WSQ Advanced Certificate in Early Years

Accredited by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA)

COURSE OVERVIEW

The WSQ Advanced Certificate in Early Years (ACEY) is a required professional qualification for an educarer working with children aged 2 months to 3 years.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Learn an overview of the history and theories behind early childhood care and education
• Understand various domains and stages of development for children from birth to 3 years as these must be portrayed in the context of work experience of educarers to help them reflect, assess and improve their current practices.
• Have a more in-depth understanding of the guiding principles, outcomes and sub-outcomes of the Early Years Development Framework (EYDF).
• Apply and implement the suggested practices stated in the EYDF in their work with young children and families.
• Equip with necessary skills and practical knowledge to plan and implement programmes, curriculum and environments for the following age groups:
  • Infants (2 to 18 months)
  • Toddlers (Above 18 to 30 months)
  • Nursery children (Above 30 to 36 months)
• Equip with the skills to engage in reflective practice
• Equip with relevant skills to work collaboratively with colleagues, parents and families, as well as key stakeholders in the community to support children’s care, learning and development

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Academic Requirements:

• For applicants with local Singapore academic qualifications, applicant must have completed at least Secondary Four (4) education.
• For applicants with non-local Singapore academic qualifications, applicant must have completed at least 10 years of formal education.

Language Requirements:

• Attained  an average SOA 5 in the WPL series, including an SOA 5 for WPL (Writing)

Note: This only applies to applicants who do not possess a credit in GCE ‘O’ level EL1 or acceptable alternatives.

HEALTH CLEARANCE Requirement: Please refer to the following link under childcare link for health clearance requirement: http://www.childcarelink.gov.sg/ccls/uploads/CCC_Guide.pdf 

SSG Course Reference Number-TGS-2019502311

Module Synopsis

Overview and Introduction to Early Years Landscape in Singapore (WSQ Adopt the Early Years Development Framework )

Child’s interactions and relationships

The purpose of the Early Years Development Framework (EYDF) is to familiarise educarers with the tool, translating its principles into good practices at child care centres to support the overall development of children aged 3 and below.

Development of Child secure attachments

• The developing child
• The intentional program
• The involved family
• The engage family

Principles and Practices in Early Years Care, Development and Learning

Understanding the Centre’s Vision, Mission, Values and Culture

This module focuses on principles and practices involved in the early years development to provide an overview of developmental perspectives on early years care, development and learning. It will also impart philosophies and pedagogical approaches, policies and guidelines for student to incorporate educational philosophies into the Centre’s vision, mission, values and culture.

Identify How Children (birth to age 3) Learn and Develop     

This module will give learners an introduction to child development as an area of study which includes the main child development theories. The module will assist learners to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the major theories of learning and development
• Demonstrate ability to apply this knowledge in understanding the development of children from birth to three years
• Gain an understanding of prenatal and neonatal development
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the developmental milestones from birth to 3 years  old

Culturally and Developmentally Appropriate Practices

Group Care for early years has been an on-going local concern regarding the value and standard of care in centre-based child care services for very young children infants from birth to three years. The notion of group care implies the care of children by adults, hopefully trained, who manage tasks with the division of each day into predetermined routines to promote a sense of routine and order. The image of protective care for children that endorsed children as passive and dependent on adults for their wellbeing is already the past. The image of group care for young children has been transformed with the professionalization of care in early childhood education and care (ECEC) services in Singapore.

PROGRAMME PLANNING AND PEDAGOGY

Planning and Implementing Holistic Experiences for Early Years Development

This module explores the pedagogical sphere of the Early Years programme. It will bring learners through the various dimensions and highlights of the early learning experiences and equip student the necessary skills in planning and executing holistic learning experiences for children from birth to 3 years.

The module will assist learners to understand the roles of an educarer in facilitating learning experiences that support children as they move through the stages of development. The student will also acquire the knowledge and skills to plan and implement a holistic needs-based early year’s programme and equip with skills to engaged in reflective practices.

Observing, Planning and Implementing Appropriate Experiences in Early Years

As observations are a key element to a child’s learning journey, this module introduces the learners to observation and appraisal of children’s behaviour. It examines different observation techniques and how these tools could be used effectively to examine young children’s learning and development in the early years of life (birth – 3 years old). The advantages and disadvantages of each observation methods will be discussed to help the learners identify the appropriate observation methods to use during different situations.

THE EARLY YEARS ENVIRONMENT

Designing Early Years Environment

The physical environment of an early year’s care and education facility is very critical to its programme. Young children grow, develop, and learn best in a nurturing environment where they feel safe, cognitively challenged, motivated, empowered, and emotionally connected. We believe that the environment gives important messages and cues to children as they explore it daily. It is important that the educarers are aware of how and what their learning and caring environments “speaks” to the young children. The organisation of space can affect the behaviour of people in it, and influence the learning and well-being of children. This module, therefore aim to assist the student to organise space and equipment to support and promote the developmental needs of infants, toddlers and young children in a comfortable, safe and inviting learning and caring environment.

Health, Safety and Well-being

Health, Hygiene, Safety and Nutrition Practices

This module focuses on management of children in the areas of nutrition, health, hygiene and safety. It equips learners with basic skills and knowledge in first aid and emergency management. The learners will

identify their roles as educarers in providing a safe environment and handle common accidents and emergencies for children from birth to 3  years old.

Partnership with Families and the Community

Partnership between Family and Centre

This module will provide learners with an understanding of the importance of building partnership with Families. Learners will explore ways on how to strengthen relationship between home and centre/kindergarten.

Partnership and Collaboration with Communities

This module will provide learners with an understanding of the importance of building partnership with the Community.

Learners will explore ways on how to strengthen relationship between the centre and how to develop a community network.

Personal Growth and Professional Development

Professional Development and Reflective Practitioner

This module aims to help learners develop personal strength in terms of inter-personal and communication skills which enhances their professional role and foster a positive sense of identity and an increased level of self-confidence. Learners will be able   to demonstrate an understanding of their professional goals, engage in reflective, creative learning, thinking and self-evaluation

Professional Value and Code of Ethics of Educarer

This module assists learners to understand the ethical practices and strengthen their sense of professionalism in relation to the roles and Code of Ethics and development.

Teamwork and Collaboration at Work

Learners will be able to apply effective communication and interpersonal skills in enriching their daily interactions. Learn about teamwork skills and collaboration with colleagues and other professionals.

PROFESSIONAL PLACEMENT

Practicum for Early Years

This  practicum  strand  is  intended  to  provide  educarers  with  opportunities  to  undergo practical experience in infant care/child care centre setting. They will apply child development theories and principles in their respective work settings guided by experienced mentors and field supervisors. They will be actively involved in real classroom setting and explore various methodologies to improve teaching practices. Educarers will also collaborate with the teachers and parents in the infant care/child care centre to ensure that the learning experiences  and  environments  for  the  children  are  also  interesting,  meaningful  and wholesome.