QUALITY STORYTENTS

A resource for family, early childhood and community literacy workers

Developmentally Appropriate Practice & the Social Context of Learning

In the context of early childhood education, humanistic thinking appears under the banner of Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP). This approach became widely known after an American organization, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), published a position paper highlighting the need to individualize curriculum and assessment, and to take into account the age, culture, interests, and physical and emotional development of each child (Bredekamp, 1987). This view of education is holistic. It says the whole person is involved in learning. DAP also promotes a play-based learning approach, similar to what Auerbach (2002) calls "embedded literacy"; that is, learning that takes place in the context of a task the learner engages in for non-educational reasons.

However, DAP goes beyond conventional play-based learning, and treats learning as a social event in which a child's relationships with adults and older children play a crucial role. The theory behind this approach comes from Vygotsky who described learning as “a form of social transaction with more competent peers and adults” (Iturrindo & Vega, nd). According to Vygotsky, "human learning presupposes a specific social nature as a process by which children grow into the intellectual life of those around them" (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 88). Bredekamp et al (1992) express a similar idea: "We believe that from the time of birth, all children are ready to learn [though] what we do or don't do as individuals, educators, and collectively as society can impede a child's success in learning." (Bredekamp et al, 1992, p. 1). The challenge for anyone wishing to facilitate successful learning, therefore, is to provide for an appropriate environment, content and relationship.