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Representing: A Competent Learner

Babies and young children begin representing their experiences through mark-making even from a very young age. They start by making marks in food or spilled liquids and later begin using tools like crayons. As they grow, children start to recognize that marks can represent objects and have meaning to others. It is important for adults to observe and talk to children about their marks to help them understand representation and that printed symbols carry meaning. Providing varied materials and exposing children to different cultural symbols supports their developing representation skills.

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Ruxandra Samaila
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43 views2 pages

Representing: A Competent Learner

Babies and young children begin representing their experiences through mark-making even from a very young age. They start by making marks in food or spilled liquids and later begin using tools like crayons. As they grow, children start to recognize that marks can represent objects and have meaning to others. It is important for adults to observe and talk to children about their marks to help them understand representation and that printed symbols carry meaning. Providing varied materials and exposing children to different cultural symbols supports their developing representation skills.

Uploaded by

Ruxandra Samaila
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Birth to three matters

Representing
Development matters
Young babies discover mark-making by chance, noticing for instance that ngers trailed through spilt juice can extend it. Babies imitate and improvise actions they have observed a scarf is made to stand for a blanket or a plastic cone for a microphone. As young children explore tools and materials they make marks to which they give meaning. Children begin to recognise some marks and realise these mean something to others.

A Competent Learner Representing


Focuses on

Look, listen, note


Observe babies and children as they
make marks in food, water, spilt drinks etc. How do they respond to what they have done? Do they repeat the action?

Responding to the world with marks and symbols Including: Exploring, experimenting and playing Discovering that one thing can stand for another Creating and experimenting with ones own symbols and marks Recognising that others may use marks differently

Observe the early marks babies and


children make when given a crayon or brush for the rst time.

Note examples of young children using


one thing to stand for another; e.g. a box for a car.

Note all the marks that children make


and how they tell you what their products mean.

Effective practice
Talk to babies and children about the patterns
and marks they make, showing them that you value what they do.

Play and practical support


Use gloop (corn our and water) in small trays
so babies and children can enjoy making marks in it.

Provide varied resources to anticipate what


babies and children might need to represent their experiences.

Draw attention to marks, signs and symbols


in the environment and talk about what they represent.

Give young children who are keen to represent


the same experience repeatedly a range of mark-making materials.

Discuss with young children what their marks


represent and help them to understand that print carries meaning.

Provide materials which reect a cultural spread


Children need to represent their experiences, their feelings, and ideas if they are to preserve them and share them with others. When we represent we make an object or symbol stand for something else Duffy (1998)*

Focus on meaningful print such as the childs


name, favourite cereal or book, in order to discuss similarities and differences between symbols.

so that children see symbols and marks with which they are familiar; e.g. Arabic script on bags from the local shop, Chinese writing on a poster or introduce a feely book for a child who is blind.
* Duffy, B. (1998) Supporting Creativity and Imagination in the Early Years. Buckingham: Open University Press

Representing

Planning and resourcing


Observe when, how and why babies and children name or label what they have made. Provide tools that imprint texture and depth in clay, dough or wet sand (rollers, pastry trimmers,
moulded rubber etc.).

Have a range of markers, felt pens, deodorant rollers lled with paint to give children a variety of
materials for their mark-making.

Provide a variety of books and pictures, magnetic and oating foam letters, felt and wooden
alphabet symbols, to help children recognise symbols and talk to adults about their meanings.

Provide tool boxes containing mark-making materials for use throughout the indoor and
outdoor areas.

Meeting diverse needs


Symbols and pictures which represent home experiences,
language and culture help children recognise they are valued and recognised.

All children enjoy the sensory experience of making marks


with ngers and toes in damp sand, paste, paint. This is particularly important for visually impaired children.

Encourage boys to engage in activities involving mark-

A Competent Learner

making, print and representation.

Challenges and dilemmas


Recognising and valuing the early marks children make with their ngers in food and
drink is not always easy when it is also messy.

Case study
Malachi, aged twenty six months, is sitting with his key worker as she makes notes whilst observing another child. He takes a piece of paper and a crayon and begins to make his own marks, whilst looking at the same child.

Being involved in childrens exploration of shape and pattern and talking with them takes
time, but helps adults interpret the marks they make.

Resisting formality and making sure that children experience the beginnings of reading
and writing in the ways described here is challenging for adults.

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