National Council for Teacher Education

Syllabus

Diploma in Early Childhood Education

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 Acknowledgement

In order to facilitate the teacher education institutions and examining/affiliating bodies, to

revise their teacher education curriculum and organize these programmes in tune with the vision
of NCFTE, it was decided to develop the suggestive syllabi for different Teacher Education
Programmes at the level of NCTE for their reference. For this purpose a Core Committee was
constituted by NCTE consisting of the following:

1. Prof. A.K. Sharma, Ex Director, NCERT Chairman

2 Prof. Shyam B. Menon, VC, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University,
3. Prof. K. Dorasami, Principal, Regional Institute of Education
4. Prof. Poonam Batra, CIE, University of Delhi
5. Prof. Venita Kaul, Director, CECED, Ambedkar University
6. Prof. D.K. Bhattacharjee, Former Head, Dept of TE NCERT

The Core committee constituted four Sub-Committees each headed by a coordinator to

develop syllabi for ECE, Elementary, Secondary and Post Graduate teacher education
programmes. The Syllabus of the ECE Teacher Training Programme has been developed by the
Sub Committee headed by Prof. Asha Singh, Lady Irwin College, New Delhi. The Council
acknowledges the contribution of the members of Core Committee, and the following members of
the Sub committee along with other experts who were actively involved in the development of
draft of Model Syllabi:

Members of the NCTE Syllabus Committee for D.E.C.Ed

1. Prof. Asha Singh, Lady Irwin College, New Delhi Coordinator
2. Dr. Bhanumati Sharma,L ady Irwin College, New Delhi.
3. Dr. Vinita Bhargava, Lady Irwin College, New Delhi
4. Dr. A. Shahin Sultana, Delhi School of Social Work, New Delhi
5. Ms. Dimple Rangila, Lady Irwin College, New Delhi.
6. Ms. Sushma Kumar, Lady Irwin College, New Delhi .
7. Mrs. Amita Govinda, Classroom Professor, ECCE
8. Mrs. Sarita Prabhat Senior Pre-school teacher, RAK Child Study Centre
9. Mrs. Pratibha Sharma, Joint Director, SCERT, New Delhi
10. Mrs. Suman Bhatia, Reader, SCERT, New Delhi
11. Mrs. Sipra Suneja, Research Scholar
12. Dr K. Shanmugavelayutham, Dept of Social Work, Loyala College, Chennai
13. Zakhiya Kurien, Centre for Learning Resources, Pune
14. Dr Prasanna, Expert in ECCE, Pune
15. Ms Maya Menon,The Teacher Foundation, Bangalore 560042

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 Diploma in Early Childhood Education

Paper / Course Periods / week Marks

1st Year
Foundations of ECCE
Contemporary Studies
I. Early Childhood In Contemporary India 4 100
II. Rights in Early Childhood Learner Studies 4 100
III. Development during the first six years 8 200
Curriculum and Pedagogy
IV. Care, Early interaction and Pedagogy 8 200
V. Organizational Management 4 100
VI. Emerging and Evolving Self of an ECCE
Professional 1day/week 50
i. ECCE placement 40% 20 days
ii. Workshops (4of 8) 6 days 50
Total time available =27 weeks total marks=800

2nd Year
Foundations of ECCE
VII. Development Context and Learning in Early
Childhood during the first six years 10 250
Curriculum and Pedagogy
VIII. Pedagogy in early childhood education
theory plus practical 10 250
IX. Organizational Behaviour 4 100
X. Placement in ECCE settings
i. ECCE placement 60% 2day/week 100
40 days
ii. Workshops 6 days 50

Total time available =27 weeks total marks=750

Full Two Year Course =1550 marks

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 Diploma in Early Childhood Education
Area of Study
Introduction
Young children respond to the social world and rely on others for growth and
development. It‟s the right of young children to be cared for with love and responsibility.
It is the obligation of the state and the more experienced in the society to ensure that there
are trained ECCE professionals to provide opportunities, to acquire skills, to develop
talents and realize their unique potential.
The present course attempts to prepare the ECCE teachers to interact meaningfully with
young children in contemporary India. The course is built on an understanding of the
child as an active participant in events and activities around as well as a keen observer of
phenomena. Two recent developments in the Indian scenario that is the National
Curriculum Framework 2005 and the Right to Free and Compulsory Education act 2009
have been compelling influences for significant developments in education urging for
reframing perspectives in teacher education. These views created a fresh set of
expectations from the teachers for which the process of teacher preparation needed a
change. The stress in revised teacher preparation programmes required teachers who
would
Understand the rights and developmental needs of children from conception to the
age of 8 years;
Be sensitive and reflect on the perspectives, priorities and problems of early
childhood and early primary education;
Develop insight into the process of child development and learning;
Plan and implement such tasks as shall meet children‟s need for health,
protection, nutrition, education and development;
Implement the methodology of ECCE for transacting different curricular areas in
classes I and II;
Network with parents, community and other organizations to generate awareness
and seek their involvement in ECCE programmes;
Provide appropriate interventions to meet requirements of an inclusive classroom;
Appreciate the language and cultural diversity that comprises the Indian social
fabric and many co-existing social realities;
To develop skill sets appropriate for transacting Activity Based Learning;
To use local talents and skills along with contemporary use of computers in the
classroom.
4

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 The emerging ECCE professional should be aware of the constitutional provisions
and subsequent interventions for the development of young children. The course also
directs the teacher‟s attention to the child rights‟ perspective and towards integrating
modern technological developments in education with traditional and folk literature. The
ECCE teacher will benefit from a balance between theoretical and practical experience to
build up a repertoire of skills to meet the needs of diverse learning situations, to develop
sensitivity to talents, issues and problems of the child in a community.
The teacher should be able to engage with the curriculum critically and not treat
any knowledge as given or fixed. Both the teacher and the children should evolve as
reflective learners. The course provides a platform to understand the process of growth
and progress of children in the domains of development, range and variations in patterns
of development. ECCE teachers will also learn about the importance of early
intervention, and role of stimulation in development. The course leans towards classroom
processes that respect the child‟s right to participate and receive appropriate guidance.
Teacher should also be able to work with children in groups sustaining their individuality
and enhancing their creativity and imagination.
The course stresses the varied contexts emphasizing the socio-cultural facets of
children‟s life beyond the school. The attempt is to make teacher education holistic,
interactive and reflective. The reality of classroom diversity is a feature that runs as a
consistent focus reminding the potential teacher to address the social contexts of children
with sensitivity. Diversity is unfolded in the education of teachers as variation in religious
beliefs, language, food and customs as also in understanding the needs of differently
abled children. It orients the teacher to the value and significance of inclusive education.
The curriculum is intended to be descriptive of approaches, strategies and
methods of creating responsive environments with a focus on participatory methodology
for teacher education. Teacher should be able to organize and manage the classroom in
terms of resources, time, scheduling as also innovative use of space and be aware of the
health, nutrition and safety issues of the child and a developed ability to apply the
knowledge in specific situations.

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 ECCE teachers need also to know curriculum and classroom processes are
organized framework of what the children can learn, and how the teacher with multiple
approaches make learning meaningful. The course evolves through the crucial periods of
development, from birth to 6 months, 6 months-3 years, 6-8 years touching the 6-8 years
of initial schooling. It focuses on various domains of development including physical
motor, cognitive, language, social and emotional development of creativity and aesthetic
appreciation, development of values related to personal, social and cultural life, scientific
ways of thinking and inculcation of healthy habits. The ECCE professional should be able to
understand the interrelating aspects of development and develop activities with children that
foster participatory learning experiences. Including different traditions of knowledge,
understanding the unique features of developing in India would link and build bridges
between school knowledge and community knowledge. The course provides opportunities
to prospective teachers to gather skills to interact with the child‟s community and
understand the role of healthy parent-teacher contact in child‟s development. Parent and
community involvement is beneficial for the children in the ECCE setting and its place in
society.
The curriculum for first six months envisages importance of breast feeding, health
and care of the mother and child. The period from 6 months to 3 years stresses on milestones
and early stimulation preparing for the years at an ECCE centre. The 3-6 years engage with
various approaches with play as basis of learning, inculcating a balance of textual and local
learning with both freedom and regulation keeping in mind the developmental needs of the
child. The period of 6-8 years introduces the child to formal routines of school which needs
recognition in the ECCE setting. The ECCE teacher needs to be able to ensure school
readiness and hence ascertain healthy transition to school. Basic principles of curriculum for
first two years of primary schooling would help and ease the shift to formal systems.
The course appreciates the importance of field education and provides several
opportunities to the teacher to interact with children in ECCE environments, experience and
experiment with teaching–learning processes, integrating the value of theories and
significance of real contexts. The assessment process too should be comprehensive and
continuous involving both quantitative and qualitative parameters to ensure constructive
experience.

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 The emerging teacher should be encouraging and supportive facilitator to children
who realizes both the learning capacity of children, as well as ability to construct knowledge
with sensitivity to attributes and needs of learner, their special abilities. A sensitive and
responsive role in the social context of education with the national goals for ECCE are
important for the ECCE personnel to understand. It is widely recognized that early
childhood is a crucial period for the sound development of young children and that
missed opportunities during these early years cannot be made up at later stages of the
child‟s life. Early childhood is a critical period for realizing children‟s optimal potential.
The objectives of the course are to inculcate among the ECCE teachers a deep
understanding about the features of early years and that
Young children experience the most rapid period of growth and change during the
human lifespan, in terms of their maturing bodies and nervous systems, increasing
mobility, communication skills and intellectual capacities, and rapid shifts in their
interests and abilities;
Young children form strong emotional attachments to their parents or other
caregivers from whom they seek and require nurturance, care, guidance and
protection, in ways that are respectful of their individuality and growing
capacities;
Young children establish their own important relationships with children of the
same age, as well as with younger and older children. Through these relationships
they learn to negotiate and coordinate shared activities, resolve conflicts, keep
agreements and accept responsibility for others;
Young children actively make sense of the physical, social and cultural
dimensions of the world they inhabit, learning progressively from their activities
and their interactions with other children as well as adults;
Young children‟s earliest years are the foundation for their physical and mental
health, emotional security, cultural and personal identity, and developing
competencies;
Young children‟s experiences of growth and development vary according to their
individual nature, as well as their gender, living conditions, family organization,
care arrangements and education systems;
Young children‟s experiences of growth and development are powerfully shaped
by cultural beliefs about their needs and proper treatment, and about their active
role in family and community.

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 COURSE I
Early childhood in contemporary India
Introduction
Very briefly the course intends to context childhood in a socio-historical perspective. It
will acquaint the prospective ECCE teacher with the socio-cultural multiplicity, uneven
distribution of resources and linguistic plurality of Indian society making the presence of
diversity a compelling reality in the classroom for young children. The content will
provide an insight into ways that will provide identity to each child by celebrating
diversity and recognizing cultural influences. The course will also attempt to explore
cultural notions of childhood through local stories and anecdotes.
Objectives: The course will enable the ECCE teacher to

recognize the social, cultural and economic influences on children and childhood
learn about the co-existence of plurality and diversity of childhood in
contemporary Indian society
understand evolving notions about children and appreciate different cultural
notions of childhood and be aware of classroom diversity

Marks 50 Theory 50 hour

Unit 1 Early childhood in contemporary India

Meaning of childhood. Defining the focus on early childhood in the lifespan
Awareness of the significance of early childhood and understandings from neuro-
science perspective, rights perspective, economic investment and the criticality of
early years in the human life cycle
Growing understanding of the need and importance of early stimulation and
nature of interventions for optimal growth
Appreciate the difference in care and education and recognize the value of age
appropriate interactions as best interests for children
Knowing efforts for professional development of ECCE teachers and possible
organizations
8

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

Unit II Diversity in contemporary Indian society
Childhood in contexts of family, school and community and geographical areas.
Socio -cultural pluralities such as influences of multiple languages, regional and
religious influences on children and ECCE classroom transactions
Economic influences in reference to childhood and its impact on everyday
classroom schedules
Gender and caste stereotypes and ways to provide care and education for all
young children

Unit III Childhood needs, care and education

Contributions and writings of thinkers such as Tagore, Gandhi, Gijubhai Badheka
Montessori, Froebel and Tara Bai Modak for childhood and early education
Different kinds of early childhood settings and the role of care givers for meeting
the needs of children in crèches, anganwadis, balwadis, fee paying ECCE centres.
Evolving and changing nature of early education and ECCE centres
Ethnic differences in the ECCE classrooms and building childhood identity by
linking diversity of dress, food, celebrations songs and dance

Unit IV Child in the Socio- political framework

Understanding concept of legal childhood and Constitutional provisions for the
young child with Articles 45 and articles related to the rights of minority groups
Right to Education Act, 2009, emerging positions of early childhood and the
young child in the current five year plan
Legislations, food safety, health and care initiatives by Government and
interventions such as ICDS and contributions by NGOs
Building a cultural understanding of childhood through art, songs, games and
stories- classic and local

25 Marks Tutorial 10 hours

Select any one theme as an extension for discussion

Discussion, classroom influences and analyzing the ECCE setting in relation to

the works and writings of thinkers
Compare and contrast orientation towards children in stories by local authors
Status of the Indian Child under eight, causes of deprivation and problem of
abundance
Different ECCE institutions (government, voluntary and private)
Filling a proforma and writing briefly about expectations and skills that the course
will provide to a ECCE teacher (to be compared with a similar paper in the IInd
year)

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

25 Marks Skill Lab 15 hours

Building knowledge about local perspectives on childhood

Collect all words and terms related to young children and identify emerging
orientation to children
Visit a locality and other public spaces to note all the facilities available for
children for play. Learning and skill building
Collect local jingles, rhymes, games and stories related to young children in your
locality
Observe children in any family and note the nature of relationships and exchanges
Observe adult child interaction in families from different social backgrounds and
collect a list of child related festivity in families from different regions

Course II
Rights in Early Childhood
Introduction

This paper introduces ECCE professionals to view young children as citizens who are
both developmentally vulnerable and capable of realizing their potential. A child rights-
based approach is a conceptual framework for the process of human development that is
normatively based on international children's rights standards and operationally directed
to promoting, protecting and fulfilling children's human rights. Essentially, a child rights-
based approach integrates the norms, standards and principles of the international human
rights system into the plans, policies and processes of programme development for
children. What distinguishes needs-based approach and the rights-based is movement
from looking at specific problem to inculcating a vision of citizenship where by the
citizens are holder of rights. Such an orientation is directly influential in the demand for
child-oriented public policies and planning generated by civil society. The course
strengthens among the learners issues in ECCE. The content deepens ability to
understand and argue for the relevance of preventive, promotive, remedial and
rehabilitative services among the marginalized groups in the early years. The ECCE
professional will have informed knowledge of the importance of quality care and
responsive early childhood for later learning.
Objectives:

10

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 To develop knowledge and skills in rights based perspective to confront
diversities and challenges in early childhood
To critically review the status of Early Childhood in India and understand
context of rights in early childhood
To comprehend early childhood as critical for the evolving capacities of children
and the potential of rights based framework in providing a fair, equitable and a
just society

Marks 50 Theory 50 hours

Unit I Understanding the Rights Perspective
Emergence of UNCRC and its orientation in defining children‟s needs,
systems of care giving as societal-state obligation for upholding „best
interest of children”

Promoting rights perspective to recognize young children as participants

in their own development to create responsive environments

Child rights and young children‟s vulnerability and capacity for achieving
their potential through active participation and protection

Understanding the role of the State as duty bearers and the scope of rights
perspective in impacting attitudes, policy and public opinion for survival
and development, in particular the right to health, to nutrition and to
education
Role of NGOs in care and protection of the essential features of rights
perspective and the agency of the child

Rights of children from ethnic groups and the emergence of rights of

persons with disabilities and related laws, value of inclusion

Unit II Profile of the young child in India

Understanding the „big picture‟ of the child by means of demographic

indicators such as infant mortality, maternal mortality, malnutrition, low
birth weight and their causes

Assessing the status, reviewing the changes and significance of maternal

health and immunization and childcare as basic to well being

Considerations of the impact of discrimination and marginality such as

caste, gender, poverty leading to children on streets, children without
families, single parent families

Children and childhood in situations of natural, man made disasters and

political unrest and its impact on child‟s well being.
11

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

Unit III Comprehensive policies and programmes for early childhood specially
vulnerable children

Programmes, policies and legislations and related Government and NGO

initiatives for health, care, nutrition and education in early childhood

Early childhood and provision of institutional care, foster care and

adoption as alternate care for destitute and homeless children

Access to services for the care and protection of children in difficult

situations such as family migration, HIV/AIDS, emergency due to
calamity, war or migration

Inclusive practices and rights of children with special needs for access,
barrier free environments and modifications for learning and skill building

Efforts by the state and society (NGO, community, family and school) to
improve the rights of the girl child
Unit IV Awareness and advocacy for child rights

Monitoring and evaluation of child rights programmes and attempting a

situational analysis of the provisions to ensure developmentally
appropriate norms and standards,

Significance and provisions for rehabilitation of children out of families

for child‟s right to consistency and continuity for protection, care and
survival

Protection of child‟s right to participation (responsive environment) and

prevention of child abuse, neglect and protection from punishment.

Prevention of children at work, protecting and promoting child‟s right to

play, rest and leisure

Protecting the rights and cultural practices and ethnic identity of minority
children

25 Marks Tutorial 10 hours

Select any two themes for each term as a small project for classroom discussion

Identifying gaps and problems in implementing of children's rights, standards and

principles in programming
Key components and principles of Child Rights Programming during birth to 6
months, 6months to three years and 3-6 years
12

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 Children as active agents in their own development and the importance of child as
an active participant in the process of development
ECCE professional in the context of children in situations of disadvantage as well
as problems of abundance like obesity, wasting of resources
Understanding the situation of children and the role of ICDS
Periodic review of the UNCRC with respect to child‟s status in India.

25 Marks Skill Lab 15

Hours

Through visits and contact with NGOs understand the translation of the obligations
as a signatory to the UNCRC

Visits to review programmes working with a child rights approach

Case Study: Studying rights based approach in any one ECCE program
Critique of NCPCR its role in protecting and promoting the rights of the child
Preparation of display materials to generate awareness of the rights of the child
with socio-cultural understanding
Develop awareness campaigns as an ECCE teacher for improving the status of
young children
Design a simple pamphlet with pictures or use any medium such as songs for
advocacy in the local language keeping in mind the needs and literacy status,

COURSE III

Development during First Six Years

Introduction

This course will acquaint ECCE professionals with developmental patterns in early
childhood and the demands for stimulating and responsive environment. Information
about learning and development enables caregivers to structure developmentally
appropriate practices. The course informs the prospective teachers about the principles of
growth as well as different domains of growth and their inter-relatedness. The content
generates awareness of children‟s needs during early childhood that is birth to six years
such that they can know how to provide children what they ought to have. With such an
understanding the emerging ECCE professional assumes responsibility of interacting

13

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

with children as actors in their own development and balancing this active agency with
the right kind of response and guidance.

Objectives: The course will enable the ECCE teacher to

understand developmental norms, milestones and range in individual development

develop skills to interact with children and provide a responsive and stimulating
environment
recognize the significance of the early years and implications for optimizing the
human potential and be sensitive to developmental delays and early intervention
be aware of variation in contexts of development and the socio-cultural and
economic influences in young children‟s lives

100 marks Theory 100 hours

Unit 1 Understanding aspects of Child Development

Meaning and principles of development

Domains and stages of development as basic concepts in growth and development
Importance of „whole child‟ view of development e.g. interrelatedness and
interdependence of development
Contexts and influences on development and child‟s need to care and stimulation
Norms and variations in developmental and behavioral processes and importance
of early identification of developmental delay

Unit II Prenatal development and the neonate (new born)

Brief understanding of the prenatal growth in the womb, birth process, care,
precautions and cultural regulations for the pregnant woman
Importance of maternal health and entitlements as basic to infant‟s health, breast
feeding, developing trust, attachment and well-being during infancy
Understanding the significance of safety and cleanliness during feeding practices,
appropriate care and preventive health such as immunization and hygiene
Importance of understanding milestones and early intervention
Recognizing cultural and familial infant and childcare practices

Unit III Development during the first three years

Physical and motor development, milestones, developing competencies and role

of adults in promoting gross and fine motor skills
Language and concept development patterns, variations and features of a
language rich child oriented environment
14

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 Understanding social and emotional status and the significance of socialization to
learn about self and others; ways to instill among children confidence, security
and labeling emotions
Importance of providing watchful exploration with adequate and attentive
supervision to initiate love for learning

Unit IV Development during three to six years

Physical and bodily changes, acquiring balance in eye hand coordination, control
over movements and skills for physical manipulation
Developing skills and concepts to be able to classify and display problem solving
ability and simple measures for building memory, encouraging use of mnemonic
devices
Growing competence in listening, using words, follow directions, increased
receptive and expressive language, familiarity with print media
Increased sense of self in adjusting and demanding with reason, emergence of
responsible behaviour and empathy
Developmental variations, learning and behaviour concerns and ways for meeting
the special needs

Development during the first six years (Practical)

Introduction
The practical exposure with children will enhance the knowledge about children. The
ECCE teacher will be familiarized with how children grow, how they think, how they
talk and feel. By observation and being with children the prospective teachers will learn
about children‟s responses and nature of interactions with adults, other children and
objects.
Objectives
To understand the tools and techniques for working with children
To plan and implement age appropriate activities to facilitate domain specific
development
To develop activities to foster creativity and imagination in children

100 marks Practical 30+70 hours

I Observation (Participant and non-participant)
Being in the settings of ECCE such as home and day care, observing: infants,
mother/adult and child interactions through notes and observation schedules such
as Home Observation Measurement of the Environment
15

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 Children in the classroom and playground both in organized and free situations
Observe childcare and interactions in different socio-cultural contexts of family
and community to understand infant care practices
Draw linkages between different domains of development to deepen knowledge
empirically through simple interactive tasks and observation
1. Physical-motor: acquaintance with growth chart, eye-hand coordination,
gross and fine motor skills
2. Cognitive: appreciate childhood conceptual understanding, reasoning,
memory, problem solving with simple tasks
3. Language: developing vocabulary, sound discrimination, self expression
using words, understanding and following directions, asking and
answering questions, participating in conversations
4. Socio emotional: understanding of self, self worth, use of reinforcement,
expression of emotions, assigning responsibility, peer interactions,
celebration of special events
5. Play: kinds of play, individual or group activities, interaction with peers
and teachers

II Understanding children with special needs

Children with differences in ability and diversity of needs

Special and inclusive settings
Special inputs and need for different kinds of assistance like Speech therapy,
occupational therapy, play therapy.
Features of Indian contexts of development

III Development of materials

Activities and preparation of play material in different domains
Materials to stimulate and promote growth and development
IV Interview with the ECCE teacher regarding developmental needs of children
V To write a brief case profile of a child covering all the domains of development
VI Developing and maintaining a field/reflective journal
VII Use of simple evaluation tools like TECERS, PORTAGE
VIII Innovative methods to understand developmental patterns such as
maintaining a Journal of anecdotes of children’s responses
IX Films for teachers from CIET, Children’s Film Society

COURSE IV

16

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 Care, Early Interaction and Pedagogy

Introduction

Curriculum and pedagogy will acquaint the emerging ECCE teacher with the content of
what children will learn, the processes to achieve the goal and the role of teachers to
energize the context of teaching and learning. A well designed curriculum identifies the
social context, engages all stakeholders to create a flexible ongoing learning process
meeting individual interests. Besides the social context of children and families
curriculum is best transacted by trained teachers who know the curricular approach and
plan well to structure the environment and are prepared to deal with variations and
surprise. The course will allow future teachers to understand and integrate child
development knowledge in facilitating children‟s learning

Objectives: the course will enable the ECCE teacher to

Understand the value of structure and format for working effectively with
children
Know that children are active learners and are influenced by their social contexts
Design the classroom transactions in a socially meaningful way to adapt to local
needs
Organize child oriented activity based participatory learning experiences

100 marks Theory 100 hours.

Unit 1 Principles of curricular content and programmes

Components of ECCE in relation to age, skill development and social situation

Understanding/ Comprehending the significance of terms such as holistic
approach, active participation, child centeredness, constructivism, peer tutoring,
and capacity building
Understanding goals and objectives of ECCE within an integrated and whole
child approach keeping long term goals and short term objectives and daily
classroom practices
Building a personalized approach with recognition and celebration of social–
cultural context to address classroom diversity in culture, language, festivals,
food, dress, needs of children in different regions and situations

Unit II Approaches and processes in teaching and learning

17

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 Understanding different approaches to learning with emphasis on “child as an
active learner”
Planning in relation to developmental domains with balance in activities to
enhance physical growth, fostering language, stoking intellectual curiosity and
promoting social relationships
Build in areas of learning such as
 vocabulary and sound discrimination
 basic words to independent use of language
 care of the community, clean environment
 develop mathematical vocabulary
 arts and crafts for creativity and imagination
 child‟s capacity for memory, familiarity with songs, stories, sing along
activities and mnemonic devices
Importance of promoting children to participate, ask questions, develop skill to
observe and develop attitude of task persistence and problem solving.

Unit III Children’s orientation to play

Play, its significance and the natural appeal as spontaneous activity

Functions of play and its potential for development in children
Toys, objects and playfulness as sources of learning
Cultural and local social forms as tools in the classroom such as rhymes, folk
drawings and festivals

Unit IV Methods of engaging with children

Music and movement and the appeal of rhythm

Free conversations, free hand drawing, role play, drama as sources of learning in
multiple domains
Story telling and its functions in imagination and cultural literacy, importance of
children as story tellers
Indoor and outdoor play in structured and free situations
Introducing print media like books, pictures with words and use of audio-visual
aids

Unit V Care and stimulation during infancy

Infancy and understanding of local and cultural practices of care and status of
infants
Schedules and patterns of care of infants in institutions and need for visual and
auditory inputs experiences
Role of interaction and importance of touch and movement in development during
infancy
18

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 Significance of Stable and supportive environments with opportunity, limits and
structure

Care, Early Interaction and Pedagogy

(Practical)
Introduction
This part of the ECCE training will provide the potential trainees to work with a mentor
to develop content comprising everyday teacher-child interactions in settings of early
care. The attempt is to allow the individual an exposure to methods to understand the
knowledge principles underlying the teaching- learning situations during the first three
years and learn ways to enhance the developing child‟s interest and motivation.
Objectives: with hands on experience the ECCE teacher will be able to
develop content and methods of meaningful classroom processes
devise strategies to promote growth and development in different domains with a
whole child perspective
Use a variety of materials to energize interactions and stoke children‟s intellectual
curiosity and imagination

100 Marks Practical 30+70 Hours

I Infant Stimulation
Observation of infants while providing them with visual and sensory stimulation
(toys, pictures, different shapes and textures), auditory (natural sounds like clap,
conversations) and kinesthetic experiences (movements)
Development of aids, play material for sensory experiences.

II Activities facilitating development in different domains

Engage children in physical activities for developing and involving children to
enhance locomotor skills like jumping, hopping, balancing, climbing, throwing,
kicking, catching.
Use of blocks, beads and strings, abacus and innovative methods to foster fine
motor skills like grasping, and eye-hand coordination.
Fostering language by exposing children to different tones, pitch and volume by
1. Engaging children in free conversation , story telling, role plays, singing to
support vocabulary development, expression of self, understanding and
following direction, asking questions
2. Encouraging children to reconstruct any story, develop their own stories
while using picture cards or sharing their experiences.
19

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 3. Use of print material like picture cards, magazines to make children
recognize different objects, action words and build vocabulary
Promoting intellectual curiosity through observation , building interest in
children by letting children explore, engage in conversation about an object or
concept
1. Encourage evolving number and alphabet/ akshar awareness, using
printed numerals, identifying the numbers, recognizing first letter of their
name.
2. Activities to understand concepts like big, small, up down, matching, and
sorting
Help children build social relationships by sharing, turn taking and understanding
needs of others
1. Encouraging child to label different emotions, use of picture cards, asking
the child to get pictures from home, recognize and express understanding
of how others feel.
2. Developing activities to encourage group interaction, sharing, turn taking,
helping
3. Task persistence, coping with limitations as well as identifying what
children can do

III Arts and crafts as sources of learning, creativity and imagination

Exploring and appreciating different art forms as innovative tools (visual and
performing arts) not only cutting and pasting.
Encourage children to explore and experience variations in color, shape, textures
in nature and (like flowers, leaves) and others
Activities to create art forms like drawings using crayons, water colors providing
enough flexibility to children and encouraging art as a medium of expression
Identify changes in drawings as children grow, encourage children to talk about
their drawings
.
IV. Children’s orientation to play

Developing and involving children in activities for both indoor and outdoor play
Use of sand and water to involve children in play
Development and use of recyclable and reusable play material
Create a “props corner” like a basket of chunni, bags, spectacles, magazines etc

V. Music and movement and the appeal of rhythm

Facilitating children to experience different form of music in the environment

(like chirruping of birds, train, sound of rain and so on)
Enhancing familiarity with local songs, rhymes, folk and cultural stories.
Use of different material in the environment to create music and also encouraging
children to create music
20

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 Use dance as a form to explore movement of body and a mode of communication

VI Develop a schedule to involve children in group of activities

For 20 minutes period
For a day
For a week

Course V
Organizational Management
Introduction

Effective and efficient use of available resources ensures that joyful and activity
based quality of teaching learning in the ECCE classroom. An ECCE teacher must be
versed in organizational management utilizing the infrastructural, human, financial and
community resources for optimization of the teaching – learning process. The teacher
plays a pivotal role in the organization of classroom records, utilization of community
resources to invoke local flavour and bring personalizing features in the pedagogical
space. The ECCE classroom is a laboratory or activity center where the teacher and
children collaborate in the learning process making planning and organization absolutely
necessary. It is important to maintain a balance between indoors and outdoor activities
that are to be taken up for holistic development of children. This course should enable
the pupil teachers to manage all the organizational resources for an inclusive ECCE
classroom and also its linkages with primary education.

Objectives: the course will enable the ECCE teacher to

plan and design space for children‟s participation, free movement and intellectual
curiosity
understand the need to reflect, think and plan classroom transactions keeping
socio-cultural and diverse skills and interests of children in focus
know the significance of records of children‟s growth and progress as necessary
for mapping developmental patterns
be prepared for emergency situations, disaster management and have skills in
basic first aid

50 Marks Theory 50 hours

Unit 1 Setting up ECCE centres
Identifying local needs and location and safety of the centre and nature of services
21

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 Sources of fund raising and community involvement
Ensure provision of essential facilities
Budgeting and mapping of resources
Ideal teacher to child ratio and managing large groups
Regularity, punctuality and discipline of the ECCE centre
ECCE teachers with training and motivation and other support staff

Unit II Designing and maintaining outdoor and indoor space

Design of space as source of learning and interaction such as small group seating
and floor space with room for independent work
User friendly equipment and infrastructure to promote inclusive barrier free
environment
Storage space for materials, equipment and regulated access by children for self
help skills
Display and orientation for children to engage in self directed tasks such as art
material or read in a book corner or play with props and dolls
Optimizing space and innovative use of space specially organizing the centre in
small areas with limited resources
Outdoor play- space and spots for outdoor activity

Unit III Materials, indoor and outdoor equipments

Designing areas as inclusive spaces for differently abled such ease for wheel chair
users, walkers
Toys- reusable, improvised and local materials as resources for activity corners
Selecting play materials, musical instruments, puppet theatre, devising methods
for child- friendly access, use and cleanup
Materials (improvised and bought) for wide range of activities such as cooking,
planting and observing
Mapping agencies for children‟s materials, books, toys and outdoor resources
Adequate storage and innovative ways to store such as in trunks or gunny bags in
community based ECCE centres , maintenance and replenishment of materials

Unit IV Maintenance of records in ECCE settings

Need for maintaining different kinds of records such as child related, teacher
related and material related records
Registers for attendance, admission, fees, teachers and other financial matters,
Records of monitoring and regulating children‟s growth and development such as
health, anecdotal and cumulative records
Developing systems and schedules for observing and recording children‟s
responses with daily/weekly diaries
Familiarity with evaluation measures for children‟s progress
22

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 Survey of quality ECCE standards to appraise ECCE infrastructure and classroom
dynamics

Unit V Disaster Management

Safety of ECCE centre and Nature of disaster and emergency

Familiarity with first-aid, fire drills and display of pictures and material for
dealing with emergencies.
Understanding children‟s fears and anxiety in course of natural or man-made
disasters
Engaging with parents to cope up with and resolve childhood fears
Activities to conserve nature like plant a tree, do not waste energy, no to poly
bags as a measure for preservation and conservation of environment

25 marks Tutorial 25 hours

Group exercise with standardized tools and kits to gain familiarity and experience with
simple evaluation tools such as
Evaluation of Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale with respect to
diverse contexts of India
Portage Preschool Home Visiting service to understand preschool children‟s
developmental status and to enrich their environments and services
Use of School Readiness Kit developed by the World Bank

25 marks Skill Lab 10 Hours

I Survey exercises in the flowing areas for preparing of a “Journal of resources and
management”
II Supportive, protective and regulatory services

Demonstration of First Aid methods and hands on experience for the care of
children in emergency through “mock exercises”.
Preparing and knowing contents of first-aid kit/ box, replacing the stock regularly
Mapping the city facilities for sources of equipment, materials for interactive
classrooms through yellow pages and other sources.
Exploring and seeking information about supportive facilities and referral services
for the management of problem behaviours such as Occupational therapists,
psychological assistance, speech therapists.

Course VI
Emerging and Evolving Self of an ECCE Professional
Workshop

23

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

This course is in a workshop module and will involve interaction with experts from
different fields. Resource persons would engage with the trainees in participatory modes
to explore different areas of self growth of the teacher.
Objectives: The workshops will enable the ECCE teacher to develop
Methods to enrich classroom processes with intense hands on interaction
with experts in areas related to ECCE
Familiarity with participatory classroom interactions
Unit I Visit to libraries and book reading sessions
Understand the classification of books in the libraries
Selected books would be read and shared for teacher innovation
Inspiring autobiographies of educators

Unit II Workshops to enhance personal and professional development

Understand the „self‟, reflecting on one‟s strengths and weaknesses
Develop an understanding of self directed learning
Ways to encourage diversity in ECCE classroom
Developing thinking and reflective skills
Making use of drama/ music, movement, yoga for as a classroom resource f or
young children
Use of local skills and talents such as folk songs, games , art forms as classroom
resources
Practice in developing effective report writing skills
Reflect and revisit childhood/ school years to connect with children

Unit III Writing and analyzing the workshop experience and reflecting on the
course and nature of participation, involvement and self evaluation

COURSE VII

Development Contexts and Learning in Early Childhood

Introduction

This course continues provide information on the developing and the evolving capacities
of children between 6-8years. Participation in early childhood programmes and
preschools can promote healthy attitudes for life long learning. In the many contexts of
childhood early intervention raises the bar for children‟s skill building by reducing

24

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

educational inequalities. The course content will further develop ECCE trainee‟s skills in
assisting healthy development of children cognitively, socially, emotionally and
physically. The prospective ECCE professional will learn that meaningful participation in
preschool education promotes curiosity, love for learning and prepares children to
succeed in school. The course informs the ECCE professional that early childhood
development is not only about children in the ECCE setting but influenced by their
contexts and can influence the context for the sake of the child‟s optimal growth through
respect for ethnic identity, meeting the special needs of children and group celebration of
differences as source of unity.

Objectives: The course will enable the ECCE teacher to

Introduce complexity and challenge for children to develop curiosity and love for
learning and prepare for tasks of formal schooling
Help children learn to respect their identity, understand family relationships,
interact cooperatively with peers and others in accordance with social norms and
expectations
Be sensitive to the differently-abled and assist children with emotional distress by
guiding or seeking professional support

100 marks Theory 100 hours

Unit 1 Developing child and social skills for early school years

Emergence of physical and motor skills to participate in team games, play skills
and engaging in learning complex tasks
Emphasis on self help skills relating to health, hygiene, feeding, dressing, asking
for things
Language development for skill in narrating events, stories, learning to
discriminate sounds and role play
Developing friendship, being part of a group, cooperation, social acceptability and
exclusion

Unit III School readiness and learning

Engaging in tasks to build concentration and attention span with sit down tasks
such as paper pencil work, worksheets.
Debate, puzzles, Quiz and riddles (oral and visual) for developing thinking,
reasoning, problem solving , cause-effect and inculcating scientific inquiry

25

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 Listening to a story and promoting child participation through recall and express
appeal and comprehension
Role of jingles, rhymes and storytelling (Local and classic) in building children‟s
orientation to mnemonic skills and build memory skills
Ethnic and linguistic variations, use of code switching and exposure to multiple
languages as classroom processes

Unit IV Classroom diversity and variations in learning

Influence of socio cultural factors economic abundance and limitations in access

to resources and their impact on children and childhood orientations,
Understand multiplicity in interests among children talents and skills that
children can develop
Differences in ability and inclusion of special needs in the classroom
Ecology and Childhood classroom practice to nurture among children relation
with the environment
Natural disasters and their impact on children‟s behavior and learning

Unit IV Children and ECCE Professional

Teacher as a facilitator for child participation and guidance as well as setting

routines, rhythms and variations in classroom interactions
Developmental needs and classroom processes for group and individual dynamics
Modifying classroom interactions to address child rights and sensitivity towards
social cultural contexts as also effective use of resources
Developing use of contemporary skills like use of computer (if funds allow) in the
classroom for projects and work by children
Use of media forms like films and recorded songs as allowed by resources

Unit V Common behaviour concerns in early childhood

Sensitivity to family relationships, social groupings, influences of family- school

relations on interactions and classroom adjustment.
Language development, communication, limitation of dominant language and
bilingual aptitude, ways to include child‟s multiple languages in classroom
Sensitivity to emotions and emotional expressions of fear, shyness, curiosity,
jealousy, joy and developing friendships
Sensitivity to developing child, differences / excessive behaviours such as
shy/aloof child, quiet /reflective child, reserved / spontaneous child, restless/
hyperactive child, preventing any labeling of the child
Accessing assistance from child experts or counselors to seek support for children

26

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 Development, contexts and learning in early childhood
(Practical)
This practical will enable emerging ECCE teachers to relate theoretical concepts with
classroom processes. The guided interaction will prepare learners for meaningful and
interactive placement in ECCE settings. Preparing how to engage with children will
inculcate a sense of planning and readiness in dealing with children and experience hands
on the developmental range in responses.

30+70 hours. Practical 100 marks

I Observations- participant and non participant for
organizing free and structured play to observe & engage with children
Group games for skill development- use of checklist method to observe
interaction, playfulness, use of language, disagreements, conflict
resolution and problem solving

II Planning and implementation of activities with “developmental domain” as

the organizing principle
Children‟s notion of natural phenomena, mathematical and scientific
concepts, concept of time, distance, space, direction
Linguistic skills to engage in conversations, narrations/oral expressions
Social interactions like modeling relationships to inculcate the importance
of friendship, conflict resolution, cooperation, sharing, turn taking and
entering social groups
Celebration of festivals, food fair, region days to experience cultural
appreciation, different perspectives, languages and gender sensitivity

III Nurturing creativity and expression and development with “interaction” as

the organizing principle
Planning activities with children as active participants
Arts, performance and conversations as basis for learning with simple
stories, songs and playful engagement with children
Use of puppets, flash cards, posters, charts, story telling, drama and role
play, music, drawing and dialogue

IV Learning and space as the organizing principles

The approach such as “air, water, our needs, myself, festivals, our
weather”
Play and games both indoor and outdoor

27

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 V Assessment and evaluation
Growth monitoring- maintaining cumulative health records
Simple texts to understand child‟s reading readiness, comprehensiveness,
development appropriateness
Awareness of assistance in case of developmental delays or emotional
concerns

VI Developing reporting skills and field visits

Report writing
Talking with parents
Sharing classroom experiences with colleagues
Primary settings (class I and II) in the government, public, and alternate
schools run by NGO or individuals
Plan field visits with children to local facilities, parks, fire station, post
office

VII Case profile of a child with special needs in an inclusive set up

COURSE VIII
Pedagogy in Early Childhood Education
Introduction
The second course on curriculum and pedagogy further expands issues in teaching
learning. Concrete and direct interaction promotes asking of questions and unfolding of
information. A good base to initiate thinking, reasoning and problem solving is to adopt
multiple approaches to engage with children keeping in mind the domains of growth,
innovative use of materials and space. The curriculum planning for concept building and
skills in numbers and literacy uses multiple methods including the arts as basis for
learning. Curriculum and pedagogy is closely intertwined with innovative ways to stoke
imagination and curiosity in early childhood
Objectives: the course will enable the ECCE teacher to

refine methods for classroom transactions for the evolving capacities of young
children
28

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 develop methods and approaches for the growth and development of language and
communication skills
Create among children a love for numbers and pre numeracy related vocabulary
Use of arts to bring innovation and variety in classroom transactions

100 Marks Theory 100 Hours

Unit 1 Methods and approaches in classroom

Children as active learners and participants
Balancing between discipline- participation, exploring and mediation, self
directed and guided activity
Thematic approach, Play-way method, activity method and project method
Multi grade teaching, peer tutoring and cooperative learning
Equipment, materials and diverse ways of using materials

Unit II Development of language and communication

Promoting listening, oral expression through multiple methods
Speaking, vocabulary and expressive language competencies
Addressing multiple languages and concept of code switching
Building reading skills with multiple approach alphabet, word and whole word
approach, sentence and phonetic methods
Introduction and development of writing skills

Unit III Development of number, counting and number operations

Early development of vocabulary for size, shape, quantity and measurement of

mathematical concepts
Matching, sorting, ordering and classifying objects and numerals
Understanding addition and subtraction
Counting, one to one correspondence, enumeration, backward counting,
estimation
Games, puzzles, daily life activities as tools to expand mathematical concepts

Unit IV Teaching of environmental studies, science and social studies

Ways to encourage children to observe phenomena, understand body and relation
with the world
Natural and experimental situations to promote curiosity and spirit of enquiry
Food, health, hygiene and cleanliness
Festivals, celebrations and understanding of diversity as classroom resource
Recycling and reuse of resources, avoiding wastage

29

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 Pedagogy in Early Childhood Education
(Practical)
Practical hands on experience will help ECCE trainees to develop and devise actual
teaching –learning materials for concept building and strategies to engage children to
develop communication skills and independence. The material and methods developed in
this mentorship mode will be used by the prospective ECCE teacher in the setting of
schools with children.
Objectives: with hands on experience the ECCE teacher will be able to develop
content and methods of classroom processes for children to learn concepts
strategies to promote growth and development in different domains with a whole
child perspective
variety of materials to energize interactions for stoking children‟s intellectual
curiosity and imagination
steps for teaching of numbers and math concepts, language and vocabulary
Inculcate in children a scientific temper and spirit of inquiry

100 marks Practical 30+70 Hours

I Devising strategies to develop concept of number, counting and number

operations

Use of creative forms to develop concept of number: counting objects and

identifying that each one corresponds to a number, number operations- addition,
subtraction by climbing up and going down the ladder, use of abacus, puzzles,
rods
Exposing to a variety of measuring instruments and describing their use
Geometric forms & shapes(circle, square, triangle, rectangle, star)
Preparing worksheets: finding the odd one out; cards and other materials for
matching, sorting, ordering

II Planning and organizing activities for language and communication skills

Introduction to alphabet- word-sentence and phonemes in a sequence
Making a picture dictionary for children
Encouraging children to talk about their experiences and events in the form of a
story, to look at a picture and to describe the main elements of a story
Encouraging sight-reading
Exposing children to: library as a place to read, borrow books/videos; a variety of
literary forms for enjoyment and informational purpose- a story, a letter, sign,
poem, book

30

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 Present children with alphabets in their printed form and encourage them to say
each letter‟s sound
Expose children to alphabets in their various forms- upper and lower case and
encourage them to recite it
Encourage children to create their own versions of a variety of literary forms
using pictures, scribble, and/ or conventional writing for enjoyment and to record
and communicate ideas, feelings and information
Expose children to computer/ A.V Tape recorder as a tool for variety of purposes
such as communication, creative activities; present to them verbal names for parts
of a computer and the places where we can find computers

III Designing activities to promote understanding of environmental and

scientific concepts by means of

Structured activities for understanding cause and effect; games and activities for
predicting; guessing from clues; living and non-living things; concept of light and
shadow
Nature walks and directing attention to observe phenomena and report
Engaging with diversity by use of local rhymes, story telling, songs, types of
weather
Addressing multiplicity by use of bilingual terms to promote awareness and
identity
Celebration of special events like republic day, independence day
Free conversations and informal talks- man made and natural resources; natural
and man made disasters- earthquake; safety- at home, in school, on road,
conservation and reuse of resources

IV Plan and conduct a group activity in the classroom using play way, activity
or project method.

V Prepare a poster or a set of flash cards to make the children aware about the
importance of having balanced diet, healthy food options and maintain personal
hygiene and cleanliness

COURSE IX
Organizational Behaviour
Introduction

This course intends to develop communication skills in the ECCE teacher to engage with
parents and communities as partners in the development and socialization of young
children. The course also fosters skills in reflective thinking to evaluate and evolve as a
communicator in the classroom, identify strengths and work on weaknesses.
31

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

Organizational behaviour also opens areas of classroom strategies for balancing
discipline and juxtaposing obligations for the rights of children to actively explore,
experiment and experience. The course highlights the need for socio-cultural sensitivity
in creating a personalized environment for children. The teacher to be also is made aware
of her role as change-maker in the community
Objectives: this course will enable the ECCE teacher to

assess skills and training essential to be with young children

understand the need for balance between guiding children in contrast to only
listening to instructions.
learn and devise ways of communicating with parents, mobilize community for
appropriate care and education of young children

50 marks Theory 50 hours

Unit I Teacher quality, competence and skills

Training in pedagogy, sensitivity towards children and motivation as essential
features for being an efficient teacher
Fostering harmonious environment and effective home school relations for
children to learn and be emotionally secure
Readings about ECCE, observations of children and critical thinking on everyday
activities and long term objectives
Reflecting on classroom interactions, strengths, limitations, opportunities and
working towards making children socially comfortable
Sharing and discussing teaching- learning experiences with co-learners and
teachers, devising new strategies and resolving inter- personal conflicts
Picking up cues of deviant behavior in children and sensitivity to child‟s needs.
Building professionalism

Unit II Classroom Management

Helping children make the transition from home to ECCE setting with parental
assistance and presence in the ECCE setting
Managing large groups and mixed age groups whenever needed
Improvising ways to personalize the classroom spaces
Child participation, creative sounds and energy, discipline and teachers‟ role
Developing problem solving attitude to resolve conflicts

Unit III Working with parents, community for creative home school interactions
Setting routines to know the parents and family dynamics through workshops,
home visits and open days. Importance of helping parents understand and ease
home to school transition
32

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 Parents and community talent as resources for materials, classroom interactions
and group festivity
Orienting and collaborating with parents/community for children in ECCE setup
Workshops for evolving collaborative approach in working with parents
Developing methods to communicate with parents

Unit IV Role of ECCE professional as a change maker

Advocacy and awareness about the needs and rights of young children
Understanding the stakeholders and identifying local, folk and contemporary
methods of effective communication
Using traditional drama, role play or modern media for information, education
and communication (IEC) for advocacy for the significance of ECCE, age
appropriate interventions and early identification of disability
Community mobilization, working with parents and developing a collaborative
approach
Reflect on skills acquired, growth and changes in the self of the prospective
teacher to be an effective ECCE professional

20 marks Tutorial 15 hours

Reflect, analyze and write an essay on the change and growth experienced as
teacher trainee
Make an outline and after a class discussion share in the class your thoughts and
how they have changed from the “write up on expectations” an exercise in the
first year

.
30 marks Skill Lab 35 marks
Devise a Workshop to convey the developmental milestones and understand the
significance of early intervention
Organize community awareness programme regarding registration of birth
Communication workshop to convey the importance of health, immunization and
nutrition in early years
Awareness campaign for Child‟s right to play
Meeting with parents to convey the importance of girl‟s education

Course X
Placement in ECCE setting

33

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

150 marks Internship 60 days

Orientation to the internship

The orientation should prepare the ECCE teacher's participation in classroom processes
and facilitate pleasant interactions. S/he should be able to follow school rules and get
acquainted with the schedules.
The ECCE teacher should read the whole internship syllabus and be aware of the
expectations of the course of internship. This would help the teacher to structure her
experience and link it to the evaluation in the end.
Objectives: This field placement will enable the ECCE teacher to
learn the nuances of working with children and develop ways for meaningful
participation
have sustained engagement with ECCE programme and realize the goals for
children‟s growth and development
observe children‟s behaviour, participate in classroom processes and devise
appropriate intervention

A. Readiness for working in the ECCE classroom

I Observation and rapport Formation
Observation of classroom
Letting children know you
Conversations
Playful interactions such as run and catch, structured ball play or any familiar
games

II Observing the teacher and making notes

Style of interactions
Nature of language
Unique features of children and teacher‟s interactions
Things to learn and avoid

III Working with the teacher

In the school environment
Recording the kind of activities the ECCE teacher conducts
Nature of involvement and nature of experience
i. Joyful
ii. Restraints and limitations
iii. Full participation

34

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

B. On the job learning

IV Preparing activities in different domains and conducting one activity per day

V Hands on experience of full day with distribution of activities

VI Participation in full activities and conducting a workshop for parents

C. FEEDBACK
VII Evaluating and reflecting
Trainee‟s experiences and evaluating changes
Make a note of progress in children
Present the school with a summary of your experiences

Readings for the courses

Early childhood in contemporary India

1. Aries, P. (1962). Centuries of childhood: A social history of family life. Paris:
Vintage books
2. Bowman, B.T., Donovan, S. and Burns, S, M. (2001). (Ed.). Eager to learn:
educating our preschoolers. United States: National Academies Press.
3. Corsaro, W.A. (1997). The sociology of childhood. London: Sage.
4. Ministry of women and Child Development, GOI. ( 2007). Report of working
group on Development of Children- For the eleventh five year plan.
5. Myers, R. G. (1992). The twelve who survive: strengthening programmes of early
childhood development in the Third World. London: Routledge.
6. Jha, M. (2002). School beyond walls. London: Sage.
7. Kakar, S. (1980). The Inner World. New Delhi: Oxford University Press
8. Kumar, K. (1993). "Study of Childhood and Family." In Saraswati, T. S. and B.
Kaur (Eds.), Human development and family studies in India, (pp. 67-76). New
Delhi: Sage
9. NIPCCD, (2006). Select issues concerning ECCE India. Background paper
prepared for the Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2007 Strong
foundations: early childhood care and education.

35

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 10. Pattnaik, J. (1996). Early Childhood Education in India: History, Trends, Issues,
and achievements. Early Childhood Education Journal, 24(1), 11-16. Retrieved
October, 6, 2009. http://www. Jstor.org.
11. Peltzman, B. R. (1998): Pioneers of Early Childhood Education: A Bio-
Bibliographical Guide. London.
12. Ramachandran, V. (2003). Getting children back to school. Case studies in
Primary education. New Delhi: Sage
13. Sariah. C. (2009). (ed). Perspectives in education- A golden jubilee volume of
J.S.S Mahavidyapeeth. Banglore: Print Park.
14. Saraswathi, T. S. (2003). Cross cultural perspectives in Human Development,
Theory, research & application. New Delhi: Sage
15. Saraswathi, T.S. and Kaur, B. (Eds.). (1993). Human development and family
studies in India: an agenda for research and policy. New York: Sage
16. Schonfeld, H. O'Brien, S. and Walsh, T. (Eds.). (2004). Questions of Quality:
Proceedings of a conference on Defining, Assessing and Supporting Quality in Early
Childhood Care and Education. Dublin: The Centre for Early Childhood
Development & Education
17. Seminar,462, February 1998, Childhood.
18. Seminar, 543 February 2005, Reclaimimg Childhood.
19. Seminar. 574 June 2007. Children first.
20. Sharma, D. (1996). Childhood, family, and sociocultural change in India:
reinterpreting the inner world. London: Oxford university press.
21. Taneja, V.R. and Taneja, S. (2006). Educational Thinkers. United States: Atlantic
Publishers & Distributors, 2006
22. Viruru. R, (2002). Early childhood education: postcolonial perspectives from
India. New York: Sage
23. Working Group on Children under Six, (December, 29, 2007). Strategies for
children under six. Economic and political weekly. 87-100.

Rights of the Child

36

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 1. Aradhya, N. & Kashyap, A. (2006). The ‘Fundamentals’ Right to Education in
India.Bangalore: Books for Change.
2. Bandyopadhyay, R. (Feb. 16, 1991). Education for an Enlightened Society: A
Review. Economic and Political Weekly, 26 (7), pp. 359-372
3. Bernard van Leer Foundation. (July, 2004). Children are our future: Survival and
development are simultaneous, development is not something that occurs after
survival. Submission to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child
Day of Discussion: Implementing Child Rights in Early Childhood
4. Chatterjee, B. (2006). Education for All: The Indian Saga. New Delhi: Lotus
Press
5. Raina, V. (2009). Right to education. Seminar. 593

Development during First six years

1. Berk, L. (2006). Child development. New York: Allyn & Bacon
2. Exupery, A.D. (1995). The Little Prince. Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editors Ltd
3. Hardamn, M.l., Drew, C.J., and Egan, M.W. (2005). Human Exceptionality:
society, school and family. Boston: Allyn and Bacon
4. Holt, J. (1967). How children learn. New York: Delacorte Press.
5. Santrock. (2006). Child Development. New York: Mc Graw- Hill.
6. Swaminathan, M. (1998). The first five years: a critical perspective on early
childhood care and education in India. New York: Sage

Developmental contexts and learning

1. Berk, L. (2006). Child development. New York: Allyn & Bacon
2. Bowman, B.T., Donovan, S. and Burns, S, M. (Ed.). (2001). Eager to learn:
educating our preschoolers. United States: National Academies Press.
3. Hardamn, M.l., Drew, C.J., and Egan, M.W. (2005). Human Exceptionality:
society, school and family. Boston: Allyn and Bacon
4. Love, J. et al (2003). Child Care Quality Matters: How Conclusions May Vary
with Context. Child Development, 74(4), pp. 1021-1033
37

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 5. Myers, R. G. (1992). The twelve who survive: strengthening programmes of early
childhood development in the Third World. London: Routledge.
6. Myers, R. G. (2004). In Search of Quality in Programmes of Early Childhood
Care and
7. education (ECCE).A paper prepared for the 2005 EFA Global Monitoring Report
8. Smith, M. S. and Lytle, S. (1999). Relationships of Knowledge and Practice:
Teacher Learning in Communities. Review of Research in Education, 24, pp. 249-
305
9. Santrock. (2006). Child Development. New York: Mc Graw- Hill
10. Shukla, R.P.(2004): Early Childhood Care and Education. Sarup & Sons
11. Swadener,B.B. Kabiru, Njenga. (2000). Does the village still raise the child?: a
collaborative study of changing childrearing and early education in Kenya. SUNY
series, early childhood education Early Childhood Education - Inquiries and
Insights Series

Care, Early Interaction and Pedagogy

1. Anandalakshmy,S.(2009). Activity based learning: a report on an innovative
method in Tamil Nadu.
2. Bowman, B.T., Donovan, S. and Burns, S, M. (Ed.). (2001). Eager to learn:
educating our preschoolers. United States: National Academies Press.
3. Badheka, G. (2009). Diwaswapna. Gujrat: Adarsk Prakashan.
4. Dhankar, R. (2009). Notion of a Teacher to Guide Teacher Education
Programmes and School Improvement. Solution Exchange for the Education
Community Discussion Summary
5. Deiner, P. L. (2009). Inclusive Early Childhood Education: Development,
Resources, and Practice. Belmont: Cengage Learning
6. Clarke, P. (2001). Teaching &learning: the culture of pedagogy. New York: Sage
7. Gammage, p. (2008). The social agenda and early childhood care and education.
Can we really help create a better world? Online outreach paper 4. The Hague:
Bernard van Leer Foundation

38

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 8. Gupta, A. (2006). Early Childhood Education, Postcolonial theory & teaching
practices in India- Balancing vygotsky and Vedas. New York: Palgrave
Macmillan.
9. National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). (2003).
Early Childhood Curriculum, Assessment and Program Evaluation: Building an
Effective, Accountable System in Programs for Children Birth through Age 8,”
Washington, D.C.: Authors. Available on line at:
(www.naeyc.org/resources/positionstatements/pscape.asp)
10. NCERT, (2006). position paper, national focus group on early childhood
education
11. NCERT, (2006). position paper, national focus group on Teacher education for
curriculum renewal
12. NCERT, (2006). position paper, national focus group on Curriculum, syllabus and
textbooks.
13. NIPCCD, (2006). Select issues concerning ECCE India. Background paper
prepared for the Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2007 Strong
foundations: early childhood care and education.
14. NCERT ppt. Curricular framework. Early childhood care and education
15. Puckett, M. B. and Diffily, D. Teaching young children: an introduction to the
early childhood profession. Canada: Thompson Delmar Learning
16. Siraj_Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Muttock, S. Gilden, R & Bell, D. (2002).
Researching effective Pedagogy in the Early Years. Research Report No 356.
University of Oxford: Department of educational studies

Pedagogy in Early Childhood

1. Moyles, J. & Hargreaves, L. (1998). The primary curriculum. Learning from
international perspectives. London: routledge
2. National association for the education of young children, July 1998. Learning to
read and Write: developmentally appropriate practices for young children. 53 (4),
30-46.

39

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 3. Burtonwood, N. (2002). Anthropology, Sociology and the Preparation of
Teachers for a culturally Plural Society. Pedagogy, Culture and Society. 10(3),
367-387.
4. Ramachandran,V. & Bhattacharjea, S.( august 1, 2009) Attend to Primary
Schoolteachers! Economic and political weekly. vol xliv no 31, 17-20
5. Neuman, S., Dwyer, J. & Koh, S. (2007). Child/Home early language and literacy
observation. Baltimore: Brookes Publishing House
6. NCERT (2007). Handbook of arts in education
7. Taylor, D. (Feb, 1990) Teaching without Testing: Assessing the Complexity of Children's
Literacy Learning. English Education, 22(1), pp. 4-74

Organisational Behavior
1. Axline, V.M. (1964). Dibs in search of self. New York: Ballentine books
2. Clarke, P. (2001). Teaching &learning: the culture of pedagogy. New York: Sage
3. Thomson, C.L., Holmberg, M.C., Baer, D.M., Hodges, W. L., and Moore, S.G.
(1978). An Experimental Analysis of Some Procedures to Teach Priming and
Reinforcement Skills to Preschool Teachers. Monographs of the Society for
Research in Child Development. 43 (4), pp 1-86.
4. Kress, J.S., Norris, J. A., Schoenholz, D. A., Elias, M.J., and Seigle, P. (Nov.,
2004). Bringing Together Educational Standards and Social and Emotional
Learning: Making the Case for Educators. American Journal of Education, 111
(1), pp 66-89
5. Torkington, K. and Landers, C. Enhancing the Skills of Early Childhood Trainers:
Rationale for experimental: Volume 4 of Enhancing the Skills of Early Childhood
Trainers, Kate Torkington. The Hague: Bernard van Leer Foundation.

Organizational Management
1. Clarke, P. (Feb., 2003). Culture and Classroom Reform: The Case of the District
Primary Education Project, India. Comparative Education, 39 (1), pp. 27-44

40

ECCE NCTE June, 2010

 2. Hilderbrand, V. (1984). Management of Child Development Centre. New York:
Collier MacMillan
3. Jewell E. Cooper Strengthening the Case for Community-Based Learning in
Teacher Education. Journal of Teacher Education, Vol. 58, No. 3, 245-255 (2007)
4. Joshi, A. (April, 2009). What do teacher-child interactions in early childhood
classrooms in India look like? Teachers' and parents' perspectives. Early Child
Development and Care, 179 (3), pp 285 - 301
5. Sen Gupta, M. (2009). Early Childhood Care and Education. New Delhi: PHI
Learning Pvt. Ltd.

41

ECCE NCTE June, 2010