Missing Opportunities or Improving Learning?

This paper addresses recent educational policy developments in England and Wales, focusing on the National Literacy Strategy, National Numeracy Strategy, and the proposed Early Learning Goals. The paper delineates research findings regarding the early mathematics and English learning achieved before entry into formal schooling, effective teaching practices to support learning in the preschool years, and the knowledge that children bring to school. The paper further presents representative examples from data narratives to illustrate current practice in reception classes in England and Wales. Two narratives reveal that over the course of a year, there was a shift in the pedagogy for literacy from differentiated literacy group activities and hearing individual readers to a Literacy Hour format, with more guided or group reading taking place. In addition, the narratives reveal differences in the subject knowledge of teachers and in the extent to which they are clear and comfortable about how to teach literacy most effectively to the very youngest pupils. The paper maintains that knowledgeable and skilled teachers offer their classes rich literacy experiences that are both systematic and learner-centered through time-economic, focused, direct teaching. The paper notes that the discourse used in the proposed "Early Learning Goals" contrasts strongly with the Scottish Office Curriculum Framework 3-5, concluding that although early years teachers need to use the frameworks offered by the National Literacy Strategy and the Early Learning Goals to inform their planning, they must maintain their belief in what they know about the effective ways that young children learn best. (KB)