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Curriculum and Assessment

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This essay will aim to look at how curriculum and assessment are being operated in two different early years settings. The settings under examination are 3-5 year olds and 5-8 year olds. We will start with the definitions of curriculum and assessment and the relationships between them. After that, I will explore similarities and differences between approaches to curriculum and assessment in the two settings.

Curriculum is an integrated system drawing together every element for learning and teaching, including learning outcomes, learning areas, teaching strategies, evaluation and assessment to help with children’s learning progression (MacLachlan, Fleer& Edwards, 2010). Curriculum refers to “all the experiences, activities and events, whether direct or indirect, which occur within an environment designed to foster children’s learning and development” (Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations [DEEWR], 1996). Early childhood educators regard ‘the curriculum’ as a guidance of learning instructions and assessment (Baxter, 2012). A good curriculum can offer the expert guidance, evidence of effectiveness and flexibility. It enables early childhood educators to draw upon a comprehensive view of early years education linked to their own observations and experiences; therefore educators set up and modify learning programs accordingly and timely (Early Childhood Australia, 2013).

Assessment can be described as the process of finding out what children know, understand and can do by observing their learning, gathering information and analyzing data (DEEWR, 2009). Mclachlan, Fleer and Edwards (2010) note assessment is all the ways that families and teachers observe children’s behaviors and try to interpret them. Accordingly, educators use assessment to build up a holistic view of children’s learning and development (Department of Education and Early

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