, PLEASE USE THIS DOCUMENT AS A GUIDE ONLY
QUESTION 1
1. Define the following concepts:
a) Early Childhood Development (ECD) is an umbrella term referring to programmes and
interventions in children's lives from birth to the time they start formal schooling. In South Africa, it
is referred to as programmes and interventions in the lives of children from birth to nine years
(HED4808, Study Guide, p. 11).
b) Dominant/Western discourse is the ideologies of those who wield power. These ideologies are
taken as the only truth to be embraced by all and influence policies and programmes globally
(HED4808, Study Guide, p. 7). It represents the Western way of life and philosophies underpinning
their life world view on children's development (HED4808, Study Guide, p. 31).
c) Indigenous/local discourse is the native way of knowing that resists the dominant discourse as the
only way of knowing. It is borne out of the quest for the indigenisation of knowledge in the African
context. It appeals to include all knowledge and that some knowledge is context specific but
contributes towards human wellbeing (HED4808, Study Guide, p. 7).
d) Child agency is the capacity of children to actively participate in matters affecting them. Children
are individuals with the capacity to determine what they want - and thus take control of their own
lives (HED4808, Study Guide, p. 52). It is the right of children to be given opportunities to
participate actively in their own lives, including making decisions (HED4808, Study Guide, p. 67).
e) Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) is a child-centred approach to instruction that views
the child as the primary source of the curriculum and recognises young children's unique
characteristics (HED4808, Study Guide, p. 7). It is an approach to caregiving and education of young
children that takes into cognisance their developmental stages, needs and cultural backgrounds, with
activities tailored to children's capabilities and stages of development (HED4808, Study Guide, p.
52).
, QUESTION 2
2. Answer the following short questions:
a) State two purposes of ECD from the Western/international perspective.
To emancipate women and allow them to enter the labour market (HED4808, Study Guide, p.
12).
To prepare children for a better start for formal schooling (HED4808, Study Guide, p. 12).
b) Identify two characteristics of indigenous ECD practices.
It was the responsibility of mothers to develop traits and characters acceptable to the African
communities that promoted smooth development and transition from one phase to the other
(HED4808, Study Guide, p. 9).
It is alive and exists alongside the institutionalised Western conception of ECD but is given
little or no recognition by multinationals and governments (HED4808, Study Guide, p. 9).
c) What is meant by childhood as a social construct?
Childhood as a social construct means that there is not one definitive explanation of the word. It is
understood to be a period between infancy, depending on the social construction, meaning the
structural and cultural component of societies as the word is never understood and used the same.
We have many childhoods depending on the lens used by each society (HED4808, Study Guide, p.
7).
QUESTION 1
1. Define the following concepts:
a) Early Childhood Development (ECD) is an umbrella term referring to programmes and
interventions in children's lives from birth to the time they start formal schooling. In South Africa, it
is referred to as programmes and interventions in the lives of children from birth to nine years
(HED4808, Study Guide, p. 11).
b) Dominant/Western discourse is the ideologies of those who wield power. These ideologies are
taken as the only truth to be embraced by all and influence policies and programmes globally
(HED4808, Study Guide, p. 7). It represents the Western way of life and philosophies underpinning
their life world view on children's development (HED4808, Study Guide, p. 31).
c) Indigenous/local discourse is the native way of knowing that resists the dominant discourse as the
only way of knowing. It is borne out of the quest for the indigenisation of knowledge in the African
context. It appeals to include all knowledge and that some knowledge is context specific but
contributes towards human wellbeing (HED4808, Study Guide, p. 7).
d) Child agency is the capacity of children to actively participate in matters affecting them. Children
are individuals with the capacity to determine what they want - and thus take control of their own
lives (HED4808, Study Guide, p. 52). It is the right of children to be given opportunities to
participate actively in their own lives, including making decisions (HED4808, Study Guide, p. 67).
e) Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) is a child-centred approach to instruction that views
the child as the primary source of the curriculum and recognises young children's unique
characteristics (HED4808, Study Guide, p. 7). It is an approach to caregiving and education of young
children that takes into cognisance their developmental stages, needs and cultural backgrounds, with
activities tailored to children's capabilities and stages of development (HED4808, Study Guide, p.
52).
, QUESTION 2
2. Answer the following short questions:
a) State two purposes of ECD from the Western/international perspective.
To emancipate women and allow them to enter the labour market (HED4808, Study Guide, p.
12).
To prepare children for a better start for formal schooling (HED4808, Study Guide, p. 12).
b) Identify two characteristics of indigenous ECD practices.
It was the responsibility of mothers to develop traits and characters acceptable to the African
communities that promoted smooth development and transition from one phase to the other
(HED4808, Study Guide, p. 9).
It is alive and exists alongside the institutionalised Western conception of ECD but is given
little or no recognition by multinationals and governments (HED4808, Study Guide, p. 9).
c) What is meant by childhood as a social construct?
Childhood as a social construct means that there is not one definitive explanation of the word. It is
understood to be a period between infancy, depending on the social construction, meaning the
structural and cultural component of societies as the word is never understood and used the same.
We have many childhoods depending on the lens used by each society (HED4808, Study Guide, p.
7).
