The Mosaic Approach – Listening to our Youngest Learners

1 day course

‘You have the right to give your opinion and for adults to listen and take it seriously.’ United Nations – Rights of the Child

How does this translate to the school setting? How can young children’s views and experiences become the focus for reviewing the quality of our provision and practice? This course outlines a framework, The Mosaic Approach, for listening to, and consulting children on their perspectives with regard to their daily lives and school experience.

The Mosaic Approach is a multi-method approach in which children’s own photographs, tours and maps can be connected with other forms of assessment to gain deeper understanding of children’s perspectives.  It also has massive potential as a tool to use with older children, particularly those with communication difficulties or for whom English is an additional language.

Course participants will: 

• Consider what ‘consultation’ with young children looks like and how best to listen to learners.
• Reflect on how listening to children directly links to recognising and addressing the needs and interest of young learners .
• Explore the direct benefits of consultation with young children within schools and settings.
• Reflect on the principles that underpin consultation with young children and how this can be used to develop units of inquiry for CfW 2022.
• Deliberate on the possible barriers to effectively consulting with children.
• Explore practical methods that can be used to consult with young children.

Target Audience: Nursery and Reception Teachers, and School Leaders