'Childcare vocabulary' tutor notes
This is the first Skillswise module designed specifically to help adults who are studying to improve their basic skills in the workplace. However, we very much hope that any adult who has a child with a childminder or at a nursery will find this material useful and engaging.
This is the first of five modules we will be producing on work-related vocabulary. After lots of consultation with tutors, professional bodies, workplace providers and the votes you cast over the summer we have shortlisted care, retail, catering / hospitality and construction trades as the other four. We chose these five on the basis of your votes and your feedback and because we felt they offered lots of scope to be of interest to people in their daily lives as well as at work.
The primary aim of the module is to enable learners to 'spell correctly words used most often in work and daily life', but the exercises within this module cover a multitude of other Level 1 curriculum points (please see below).
Other areas on the site which link in with this module are:
'Plurals'
'Look, Say, Cover, Write and Check'
How does this tie in with the curriculums?
In the Skillswise module you'll find:
Childcare vocabulary factsheets
There are two factsheets in this module. One is simply a word list, while the second one offers some hints and tips on ways to remember the more awkward spellings.
We would really like to put together a factsheet for this section with learners' hints and tips (and mnemonics!) for remembering childcare vocabulary. If your learners would like to contribute, please ask them to email their tips to skillswise.feedback@bbc.co.uk
Childcare vocabulary crossword
This is an interactive crossword that sits within the game page.
Childcare 'Look, say, cover, write and check' game
This is an interactive variation on the 'Look, say, cover, write and check' method. Learners can choose a childcare word list and then see different objects come out to cover the words. There are 3 attempts to get the word right before the next word will appear. This adds more of a game quality and challenge to the activity.
NB: 'People's Choice' contains childcare-themed word lists suggested by students via our messageboard or emails - so encourage your students to put together a list of 10 childcare words and send it in.
Childcare vocabulary quiz
A three level quiz for learners to test their understanding of childcare vocabulary. Level A is the easiest and level C the hardest.
There is a system in place that allows students to print out a certificate if they score 50% or over in the quiz. This appears as a link on the results page - click on the link and the certificate will appear in a new window. Students can write their name on the certificate once it is printed.
Childcare vocabulary worksheets
More worksheets than any other Skillswise literacy module! There are exercises on synonyms and antonyms, plural rules and changing verbs. There are also gap-fill and comprehension exercises based around childcare texts such as a nursery brochure, a nursery nurse's CV and accident report forms.
If you have any comments on these worksheets, or if you would like to contribute a worksheet of your own, please do get in touch at skillswise.feedback@bbc.co.uk
Technical help:
To get the most out of this topic area you need the following 'plug-ins':
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Flash
The game in this module uses the Flash browser plug-in. This is free to download and should only take a few minutes. You can follow the BBC WebWise instructions to download it to your machine.
Find out more.
If you don't have Flash the same learning points are covered in the quiz and in the worksheets and factsheets.
If you are new to the web, why not try the BBC WebWise online course, Becoming WebWise? It's free, you can do it in your own time from any computer and it will take you through everything you need to know to use the web successfully in your teaching.
Find out more about WebWise.
You can find out more about the technical requirements for Skillswise in our Help - Technical Information section.
Taking it further:
With Skillswise:
Don't forget to check out the Skillswise Lesson plans and Teaching inspirations areas for more ideas about teaching vocabulary and childcare.
If you have any worksheets or ideas about teaching childcare vocabulary, or any of the other four work areas we will be looking at (building trades, retail, catering / hospitality and care) don't forget to share! Just email us at skillswise.feedback@bbc.co.uk
On the web:
Rather unusually, we have completely failed to find other resources on the web for specifically teaching childcare vocabulary (which we like to thinks makes us unique!). If you know different, please do let us know at skillswise.feedback@bbc.co.uk
For the moment, we can offer you a range of links that should provide you with a wealth of childcare related materials you can use in class.
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BBC Parenting
There's childcare information coming out of your ears in here, from the A-Z of children's ailments to games ideas.
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National Childminding Association
A national charity that represents the interests of registered childminders across England and Wales. Includes information on how to find a childminder and how to become one.
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CACHE
Mentioned frequently in the materials in this section, CACHE is the body that develops qualifications for those working in childcare.
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OFSTED
OFSTED (The Office for Standards in Education) now oversees the regulation and registration of childcare providers. The site details the national standards and gives information on how to prepare for inspections.
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Careers advice
Think you might like to work in childcare, but not sure? Want to know how you can progress your career? There's loads of information on this government site about how to get going on a career in childcare. From a teaching point of view, there are some case studies of real childcare workers that you could use as texts in class.
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Surestart
Surestart is the government's campaign to improve UK childcare. There are answers to frequently asked questions, lots of links to other sites and a document bank. Don't be fooled by the shallow looking front page, do some clicking and you'll uncover loads of information.
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Childcare and basic skills
When you are planning your teaching it may help to look at how the adult numeracy and literacy curriculums map across the the skills needed to achieve childcare NVQs. This is a project that has been completed by the Dfes and is one of many workplace areas that they have mapped across to the adult basic skills curriculums.
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dfes Family health Module:Early childcare
You need to search the term 'child care' in the 'key word' space. This module centres on four main themes around early childcare. The first looks at the growing and developing child and gives opportunity for discussion on babies' developmental progress and the review system. The second theme focuses on play in a practical and fun way. The third theme is about medication and young children, reading prescription and medicine labels. The last theme gives scope for discussion on safety issues around the home.
Please note that the BBC is not responsible for the content of other websites.
Do you know of any great online resources for practising childcare vocabulary? Tell us about
them!
