of such training so that this can be matched to the standards and check that you have retained and can apply learning to practice, e.g. training relevant to children's mathematical learning, exploration and problem solving, previous childcare or teaching qualifications and units of learning.
  • Case Studies, projects, assignments: These methods are most appropriately used to cover any outstanding areas in the knowledge requirement of your award. You may find assignments or projects will provide useful evidence of your knowledge and understanding of relevant theoretical perspectives, the evidence/research base for your practice.
  • Witness Testimony: Colleagues, allied professionals, children, young people, families and carers may be able to provide testimony of your performance. Your assessor will help you to identify the appropriate use of witnesses.

Knowledge specification for this unit

Assessment of knowledge and understanding should wherever possible be carried out during performance to ensure theory and practice are linked.

You need to provide evidence for ALL knowledge points noted below:

To be competent in this Unit, you must know and understand the following: / Enter Evidence Numbers
1The need for confidentiality and care when dealing with sensitive information about children and families. Security arrangements for storing and retrieving information in your setting and the reasons for them.
2Available national and local guidance to support children’s exploration and problem solving, according to their age, needs and abilities: this will include specific guidance for mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world or allied topics, according to the requirements of your own home country
3Data protection and confidentiality and security of information relevant to your work
4The requirement for valid and reliable data when making assessments of children's development, what this means, and how it can be implemented
5Your setting’s processes and procedures for observing, assessing and recording: when and how these link to external requirements or ‘baselines’ or curriculum frameworks followed in your home country
6The circumstances and rationale for the use of formative and summative assessments within your setting or service
7Relevant research into the influences on children’s intellectual development and how this research may influence practice
8The benefits of a multi-agency, multi-professional approach, the range of professionals who work within children's services or who may be relevant to children's services
9Preferred formats for recording information and rationale for their use
10Protocols for sharing information
11The expected pattern of intellectual development for the children with whom you work
12The role of children's play in mathematical learning, exploration and problem solving and how play maybe integrated into most aspects of provision in ways that are meaningful and enjoyable for children
13Specific issues for children’s development and learning in multilingual or bilingual settings or where children are learning through an additional language
To be competent in this Unit, you must know and understand the following: / Enter Evidence Numbers
14Strategies to adapt your practice to support the development of mathematical learning, exploration and problem solving for children with whom you work of different gender, ages, needs and abilities, including children with disabilities and special educational needs
15The types of resources, equipment, activities and experiences that are most productive in the development of mathematical learning, exploration and problem solving, including ICT
16The importance of involving families and communities and how this can be implemented and organised
17The importance of involving children in the assessment and development of their learning, according to their age, needs and abilities, and how this can be done
18Policies, procedures, lines of reporting and accountability, and referral systems that are used in your setting and local area where there are concerns about children and their development
19Support and training that may be available locally and nationally for those involved in supporting children's mathematical learning, investigation, exploration and problem solving
20Strategies, systems and procedures for monitoring and evaluating provision for children's investigation, exploration and problem solving, using the planning cycle and recognising the need for continuous improvement

CCLD 411.1Facilitate the assessment and support of children’s exploration and problem solving skills

Performance criteria
Enter Evidence Numbers
DO / RA / EW / Q / P / WT
1Identify where curriculum and assessment framework requirements include exploration and problem solving
2Support the development of systems to assess children's exploration and problem solving skills
3Facilitate the recognition of, and response to, children who require additional support
4Support the assessment of children, using observation and feedback from reliable sources including families and the children themselves
5Encourage recognition of the different aspects of exploration and problem solving and include in the assessment
6Encourage the prompt identification and referral of concerns to the appropriate agency or professional
7Ensure opportunities are taken to extend and develop children's exploration and problem solving skills
8Support colleagues in determining the need for adequate resources to support children's exploration and problem solving
9Encourage sensitive interventions to support learning
10Work with others to adapt practice to ensure equality of access for all children to programmes and activities that support exploration and problem solving
11Ensure children take part effectively and confidently in activities

CCLD 411.2Facilitate the assessment and support of children’s mathematical learning

Performance criteria
Enter Evidence Numbers
DO / RA / EW / Q / P / WT
1Identify relevant curriculum and assessment framework requirements
2Support the development of systems to assess children's mathematical learning
3Facilitate the recognition of, and response to, children who require additional support
4Support the assessment of children, using observation and feedback from reliable sources including families and the children themselves
5Encourage recognition of the different aspects of mathematical learning and include in the assessment
6Encourage the prompt identification and referral of concerns to the appropriate agency or professional
7Ensure opportunities are taken to extend and develop children's mathematical learning
8Support colleagues in determining the need for adequate resources to support children's mathematical learning
9Encourage sensitive interventions to support learning
10Work with others to adapt practice to ensure equality of access for all children to programmes and activities that support mathematical learning
11Ensure children take part effectively and confidently in activities

CCLD 411.3Support the monitoring, evaluation and planning of improvements to support children’s mathematical learning, exploration, and problem solving

Performance criteria
Enter Evidence Numbers
DO / RA / EW / Q / P / WT
1Support systems and procedures to monitor and evaluate the development of children's skills
2Facilitate the development of systems and procedures to evaluate provision to support children's mathematical learning, exploration, and problem solving
3Support colleagues with the inclusion of children and families in the evaluation, as appropriate to the children's age needs and abilities
4Identify issues for improvement and plan for continuous development and improvement
5Promptly refer concerns to the appropriate agency or professional
6Encourage colleagues to reflect on practice by modelling reflective skills

DO = Direct ObservationRA = Reflective AccountQ = Questions

EW = Expert Witness P = Product (Work)WT = Witness Testimony

To be completed by the Candidate
I SUBMIT THIS AS A COMPLETE UNIT
Candidate’s name: ……………………………………………
Candidate’s signature: ………………………………………..
Date: …………………………………………………………..
To be completed by the Assessor
It is a shared responsibility of both the candidate and assessor to claim evidence, however, it is the responsibility of the assessor to ensure the accuracy/validity of each evidence claim and make the final decision.
I certify that sufficient evidence has been produced to meet all the elements, pcS AND KNOWLEDGE OF THIS UNIT and that the candidate has demonstrated the application of the princIples and values.
Assessor’s name: …………………………………………….
Assessor’s signature: ………………………………………....
Date: …………………………………………………………..
Assessor/Internal Verifier Feedback
To be completed by the Internal Verifier if applicable
This section only needs to be completed if the Unit is sampled by the Internal Verifier
Internal Verifier’s name: ……………………………………………
Internal Verifier’s signature: ………………………………………..
Date: ……………………………………..…………………………..

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Unit: DR86 04 (CCLD 411) Evaluate, assess and support children’s mathematical learning, exploration and problem solving