This assignment will show a layout of an indoor classroom environment, that will include at least 4 different play areas with 5 pieces of equipment in each play area. The play area will be purposeful in supporting the holistic development of the Grade R child (PMSECL), Physical, Moral, Social, Emotional, Cognitive, Language.
Reading area will be in a quiet space of the classroom. The area will have book shelves to store and display different reading books like picture books, nursery rhymes, flash cards, big books, magazines and newspapers. The books will be rotated weekly to ensure continued interest. In this corner children will develop their language skills as they will learn to read and pronounce words, learn the meaning of big words, therefore increasing their vocabulary. They will also develop their social skills as everyone is expected to sit quietly and listen to the reader, as they take turns to read. They will develop emotionally as they get exposure to suitable children’s books. Reading will help improve their information processing skills, vocabulary and comprehension and writing skills. Reading along targets the skills of audio learns and sharpens the mind.
Writing & Spelling corner, in this area, children will discover different stationery items like khokis, markers, wax crayons, pencil crayons, soft pastels, books and picture dictionaries. There will also be colourful paper, copier paper, newspapers, magazines. Each child will have individual white board, makers and erasers. There will be number charts and flash cards. There will be scissors (for left and right handed) so they can learn to hold them and cut out pictures and different shapes.
In this corner, the children will develop their physical, social and language skills. Physically, they will learn how to handle small and sharp objects. Socially, they will develop their emotional well being as they will need to take turns looking through magazines and cutting out pictures. Language to promote knowledge and comprehension in both home and other languages. Writing helps develop the children’s cognitive growth, equips them with communication and thinking skills.
Fantasy corner, this area will house items such as Fairytale plays, Baby nursery, and Costumes of different cultures. There will also be Hospitals, Grocery stores, Libraries, kitchen appliances, house hold appliances, recipe books, cleaning utensils, puppets, dolls and doll houses, miniature food models. This corner will encourage children to interact and re-crate different roles. This is where the children will be free to express their conception of the everyday world (real world) or how they imagine it to be. Props will be changed regularly to keep children interested. They will also develop their imaginations which will encourage them to resolve problems on their own, an important skill needed in adulthood. Fantasy develops creative thinking; the children are able to imagine how things can be. In this corner, they will also develop their social and moral skills, understand that there are different kinds of people in the world with different cultures, traditions, religious beliefs and speak different languages.
Blocks & Puzzles, this requires a big area so that learners do not knock over building blocks. Blocks, puzzles and Legos to be stores in clear, marked containers. There will be measuring tape and rulers, straws and connectors. They will develop their cognitive skills as they engage in problem solving and social learning when they work together on building structures. They will also develop their gross motor skills as they will be working with small pieces. Their emotional being will play a big role as patience is required to work together to build structures, complete puzzles, take turns and work in teams. They will also develop their fine motor skills through playing games.
Numeracy, this are will have different maths materials such as games, counting frames, pattern blocks, number pegs, boards, dominos, measuring tape, shape puzzles, measuring tumblers, chain links, puzzles, geometric objects etc. Materials will be stored in labelled containers with pictures of the items to help keep order. In this corner, they will develop their cognitive being by learning concepts such as counting, comparing quantities to determine concepts of more/less, sorting, measurements and time. Numeracy helps develop skills such as problem solving, develop logical thinking and reasoning needed in their everyday activities. We need numeracy to make sense of numbers, patterns, shapes. Children will be expected to return materials to their designated locations to promote independence and organisation within the classroom.
The design of an appropriate classroom allows for experiences in areas for Reading, Writing, Fantasy, Numeracy, Block and Puzzles and holistic development of young minds.