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Whole School Plan for Aistear
1. Introductory Statement and Rationale
(a) Introductory Statement
This plan forms the basis of infant teachers’ long and short
term planning and so will influence teaching and learning in
individual classrooms.
It also informs new or temporary teachers of our approaches and
teaching methodologies in the infant classrooms.
(b) Rationale
What is Aistear?
Aistear is a curriculum framework for children from birth to six
years in Ireland. It
describes the types of learning that are important for children
in their early years. As a
curriculum framework, Aistear can work as a guide for primary
schools and teachers
in planning practical learning programmes for children in infant
classes. Aistear is to
be used together with the Infant Curriculum to plan fun and
challenging experiences
for the children in your classroom.
The importance of play in our school:
Play can make a unique contribution to the development of the
child. It is the child’s
way of making sense of the world – a learning tool that engages,
motivates,
challenges and pleases. Its purposes, and the particular
character of its activity,
provide the means by which the child can achieve an enhanced
awareness of self and
can experience a unique mode of learning. It can:
Give each child a rich oral language experience and afford the
opportunity to
experiment with different registers of language.
Give each child the opportunity to approach new knowledge
through the
dimension of imaginative activity and experience.
Give each child the opportunity to approach knowledge in the
ways that are
most suitable to him/her
Create the motivation and interest that can spur the child to
research, and thus
foster an attitude that views knowledge as essential in adapting
his/her
perception of the world.
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Provide the means by which the child can relate knowledge, in a
special way,
to previous learning and experience.
Help the child to see pattern and unity in seemingly disparate
pieces of
knowledge encountered in different subjects.
Make distant what is close and make close what is distant at
both a cognitive
and an affective level, so that aspects of life can be explored
closely enough to
afford effective examination but distant enough to provide
safety for the child.
Facilitate the child’s imaginative, intellectual, emotional and
physical
development in a contemporaneous and holistic way.
Foster the child’s creativity, invention, insight, discovery and
problem solving
through exploring actively the intuitive and the
spontaneous.
Allow the child, through the medium of play, to experience,
understand and
practise the life skills needed in reality.
Promote empathy with the ideas, attitudes and feelings of
others.
2. Vision and Aims
(a) Vision
We seek to use the Aistear framework to provide information for
teachers to help
them plan for and provide enjoyable and challenging learning
experiences, so that all
children can grow and develop as competent and confident
learners. We seek to use
the Aistear methodology as part of early intervention in the
infant classes. We intend
for all children to be exposed to wide range of vocabulary in a
practical setting in
order to improve language fluency and comprehension.
(b) Aims
We endorse the themes and aims of the Aistear framework:
Themes Aims
Well-being
Children will be strong psychologically and socially.
Children will be as healthy and fit as they can be.
Children will be creative and spiritual.
Children will have positive outlooks on learning and on
life.
Identity and Belonging
Children will have strong self-identities and will feel
respected and affirmed as unique individuals
with their own life stories.
Children will have a sense of group identity where links with
their family and community are
acknowledged and extended.
Children will be able to express their rights and show an
understanding and regard for the identity,
rights and views of others.
Children will see themselves as capable learners.
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Communicating
Children will use non-verbal communication skills.
Children will use language (listening, speaking, signing,
drawing, and writing).
Children will broaden their understanding of the world by making
sense of experiences through
language (listening, speaking, signing, drawing,
and writing).
Children will express themselves creatively and
imaginatively.
Exploring and
Thinking
Children will learn about and make sense of the world around
them.
Children will develop and use skills and strategies for
observing, questioning, investigating,
understanding, negotiating, and problem-solving,
and come to see themselves as explorers and
thinkers.
Children will explore ways to represent ideas, feelings,
thoughts, objects, and actions through
symbols.
Children will have positive attitudes towards learning and
develop dispositions like curiosity,
playfulness, perseverance, confidence,
resourcefulness, and risk-taking.
Short term Aims
To engage in full classroom planning for play during the
academic year.
To develop a suitable stock of resources for themed play.
All teachers are to develop a “Visual Timetable” to aid
planning.
All teachers are to develop a “Playtime board” to assist
children in reviewing play. The current play theme is to be clearly
identified, alongside relevant
vocabulary.
3. Types of play
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Teachers will plan four types of play in each Aistear
session.*See Appendix 4 for
sample themed plans that can be used to support these different
types of play.
Creative play: involves children exploring and using their
bodies and materials to
make and do things and to share their feelings, ideas and
thoughts. Activities can
include dancing, painting, playing with junk and recycled
materials, working with
play-dough and clay, and using their imaginations.
Language play: involves children playing with sounds and words.
It includes
unrehearsed and spontaneous manipulation of these, often with
rhythmic and
repetitive elements. Activities should encourage children to
play with language –
enjoy patterns, jokes, stories, sounds and nonsense words.
Physical play: involves children developing, practising and
refining bodily
movements and control. It includes whole body and limb
movements, co-ordination
and balance. Exploratory play involves children using physical
skills and their senses
to find out what things feel like and what can be done with
them. Manipulative play
involves practising and refining motor skills. This type of play
enhances physical
dexterity and hand-eye co-ordination. This type of play includes
manipulating objects
and materials. Constructive play involves building something
using natural and
manufactured materials. This type of play can become more
complex and intricate.
Pretend play: involves children using their imaginations. It
includes pretending with
objects, actions and situations. Children use their developing
language to move from
thinking in the concrete to thinking in the abstract. They make
up stories and
scenarios. Children act out real events and they also take part
in fantasy play about
things that are not real, such as fairies or super heroes.
Children try out roles,
occupations and experiences in their pretend play. Small world
play involves children using small-scale representations of real
things like animals, people, cars, and train
sets as play props. *See Appendix 5 for examples of role play
vocabulary.
Games with Rules: *See Appendix 2.
4. Children with Different Needs
It is the policy of our school that all children should have the
opportunity to
participate in and benefit from the full range of experiences
offered in play. In
planning for play account should be taken of the range of
differences in the school so
that all children will be given the opportunity to obtain
maximum benefit from the
session.
Teachers support and ensure the participation of children with
special needs by being aware of the level and pace at which these
children are learning.
All children are enabled to make an important contribution
regardless of academic achievement.
We adapt and modify activities so that all children in the class
can participate.
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Primarily the responsibilities of the class teacher in relation
to play are planning, delivery, support, and assessment.
The special needs teachers support and compliment the work done
in this area in their class.
The role and responsibility of the special needs assistant in
relation to play is to assist the special needs child to whom they
are assigned and to.
Children with exceptional ability/talent are encouraged and
supported to develop their full potential in the play session.
5. Linkage and Integration
Linkage
Linkage within the play session will occur where a lesson based
on one particular
strand may also draw on another strand. For example: a group of
children reflecting
on the drama that they created in role play.
Integration
Integration across curricular areas will occur where the teacher
draws on another
subject topic as a stimulus for the play session or uses play to
aid consolidation of a
particular topic.
Aistear can be used to integrate all areas of the curriculum.
For example, a play
session about “The Opticians” might include:
-Socio-dramatic play where children play in role using
pre-taught vocabulary
-An investigation area where children record items “near and
far” using magnifying
glasses.
-A story bag where children sequence and re-tell a known story
using props.
-A creative area where children design glasses and use problem
solving skills when
discussing how to cut and assemble them.
6. Assessment and Record Keeping
Aistear provides lots of information on and examples of
assessment-in-action in
different types of early childhood settings. The framework uses
five assessment
methods to gather evidence of children's learning and
development across Aistear's
themes. This evidence helps practitioners to build rich
portraits of children as learners
in order to celebrate their achievements and to help them take
the next steps in their
learning.
Records of assessment will be kept in observation notes, pupil
profiles and pupil
scrapbooks. Mainstream teachers will record reflections of play
sessions on the
NCCA Aistear short term planning template. Where possible, learn
support staff will
take part in Aistear sessions and make observation notes
alongside the mainstream
teacher.
Assessment methods:
-Self-assessment: using samples of work.
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-Conversations: one to one, paired, group and whole class.
-Observation: teacher as an observer and teacher in role.
-Setting tasks: worksheets and activities
-Testing/Questioning: reporting and reflecting on play using
photos and video clips.
What do I assess and when?
-Dispositions: curiosity, concentration, resilience, and
perseverance.
-Skills: walking, cutting, writing, and problem-solving.
-Attitudes and values: respect for themselves and others, care
for the environment,
and positive attitudes to learning and to life.
-Knowledge and understanding: classifying objects using colour
and size, learning
‘rules’ for interacting with others, finding out about people in
their community, and
understanding that words have meaning.
7. Organisational Planning
An Aistear session must include the following stages:
Planning: group discussion about the
visual timetable. Paired or group
planning of play using future tense.
10 minutes
Play: engaging with activities/material
at assigned play areas. Tidy up.
Junior Infant Play: 15-20 minutes
Junior Infant Tidy Up: 10-15 minutes
Senior Infant Play: 30 minutes
Senior Infant Tidy up: 5 minutes
Reviewing: can include oral reporting
(knee to knee), guided writing and free
writing (using the playtime vocabulary
board)
Senior Infant Review: 15 minutes
Junior Infant Review: 20 minutes
*See Appendix 3 for examples of questions that can be used to
develop planning
and reviewing.
8. Health and Safety
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Activities must be assigned to an appropriate area in the
classroom. There
must be a safe distance between play areas.
Playtime resources/props are to be stored away on shelves or on
a portable toy trolley.
Teachers are to consider the health and safety of all children
when selecting appropriate props and resources for playtime.
Rough behaviour is not tolerated even within the context of role
play and children are made aware of this beforehand.
9. Individual Teachers’ Planning and Reporting
Teachers consult this Whole School Plan and the curriculum
documents for
curriculum subjects being integrated in Aistear sessions when
they are drawing up
their long and short term plans.
Teachers use Aistear as a methodology to aid curricular
integration. Where suitable,
Aistear will be used in a thematic way to integrate with the
other curricular subjects.
Each teacher will have a long term plan for the year and will
tailor them to the needs
of their own classes in their short term planning.
Teachers should not use the term “Aistear” on their timetable.
Aistear is a play
methodology. The phrase “integrated play” should be used, to be
followed by a short
English slot for reviewing play.
The NCCA Aistear template will assist in recording work covered,
in evaluating
progress in learning and in informing future teaching. *See
Appendix 2 for the role
of the teacher during play.
10. Staff Development
Teachers will have access to reference books, resource materials
and websites
dealing with Aistear. Staff will be encouraged to observe
Aistear sessions in
infant classrooms.
All teachers will be responsible for cataloguing resources and
will arrange for
opportunities for resources to be assessed for purchase.
Access to Aistear Toolkit: http://www.ncca.ie/aisteartoolkit The
culture in our school is one that encourages the sharing of
experience and
good practice.
11. Parental Involvement
http://www.ncca.ie/aisteartoolkit
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Parents have an important role to play by discussing their
child’s playtime
experiences with them. This gives the parent a valuable role in
facilitating the
children’s playtime experiences with them.
Parents can also become directly involved in the organisation of
projects
associated with Aistear.
Parents can also assist with the compilation of toys, props and
costumes.
Parents will be made aware of the contribution that play makes
to their child’s
learning and development. (Aistear leaflets are available on the
NCCA
website)
12. Success Criteria
We shall review this whole school plan in the future under the
following headings:
How individual teacher preparation, planning and teaching
reflects this plan.
How the Aistear play methodology is working in the classroom
Resources
Progression in the use and understanding of new vocabulary,
aiding fluency
and comprehension skills.
Means of assessing the outcomes of the plan will include
Revisiting the aims of this plan as a staff
Teacher / Parent feedback
Children’s feedback
Inspectors reports / suggestions
Results of class assessment
13. Implementation (a) Roles and Responsibilities
The plan will be supported, developed and implemented by all
staff members.
The staff members will have responsibility for the following
:
Audit and recommendation of play resources for infant classes –
Sinéad
Kearney and Louise Ring
Purchase of resources for infants – all infant teachers.
14. Review
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It will be necessary to review this plan on a regular basis to
ensure optimum
implementation of Aistear as a teaching methodology. We aim to
review this plan
during the 2017/18 school year. On this date we will refer to
the tasks in our action
plan and check that they have been completed in accordance with
the agreed time
frame.
Those involved in the review will be:
Principal
All staff
BOM
Parent Policy Committee
Appendix
1. Games with rules. 2. Teacher’s role in Aistear. 3. Planning
and reviewing objectives. 4. Sample schemes of work (Junior and
Senior infant). 5. Suggested vocabulary for role play areas. 6.
List of resources
1. Games with Rules
“Games with rules” is the fifth type of play used in the Aistear
framework. It may not
always be possible to plan for this type of play during an
Aistear session as the nature
of the activities often require constant adult supervision. It
is advised that “games
with rules” are explicitly taught in the following areas:
Maths through “Ready Set Go”,
Gaeilge through “Abair Liom”,
English through “Jolly Phonics”
Through other games used across the curriculum.
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2. Teacher’s role in Aistear
Whilst the tendency to play is universally acknowledged as being
innate, increasingly
it is recognised that in order for play to flourish as a truly
enjoyable, cognitive, and
socially adaptive human ability, adult support is necessary.
Where possible, learn
support staff will take part in Aistear sessions and make
observation notes alongside
the mainstream teacher.
The role of the mainstream teacher:
Planning for play: resources, space and what the children will
learn. The teachers will use the NCCA Aistear planning template for
short term planning. Themes and specific vocabulary will be noted
in long term Drama plans. *See appendix 4 for sample schemes of
work. Supporting play: observing, documenting, facilitating and
participating in play. Teachers will remember that they are an
equal participant and will not take over the play session. The
session is to be child led and the teacher must ask the children if
they may join the session. Teachers will not interrupt the play
session in order to assess or question the children. Teachers will
alter the type and amount of support as the children grow in
confidence and competence. Reviewing play: reflecting on the
children’s play, what they learned and plan forward. *See appendix
3 for sample review questions. Teachers will use the NCCA Aistear
planning template to record short term reflections.
3. Planning and Reviewing Objectives
Sample of Teacher's Questions which develop planning skills and
use of future tense:
What are you going to do in your area today?
What toys are you going to choose? / What equipment are you
going to use?
How are you going to make that?
Why are you going to choose that?
Who are you going to play with?
Sample of Teacher's Questions which develop recount skills and
use of past tense:
Who did you play with today?
What area did you play in?
What did you do in that area?
What did you play with? / What equipment did you use?
What was your favourite part of playtime? Why?
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Reviewing play Reviewing happens at the end of the play
session.
The child considers four questions when reviewing: Who? What?
Where? and How?
The teacher should challenge easy answers, model correct grammar
and model a
clear speaking voice. The teacher will draw attention to
vocabulary on the playtime
board as it arises in conversation.
A balance between individual, group and whole class
discussion.
A balance between reflecting, listening, speaking, writing and
questioning.
Can be enhanced by use of photos and video clips of the play
session.
Imagine what might happen in the future – make choices and
consider consequences.
4. Sample Schemes of Work
Junior Infants
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*If play becomes “stale”, a sub-theme can be used to introduce
new elements to
the play session.
Month/Theme Pretend Play Language Play Creative Play Physical
Play
September 1/2: Golden rules/Tidy
Free play Free play Free play Free play
September 3/4: Golden rules/Tidy
Free play Free play Free play Free play
October1/2: School Exploring pretend play
Exploring the writing table
October3/4: Autumn Exploring pretend play
Exploring the writing table
(leaves)
Autumn art Exploring Sand pit play (pine cones, acorns, sticks,
conkers,
sycamore seeds) November 1/2: My
Home Socio-dramatic: My
Home Writing Table: My
Room Design: duvet cover
for teddy Construction: build my home
November 3/4: *Types of Homes
Socio-dramatic: My Home
Writing Table: My Dream Home
Design/Print: wallpaper
Construction: building different homes
December 1/2: Toy Workshop
Socio-dramatic: Toy Workshop
Writing table: design a toy
Cutting and sticking: matching toys
Sensory tub: snow and winter treasure
December 3/4: Toy Workshop
Socio-dramatic: Toy Workshop
Writing table: design a toy
Cutting and sticking: matching toys
Sensory tub: snow and winter treasure
January 1/2: Cafe Socio-dramatic: Cafe
Story bag: The gingerbread man
Junk Art: Making gingerbread men
Sensory tub: shaving foam coffee
January 3/4: Cafe Socio-dramatic: Cafe
Story bag: The gingerbread man
Junk Art: making cupcakes
Sensory tub: shaving foam coffee
February 1/2: Food shop
Socio-dramatic: Food shop
Writing table: my lunch box
Playdoh: making food
Exploring scissors: cutting spaghetti
February 3/4: Food shop
Socio-dramatic: Food shop
Writing table: my favourite dinner
Junk Art: making pizzas
Exploring scissors: cutting and matching food.
March 1/2: Dentist Socio-dramatic: Dentist
Story bag: the tooth fairy
Drawing: the tooth fairy
Brushing/cleaning pretend teeth
March 3/4: Dentist Socio-dramatic: Dentist
Writing table: letters for the
tooth fairy
Junk art: tooth fairy Brushing/cleaning pretend teeth
April 1/2: Garden Centre/Mini Beasts
Socio-dramatic: Garden Centre
Writing table: design seed
packets
Painting: flowers, soil and seeds
Sand/soil table: clay gardening
April 3/4: Garden Centre/ Mini beasts
Socio-dramatic: Garden Centre
Story bag: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Play-dough: mini beasts. Making fossil
prints
Sand/soil table: hiding/finding mini beasts in sand
May 1/2: Hospital Socio-dramatic: Hospital
Writing table: Miss Polly
Design: plasters Magnifying glass: drawing pictures
May 3/4: Hospital Socio-dramatic: Hospital
Writing table: prescriptions
Junk Art: Chalk X-rays
Magnifying glass: drawing pictures
June 1/2: Ice Cream Parlour
Socio-dramatic: Ice cream parlour
Writing table: my favourite ice cream
Painting: shaving foam ice cream
Exploring musical instruments
June 3/4: Ice Cream Parlour
Socio-dramatic: Ice cream parlour
Writing table: my favourite ice cream
Painting: shaving foam ice cream
Exploring musical instruments
Senior Infants
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Month/Theme Pretend Play Language Play Creative Play Physical
Play
September 1/2: Myself Role Play: free play Writing area: free
play Junk art: free play Construction: free play
September 3/4: Homes Socio-dramatic: at
home
Writing table: my home Drawing: homes Construction: homes
October 1/2: Weather Socio-dramatic: TV
weather reporter
Writing table: writing about
weather
Drawing: types of
weather
Construction: types of
weather
October 3/4: Weather Socio-dramatic: TV
weather reporter
Writing table: writing about
weather
Junk Art: types of
weather
Construction: types of
weather
November 1/2: Three Little Pigs Socio-dramatic: Three
Little Pigs
Story bag: 3 little pigs Play-dough: making
pigs
Sensory tub: Three Little
Pigs
November 3/4: Estate Agent* Socio-dramatic: Estate
Agents
Writing table: writing ads Junk art: making homes Peg board:
making homes
December 1/2: Winter Socio-dramatic: Toy
Workshop
Writing table: design a toy Design: baubles Sensory tub:
winter
December 3/4: Winter Socio-dramatic: Toy
Workshop
Writing table: design a toy Junk Art: wrapping
presents
Sensory tub: winter
January 1/2: Opticians Socio-dramatic:
Opticians
Story bag: Luna and the Big
Blur
Design: glasses Magnifying glass: near and
far
January 3/4: Opticians Socio-dramatic:
Opticians
Story bag: Luna and the Big
Blur
Design: glasses Magnifying glass: near and
far
February 1/2: Chinese Restaurant Socio-dramatic: Chinese
Restaurant
Writing table: red
envelopes
Paint: Blossom trees Sensory tub: Chinese NY
story
February 3/4: Restaurant* Socio-dramatic:
Restaurant*
Writing table: zodiac closed
procedure
Junk Art: Monkey
bookmark
Sensory tub: Chinese NY
story
March 1/2: The Vets/Frog Prince Socio-dramatic: The
Vets
Story bag: The Frog prince Junk Art: animals Sensory tub: frog
life cycle
March 3/4: The Vets/ Frog Prince Socio-dramatic: The
Vets
Writing table: If I was a
frog.
Junk art: life cycle of a
frog
Sensory tub: frog life cycle
April 1/2: Baby Clinic Socio-dramatic: Baby
clinic
Story bag: Ulchabháin Óga Design: baby grows Singing &
instruments:
lullaby
April 3/4: Baby Clinic Socio-dramatic: Baby
clinic
Story bag: Ulchabháin Óga Junk Art: teddy Singing &
instruments:
lullaby
May 1/2: Travel Agents Socio-dramatic: Travel
Agents
Writing table: Passports Water colour: Sun
holiday
Water table: Small world
swimmers
May 3/4: Airport* Socio-dramatic:
Airport/Security
Writing table: Postcards Water colour: Snow
Holiday
Water table: Small world
swimmers
June 1/2: Ice Cream Parlour Socio-dramatic: Ice
cream parlour
Ice-cream rhyme game Paint: shaving foam ice-
cream
Musical instruments: Ice
cream van music
June 3/4: Ice Cream Parlour Socio-dramatic: Ice
cream parlour
Ice-cream rhyme game Junk Art: ice-cream Musical instruments:
Ice
cream van music
5. Suggested vocabulary for role play areas
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Senior Infants
THEME DESCRIPTION VOCABULARY / PHRASES
Homes Various home
scenes: sitting
room,
kitchen...etc
I’m hungry/starving.
What would you like to eat? I’d like…
Dinner’s ready.
Could you set the table?
Could you pass me the …?
This is delicious/ tasty!
Thank you so much.
Could you help me wash up/stack the dishwasher?
Go make your bed!
Go tidy your room!
How was school?
Would you like to read a story?
Time for homework!
Weather News desk set up.
Children sit on
chairs in front
pretending to be a
family watching
TV.
Good morning/afternoon/evening.
Welcome to the SETNS weather forecast!
The weather today is …
Tomorrow it/the weather will be …
Tomorrow there will be …
cold, hot, wet, dry, cloudy, sunny, stormy, thunder and
lightning, frosty, foggy, hail, freezing fog, raining, snowing,
In the north, south, east, west
And now over to … with the news!
Make sure you bring a
coat/umbrella/sunscreen/sunglasses/wellington boots
Winter Toy Workshop.
Assembly and
quality check
areas.
Can you please pass me the hammer?
I’m looking for ….
a present for a young boy/girl.
Have you any suggestions/ideas?
How many dolls have been ordered?
This toy is ready for quality check.
This toy has to go back to the assembly area.
This toy is ready to be shipped out.
doll/puzzle/football/basketball/building bricks/Lego/Match
Attacks/computer game
Does it need batteries?
Are batteries included? Batteries are included.
Could you send this toy to the wrapping area?
Opticians Shop set up with
waiting area and
reception.
Hello. May I help you?
I’d like to get my eyesight checked.
I can’t see very well. My eyes have been hurting me.
Of course. Follow me.
Take a seat, the optician will be ready in a moment.
What is your name? How old are you?
Have you been here before?
Have you ever had your eyes tested before?
Which pair of glasses would you like?
Do these suit me?
Do you have these in another colour/style?
This pair is too tight/too loose.
Your eyesight is perfect. You don’t need glasses.
Would you like to try contact lenses?
Can you read the letters on this chart?
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How about the next line?
Chinese
Restaurant
Restaurant set up
with dining and
take away area.
Welcome to China Garden!
Have you made a reservation?
What is your name?
Table for …?
Your table’s not ready. Would you mind waiting a few
minutes?
Your table is ready.
Follow me please.
Here are your menus.
Would you like some prawn crackers?
What would you like to order?
What would you recommend?/What are the specials?
Have you an early bird menu?
I would like … for my starter/main course/dessert.
rice, chicken, beef, duck, noodles, chips, curry, sweet and
sour
Is this spicy?
What would you like to drink?
Could we have a jug of water for our table?
Could we have the bill please?
Here you go.
The food was delicious. Thank you. We will have to come
again.
Should we leave a tip? The service was excellent. I think we
should.
6. Resources
Twinkl: role play packs and worksheets
http://www.twinkl.co.uk/
Primary Treasure Chest (lots of editable resources)
http://www.primarytreasurechest.com/
Aistear toolkit http://www.ncca.ie/aisteartoolkit
NCCA Aistear planning/reflection template (page 18)
http://www.nccaplanning.ie/support/pdf/short_term_planning.pdf
Various big books and stories (available in the resource room,
library and infant classrooms).
Aistear resource packs (available in infant classrooms)
Dress up boxes (available in infant classrooms)
http://www.twinkl.co.uk/http://www.primarytreasurechest.com/http://www.ncca.ie/aisteartoolkithttp://www.nccaplanning.ie/support/pdf/short_term_planning.pdf