Early Childhood Development (ECD) Course One - Introduction to Childcare Practices in the South African Context (From Birth to Five Years)

This short course introduces you to the topic of teaching and learning in the early years of a child’s life. The theory learned during your studies will help you understand children’s needs within the childcare environment. You will find entering into a child’s world fascinating, and what you learn by doing this course will give you good grounding for working with young children.

The contact sessions in which you will participate as part of this course will discuss ECD, the role of the teacher, how to establish a baby care centre, the daily programme in a pre-school, and certain aspects of the South African Education curriculum. It will introduce you to the psychological theory, which will in turn help you to understand the early childhood development needs of each age group. The session will also afford you the opportunity to take part in discussions, group session and individual tasks to promote your understanding of the course content. The course will provide you with the knowledge necessary to carry out the duties of a professional ECD practitioner or caregiver.