This programme has been carefully designed to provide you with a deeper and more complex understanding of the knowledge, skills, and values required to be an effective Early Childhood Development (ECD) practitioner.
We believe that being an ECD practitioner is one of the most necessary and rewarding careers available in education today. We have designed this programme to be informative, fun and practical, to ensure that you become an active learner. We have also made sure that you will learn what you need to know to be thoroughly prepared as a practitioner in this profession.
Assessments
Assessment of your competency is based on the evidence you submit in conducted Portfolio of Evidence (PoE) and your written examination.
Each PoE will include theoretical tasks and evidence of practical tasks done at a registered ECD centre. It is therefore important that you know and understand that you must identify and arrange access to a registered ECD centre at the start of your studies to complete the practical tasks required, without which you will not be able to complete your portfolios. Practical tasks are integrated with the theory.
Accreditation and Duration
Upon successful completion of the programme, learners will receive a Damelin results letter outlining the unit standards covered and Damelin will apply to ETDP SETA on the learner’s behalf for the Higher Certificate: Early Childhood Development: SAQA ID 64649 (Credits 159) to be awarded.
This course is a minimum of 1 year.
Career Options
With this qualification you could enter the following careers:
Home-based ECD centres
Family and community motivators
Fieldworkers
Facilitators
Trainers and managers to provide appropriate education, training and development services in the ECD sub-field
Workplace Learning
This programme includes a compulsory Workplace Learning component. Workplace Learning provides important opportunities for professional and personal growth. It addresses specific competencies identified for the acquisition of the qualification, which relates to the development of skills that will make the student employable and will assist in developing his or her personal skills.
Learner Material
Students will access engaging interactive lessons and self-directed learning activities, an interactive study guide and an online library on the Online Study Portal. Textbooks are for the student account and are available from Edge Media.
Progression/Articulation
The qualification creates optional pathways for those who wish to study further in this field, and those who wish to focus on management of an ECD service, and for those who wish to specialise in inclusive education in an ECD context.
Learners can articulate into a Diploma in Education or Degree in Education
Admission Requirements
Knowledge, comprehension and application of English language at NQF 4 /Grade 12 or equivalent.
Knowledge, comprehension and application of Mathematical Literacy at NQF 4 /Grade 12 or equivalent.
Knowledge, comprehension and application of South African second language at NQF 4 /Grade 12 or equivalent.
Module Outline
MODULE 1 | Mediating Learning
Mediated learning refers to the subtle social interaction between teachers and learners with the purpose of enriching learners’ learning experience
MODULE 2 | Literacy, Numeracy and Life Skills
Literacy – including speaking, reading, and writing – and numeracy include the most important skills children need to learn in order to participate effectively in everyday life. Literacy and numeracy skills are critical to learning other skills.
MODULE 3 | Managing a learning programme
In addition to planning and developing learning experiences, ECD practitioners are also required to manage their learning programmes, requiring them to establish and maintain efficient management systems to ensure the effective operation of their ECD programme and the ECD centre.
MODULE 4 | Safety, Nutrition and Healthy Development
In this module we will examine how to ensure children’s safety, meet nutritional standards and ensure an environment conducive to healthy development.
MODULE 5 | Computer Skills
Basic computer skills are explained with practical exercises to ensure that you will be able to manage programmes efficiently with the necessary skills to operate difference applications and the understanding of a modern personal computer.
MODULE 6 | Communications Skills
Clear, effective communication is important in ‘getting the job done’, contributes to increased productivity in the ECD environment and allows transparency, which creates a sense of trust. Effective communication plays an important part in the development- and success of the ECD centre.
MODULE 7 | Basic Financial Skills
The basic skills to effectively plan, organise, co-ordinate and control some of the financial activities in an ECD centre.
MODULE 8 | Children with special needs and barriers
A special needs learning programme includes interventions designed to assist children with special needs to a achieve a greater level of self-sufficiency and success, both in school and their communities.
MODULE 9 | Working with Colleagues, Families and Communities
Building community partnerships to improve development outcomes for children, will not only contribute to positive outcomes for children, but will facilitate positive outcomes for the ECD centre, families and the community as children benefit from increased support through during their early childhood years.
MODULE 10 | Assessing children’s progress
We will look at the different approaches to and forms of assessment of children’s progress across developmental and learning areas. We discuss the evidence you need to base your assessment on, and how you draw the child and his or her family into the assessment process.
MODULE 11 | Professional practise in ECD
As an ECD practitioner, you are often the first adult outside of the immediate family with whom a child spends extended periods of time. This places a huge responsibility on you; not only in terms of early identification, but in the way you deal with each child. Your attitude towards the children, including those with special needs, can be the critical success factor in the time that child spends with you.
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