UNIT 5:EARLY CHILDHOOD WELFARE
Key unit competence: To use language learnt in the context of early childhoodwelfare.
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY
Observe the picture below and answer these questions:
a. What is early childhood?
b. Describe the stages of early childhood
c. What is early childhood welfare?
d. Describe the stages of early childhood welfare.
e. How should parents and care takers help in the education of a child
during stages of development?
f. Describe how an ECD centre should look like to enhance the learningof a child.
NB: Each child develops in a holistic manner. He or she requires nurturing
and support from parents, legal guardians and caregivers, who should provide
opportunities for stimulating play, early learning, good health care, nutritious
balanced diet, clean water, hygienic environment, love, safety and security so
as to grow up healthy, socially well-adapted and emotionally balanced. Services
for infants, young children, their parents, legal guardians and other caregivers
must address their needs in a holistic manner. It is impossible for one sector
alone to meet all of their requirements. Thus, it is essential that all sectors worktogether to serve young children, parents and legal guardians.
5.1 Talking about early childhood education in Rwanda
Text: Early Childhood Centers (ECDCs) in Rwanda
Read the text below describing early childhood in Rwanda and answer thequestions that follow
The government of Rwanda is committed to the establishment of ECD centers
at eachadministrative sector (2010-2017). This takes into account all young
children, boy sand girls alike, to fulfill the concern of Education for All (EFA)
goals.
Over the past decade, Rwanda has been successfully improving access to its
primary education, and it has almost achieved universal primary enrolment.
Primary net enrolment rates have increased up to 95.4% in 2010 (96% for girls),
and primary completion rates have increased from 52.5% in 2008 up to 75.6%
in 2010, putting Rwanda on track to achieve the education-related Millennium
Development Goals. Transition to lower secondary education has equally
significantly increased over the past years (from 87.9% in 2008 to 95% in 2009),
resulting in increased enrolment rates for secondary education (from 13.9% Net
enrolment rate in 2008 to 22.6% in 2010). The primary dropout rate in 2010 was
12.2% and repetition 14% indicating that the school system is failing a significant
number of children each year. International research has demonstrated that
access to quality ECD services improve children’s performance in school and
contribute substantially to improving internal efficiencies throughout the
school cycle.
In 2005, the demographic and health survey found that 70% of women with
one or two children and 74%with three or more children worked outside of
the home. During Consultative Workshops, mothers from all parts of Rwanda
expressed a desire for more community ECDCs. It was recommended that more
Community ECDCs should be built and equipped with learning materials and
toys. Participants in the consultations also requested one centre per each a
hundred houses agglomeration (Umudugudu),
and more centers where large concentrations of working mothers are found.
In addition to an increased number of ECDCs, it was suggested that the quality
of services provided need also to be strengthened. To enhance service quality,
standards, guidelines, pre- and in-service training for caregivers, and technical
support, supervision and monitoring are required. The Government plans to
support the establishment of one ECD centre in each sector during the lifetime
of the five-year ECD Strategic Plan.
Existing Early Care and Development Centers (day care centers, nurseries or
Community ECDCs) are often run without adherence to standards, without
sufficient and uniform training of caregivers, and without supervision and
monitoring oversight. By and large ECD centers are managed and run by civil
society or privatesector groups though the exact number of such centers is
unknown.
According to national institute of statistics projections, there are
approximately 1.1 million children between the ages of three to six
years, the years generally associated with pre-primary education.
According to the Ministry of Education, only 6.1% of pre-school-age
children are attending pre-primary schools (education management
information system 2010). The pupil-teacher ratio at pre-primary level is 1:33
well above the internationally recommended levels (OECD) has established
a minimum staff to pupil ratio of 1:15 UNICEF: 2008). Rwanda will gradually
reduce its pupil-teacher ratio to internationally recognised levels and in the
timeframe, though in the short term aiming at a standard of not more than 25
children per teacher. The Ministry of Education has a limited budget for
preprimary education which does not at present cover the salaries for pre-primary
teachers. These costs are generally provided by parents and communities or in
some cases by civil society organizations.
The Ministry of education is the lead Ministry in ECD Policy development
within an inter ministerial framework and the Education Sector Strategic
Plan (education sector strategic plan (2010-2015) reflects the commitment
to develop and implement the ECD Policy and Strategic Plan. The education
sector strategic plan calls for civil society, communities and the private sector
to continue providing pre-primary education services. It notes that with the
development of the new ECD Policy, this approach will be re-examined in light
of national and community needs and demands for services. The education
sector strategic plan commits MINEDUC to set policy, norms and standards for
pre-primary education;
plan and ensure the provision of teacher training; and oversee monitoring and
evaluation of ECD. It calls for access to pre-primary education, but findings
from nationwide consultations drew attention to the one year gap which exists
between the end of pre-school and the beginning of primary school and the
need to ensure six-year olds do not languish at home in between completing
ECD and before entering primary school. For those children who do not attend
formal ECD centers, there may also be a need for the special provision of a rapid
school readiness program.
The education sector strategic plan recognizes that pre-primary education
as well as other levels of formal education is relevant for the achievement of
the high-level objectives of the economic development and poverty reduction
strategy. These objectives include: access to education for all, quality education
at all levels, equity in education at all levels, effective and efficient education
system, science and technology and ICT in education. The ESSP provisions
present a mandate for expanding and improving pre-primary education. It also
reinforces the national policy for children with special educational needs, calls
for a school health policy, and includes nutrition services at schools especially
for malnourished children.
The preschool years, 3-6 years: In addition to health and nutrition support as
well as continued cognitive stimulation, children during this period benefit from
experiences and programs that provide increased opportunities for learning
through play and exploration in groups and more opportunities to interact with
other children and a variety of adults. Safe and appropriate support can also
be provided within the home setting, through community-based activities and
within the pre-school setting. The strong involvement of parents and primary
caregivers is critical to the success of programs whether based at home or in
early childhood centers, hospitals etc.
Moving onto primary school: During this period, there is continued support
for other aspects of development as well as school readiness. School readiness
includes supporting the child’s preparedness for school, and making schools
ready for children as well as parental “readiness”. Key programming aspects at
this age include support for successful transition to formal education, life skills
education, school health and hygiene as well as safety and protection.
Across the ECD continuum support that addresses the interrelatedness of all
aspects of a child’s growth and development require that the Ministries and
other agencies governing education, health, nutrition, water/sanitation and
hygiene, social welfare and protection, as well as non-government groups,
communicate and work together with families and communities to develop
and implement appropriate policies, programmes and operational guidance
and support. In addition, respecting young children’s evolving capacities in
participation and understanding is especially significant during early childhood
because of the rapid transformations in children’s physical, intellectual, social
and emotional functioning, from earliest infancy into the early primary grades.
To support holistic and comprehensive development throughout the early years,
various strategies and policy actions need to be implemented that will provide
increased opportunities for all children to benefit.
Holistic early child hood development services will greatly contribute to
improved health and development outcomes, more specifically to reduced
poverty; strengthened unity; improved child health and nutrition, educational
efficiency; timely enrolment at primary school, increased school attendance
and achievement of both boys and girls, increased completion rates; and
expanded adult literacy, especially for mothers. It is worth noting that Vision
2020 recognizes the importance of parent’s role as the children’s first educators,
who teach values and norms that support children’s progress in school, which
is a critical component of this ECD policy. Expanded investments in ECD will
provide an enabling environment for the achievement of the goals of Vision
2020, and is expected to contribute especially to the achievement of pillars 1, 2,3 as well as to the cross cutting gender theme.
Extract from ECD policy white paper
Comprehension questions
1. How would you define the term early childhood education?
2. What is the importance of early childhood education as discussed in the
passage?
3. Compare early childhood education in the early years to the current
modern trend.
4. What efforts in early child hood education has the government of Rwanda
put in to reach the success of ECD program?
5. Explain the role of the following organs in the support of ECD as
mentioned above.
a. Ministry of education
b. Education sector strategic plan
c. National institute of statistics
d. Education management information system6. Describe the objectives of ECD in the passage above.
5.1.2 APPLICATION ACTIVITIES
Speech writing, presentation and debate
I. Prepare a speech addressing parents in your community to support
ECD centers. Suggest possible ways on how ECD in Rwanda can be
improved and why do you think your suggestions can lead to its success.
II. Prepare a debate on; ‘without early childhood education, there is no
career success.
Ensure that in the debate, the issue of how ECD centre can be established
in your sector is discussed.
NB: Early Childhood Education is a term that refers to educational
programs and strategies geared toward children from birth to the age
of six. This time period is widely considered the most vulnerable and
crucial stage of a person›s life. Early childhood education often focuses
on guiding children to learn through play. The term commonly refers topreschool or infant/child care programs.
5.2 Describing early childhood basic needs
Comprehension questions:
1. What do you understand by early child hood basic needs?
2. How should parents and care givers provide basic needs to children
3. How does emotional need affect the child’s development?
4. What basic needs do you advise parents and caregivers to put emphasis
on while handling children?
5. ‘Parents and caregivers should express clear expectations to children.’
Suggest more advice on the statement.
NB: early childhood basic needs include:
a. Food and shelter. Children cannot acquire their own food or sustain any
reasonable shelter
b. Physical safety. Children cannot protect themselves from aggressive
adults and other stronger children
c. Emotional security
• Social skills
• Career abilities• Internal skills.
Texts
A. Child needs
Read the following short text about children needs and answer the questionsthat follow
In an era of aggressive marketing towards children and parents alike, many
parents wonder what children actually need. Years of research in child
development have identified eight essential requirements for children to
become happy, and successful adults.
The eight things children need to thrive among them is security, stability,
consistency, emotional support, love, education, positive role models, and
structure. Children must feel safe and sound, with their basic survival needs
met: shelter, food, clothing, medical care, and protection from harm. Stability
comes from family and community. Ideally, a family remains together in a stable
household, but when that’s not possible, it’s important to disrupt the child’s
life as little as possible. Children and families should be a part of larger units to
give them sense of belonging, tradition and cultural continuity. Parents need to
synchronize their parenting and make sure important values stay consistent,
parents’ words and actions should encourage children trust, respect, self
-esteem, and ultimately independence. Even when children have disobeyed,
angered, frustrated and rebelled against you as a caregiver or parent, show
them love and that you will always love them. Children should get the best
possible education for their future. This includes school, life lessons, and this
can be achieved through the time you spend together. Parents and caregivers
are their children’s most important role models. Instill your values and teach
children empathy by being the kind of persons you want them to become. More
importantly rules and boundaries and limits, without them, children are forced
to be adults before they are ready, and other adults. Children need time perhaps
the most important factor of all is time. Without enough time to spend with
children and be a parent, you miss out on the wonderful privileges of parenting.
Time is a miracle solution for most dilemmas of parenthood, says Dr. Rotbart.
Taken in minutes or hours, the time you spend with your children gives you the
opportunity to provide your children all their essential needs and much more.
Children today are growing with depth, breadth and speed of media that didn’t
exist 20years ago. Their parents don’t always understand what that’s like, butchildren still need their help.
Extracted from: www.childrenscolorado.org.
Comprehension questions
1. Outline the needs of a child according to the text.
2. Why is time considered as one of the needs of a child
3. Discuss the role of a parent and caregiver in the life of a child.4. Summarize the whole story about the needs of a child in no more than 80
5.2.2 APPLICATION ACTIVITIES
Vocabulary, composition writing and presentation
1. What are the meanings of the following words as used in the text?
a. Essential
b. Breadth
c. Boundaries
d. synchronize
e. empathy
2. Prepare a television show that you would present to the class talking
about needs of a child.
3. Write a describe composition on the needs of a child
4. Suggest other needs that a child of today needs in order to have a
better life.
B. Meeting children’s needs
The young of every species have basic needs that must be met for them to
develop and mature. Children are no exception. For children, these essential
needs include warm, caring, and responsive adults; a sense of importance
and significance; away to relate to the world around them; opportunities to
move and play; and people to help structure and support their learning. In
the past, these needs were met at home and in the community but now these
needs are being met in our classrooms. According to Jim Greenman (1988),
early childhood environment should be: children need to explore, experiment
and learn basic knowledge through direct experience. The role of the teacher
is critical in a child’s life. Children depend on teachers to be their confidant,
colleagues, model, instructor, and nature of educational experience.
Play provides away for children to integrate all their new experiences into
rapidly developing minds, bodies, emotions, and social skills. Brain research
supports this idea, stressing that children learn best through integrated
approach combining physical, emotional, cognitive and social growth. Childrenneed lots of exposure to other people in their early childhood years.
Young children need to feel important, and to feel that what they do is meaningful
to someone besides themselves.
A basic human need is the need to belong. Children need to feel they belong
too. They need to be close to people they know, have familiar and comfortable
objects, and be in a setting that has a personal history for them.
There is no single remedy to decrease the pressure and stress associated with
caring for a child with a disability. Self -care, however, is the most effective way to
reduce caregiver burnout and create a nurturing, loving environment. Parents
who identify and meet their own needs model to their children what it means
to value their bodies, minds and souls. Parents who make a plan and meet their
own needs before deficit strike will also be better equipped to recognize the
unmet needs of their children.
Children need adequate nutrition, water, sleep and exercise. Clean air, shelter
and human touch are also basic elements of life required to maintain a
child’s health. Along sleepless night caring for a sick child or the struggles of
a parent who tries to feed herself as she feeds her child are quick reminders
of the importance of meeting physical needs. Security, trust, and intimacy are
emotional needs that all children need. Emotional needs can be met through the
affection parents share with their children paired with time spent with adults.
All children need time with peers and companions to satisfy their social needs
and decrease the risk for caregiver burnout. Also, children need some level of
intellectual stimulation to experience satisfaction and a sense of calm. This
need can be met by reading, engaging in healthy debates, and joining lively
discussions. Brainstorming and problem solving are avenues to keep brains
active.
Children need to express themselves, need for creativity can be met through
explorations of culture, unique dress, and expositions of the talents and gifts
that a child possesses. Creativity involves spontaneity and the inclusion ofimagination into a child’s life.
Extract from: Basic needs of children in early childhood education.
Comprehension questions
1. Outline the basic needs of an early childhood as described in the passage
above
2. Do you believe that emotion is a basic need for a child? Discuss.
3. According to Mr. Greenman (1988), how should be early childhood
environment?
4. According to the text, what is the role of parents and caregivers onproviding basic needs to children?
5.2.3 APPLICATION ACTIVITIES
Composition writing and discussion
1. Write an argumentative composition with the title ‘Early
childhood basic needs.’
2. Prepare a classroom discussion about the basic needs of a
child.
3. Write a dialogue talking about early childhood basic needs.
4. Suggest possible ways of how early childhood basic needscould be respected in your community or at ECD centers.
5.3 Talking about duties and responsibilities of parentsand caregivers in early childhood education.
Text 1: Child caregivers in education
Child caregivers look after the basic needs of children, such as dressing,
feeding and supervising their playtime. They also provide a beneficial learning
environment and a safe home away from home for little ones. People who love
working with children and who naturally have a fun, enthusiastic attitude will
thrive as child caregivers. It is common for child caregivers to work in childcare
centres, private day cares or their own home. Some childcare centres are
open all year, with long hours so that parents can drop off and pick up their
children before and after work. Some centres employ full and part- time staff
with staggered shifts to cover the entire day. Many care takers work full time,
but part-time work and flexible hours are also very common. While a child
caregiver’s day-to-day duties and responsibilities are determined by where
they work, there are many core tasks associated with the role.
Child care givers, plan, supervise, and implement a structured learning
environment that allows young children to explore their interests. For example,
they may read and play with children to introduce social skills such as manners.
They help young children learn through creative group activities, child care
givers are required by law to maintain a safe, sanitary and clean environment
under their care. When needed, a care giver may change the diaper of an infant
or child. They may need to help a young child go the toilet. Throughout the day
as child play, child caregivers make sure their environment stays neat and may
enlist the children’s help to keep this standard. A child caregiver ensures that
the children they take care of have enough to eat. They normally prepare and
organize meal times and child caregivers prepare nutritional food selections
for children and encourage them to try new things.
Since play is so important for the healthy psychological development of
children, child caregivers combine playtime with other instructional strategies
to aid this development. Caregivers create routines to make sure that children
have a balanced amount of physical activity, rest, and playtime. While children
are playing with each other, caregivers monitor for any safety concern. Child
caregivers are responsible for carefully watching for any signs of a child or
development issues with children. When they notice something amiss, they
must bring it to the attention of a child’s parents or the appropriate team
leader. A primary goal of a child caregiver is to create a positive relationship
with parents, children, and other staff. They engage in active communication tohelp keep children safe and make them feel cared for.
People who are exceptionally patient and passionate about working with
children will thrive as child caregivers. Employers from larger childcare
establishments typically prefer candidates who have a degree or certification
in early childcare, at least one year of childcare experience, and the following
skills; familiarity with childhood development, physical fitness, creativity,
interpersonal skills, and writing skills.
Lastly, understanding how childhood development works, is essential for child
caregivers who address the emotional, physical and mental needs of children
every day and must often involve children in creative activities such as art,dance, and music to stimulate their development.
Extracted from: www.child-care.com
Comprehension questions:
1. Discuss the role of caregivers in education as described in the text above.
2. How can caregivers improve on their responsibilities in early childhood
education?
3. What key major points according to the text that caregivers need to
improve in your ECD centres/ communities?
4. Give the meaning of the following words or phrases as they are given in
the text above.
a. Enthusiastic attitude.
b. Staggered shifts
c. Explore their interests
5. Write a summary of 50 words describing the role of caregivers accordingto the text.
5.3.3 APPLICATION ACTIVITIES
Survey and Speech writing
1. You have been given a task by the sector education officer in
your sector to survey and make a tangible report about early
childhood centres and responsibilities of caregivers in the sector
ECD centres. Write a report you would present to the sector
education officer.
2. Your ECD centre is organizing a parents’ week, write a speech
reminding parents of your role as a caregiver and their roles asparents.
Text 2: Parents’ involvement in early childhood education
Many parents drop their children off in the morning while teachers take over,
and then pick them up at the end of the day without giving their learning
much more thought. To get the true benefits from early childhood education,
however, parents need to consider how they can support what their children
are learning throughout the day. Some of a child’s most important cognitive
development happens during their preschool years. By taking an active role in
the early childhood education process, parents can help ensure that their childhas all the support they need to develop to their full potential.
Parents’ involvement helps extend teaching outside the classroom, creates
a more positive experience for children and helps children perform better
when they are in school. It is essential for parents to support the learning that
happens in preschool settings at home as well. Parents who are in tune with
what is happening in their child’s preschool classroom or child care facility are
better able to establish a connection between what is learned at school and
what takes place in the home. This connection is a key component of a child’s
development and supporting further learning. Not only does family or parental
involvement help extend teaching outside the classroom, it creates a more
positive experience for children and helps children perform better when they
are in school. Parents involvement in early childhood education can extend
the experiences that a child has in the classroom to real-world activities that
happen at home.
A parent who understands what their child is working on at preschool has a
better sense of their child’s competency and which areas they need to work on
to improve confidence and ability. One of the most difficult challenges for early
childhood educators is figuring out how to better engage parents in their child’s
learning. By establishing good lines of communication between your child and
care centre and parents, as well as making a strong effort to involve parents as
an important partner in their child’s education, you can make a positive impact
on their learning ability.
Furthermore, care centres/ caregivers, can invite parents to learn more about
the care centre, staff and how the care child centre operates. Making families
more comfortable with you centre and the educators who work there will go
a long way in making them feel at ease and more likely to be involved. Parents
can be asked if they would be interested in participating in care centres or
classroom. Ask them if they have a special talent that they would like to share
with the class. Or if they would be interested in volunteering to help in an art
project or read a story.
Parents can be asked if they have any topics they would like to see incorporated
into the curriculum, and once they are aware that they can have a say in what
is taught in the classroom, parents may want to help shape what their children
learns throughout the day.
As a caregiver, create a daily report or journal for each child. Use these daily
reports to outline their individual progress and offers away to parents and
educators to communicate and give feedback. Make useful resources available
to parents and these can be in relation to developing motor skills, language
development, behaviour management and more. These resources can offer
additional guidance that parents can use at home to cultivate further skills and
talents in their children.
Recommending complementary activities that a parent and child can complete
at home is important. These activities can extend your curriculum beyond the
classroom setting and reinforce what you have been teaching. Once parents
get first -hand experience teaching new things to their children and seeing the
impact, they will be more compelled to take an active role on an ongoing basis.
After a parent visit or volunteer at your child care centre, write a thank you
note to let them know you appreciate their time and assistance.
Studies show that when parents are actively involved with their child’s early
childhood education, they are more likely to stay involved when their child
enters elementary school.
By encouraging parent participation in your child care centre, you can help
support children beyond their early years and make their families an important
part of their education well into the future. Parental and family involvement
in early childhood education will help improve learning outcomes for children
by ensuring that they have all the support they need to succeed. Part of this
process involves detailed documentation, so teachers and parents have acomplete picture of how a child is progressing and can act accordingly.
Extracted from: https://blog.himama.com
Comprehension questions:
1. Outline the responsibilities of parents in early childhood education as
mentioned in the passage.
2. Write a summary of 50 to 80 words about responsibilities of parents
towards early childhood education according to the passage.
3. ‘Parents involvement helps extend teaching outside classroom.’ How
true is the statement according to the text?
4. Compare the roles of parents and caregivers in early childhood education.5. Describe how a child care centre should look like, and why?
5.3.3 APPLICATION ACTIVITIES
Vocabulary, composition writing and debate
1. Find the meanings of the following words or phrases as used in the
text 2.
a. Complementary activities
b. First-hand experience
c. Volunteer
d. Detailed documentation
2. Write a composition on the importance of documentation during
early childhood education.
3. Prepare a debate with the following topic ‘Parents should play a
bigger role in early childhood education than caregivers.’
4. Your care centre has organized a parents’ meeting, and you are one
of the caregivers. You have been selected to give a speech. Prepare adiligent speech you will deliver to parents.
5.4 Language structure: Modal verbs and adjective’s
degrees of comparison
I. Modal verbs: Should, need, dare ...
There are many modal verbs In English including should, need, dare etc.
Using should, need, dare in sentences:
Examples:
a. Teachers should get acquainted with competences in early childhood
education
b. Some years back, parents daren’t take their kids to schoolc. We all need learn about early childhood education
Notes
A. Uses of should
i. Modal verb should is used to express a moral obligation as in examples below:
a. We should love one another
b. Children should obey their parents, teachers and neighbours.
c. You should not do such a mistake.
ii. Should is also used in criticism
Example: You shouldn’t eat too much.
N.B. in past context, we use should+ have+ past participle to mean that
something was necessary but wasn’t done.
Examples:
Elijah should have brought the child to school last week. (He didn’t bring the
child)
Margaret should have learnt how to teach young children. (she didn’t learn it)
You shouldn’t have eaten too much. (you ate too much: criticism)
B. Use of need
i. Need is used to express necessity.
Examples:
a. They needn’t come today. There aren’t many things to do.
b. This kid needs sleep.
Notes:
In past context, we use need+ have+ past participle to mean that something
was not necessary but it was done.
Examples:
Why did you go to Kigali? You needn’t have gone there because you had his
phone number.
Tom wasted his money. He needn’t have bought another pair of shoes. The child
has many pairs.
ii. Need can also behave like a normal verb and take an auxiliary.
Examples:
a. Do children need care in early childhood education?
b. Brian doesn’t need a toy. He has many.
c. use of dare
Dare is used when the action is taken bravely or in abnormal situations.
Examples:
How dare you treat the kids like this?
I dare say that you are our hero!
N.B. Dare can be used as other normal verbs and take an auxiliary.
Example: She didn’t dare to talk to them.
C. Exercises on the uses of should, needn’t and dare
1) Complete sentences with should, needn’t, dare
a. Why ……rich people help the poor?
b. How …..you insult others?
c. She …….have come here. It was not necessary.
2) Using need, should and dare, write one paragraph about teaching in Early
childhood
Education.
II. Adjective’s degrees of comparison
Example:
a. Adult people are interested in games.
b. Adolescents are more interested in games than adults.c. Young children are the most interested in games of all.
In sentence one, the adjective “interested” is used with adult people only. It is
positive
degree.
In sentence two, adolescents are compared with adults. More interested…
than,.... It is comparative degree.
In sentence three, young children are compared with adolescents and adults,
(the most interested ..of..). it is superlative degree.
Notes:
In English language there are three degrees of comparison:
1. Positive degree:
Example: Jack is tall.
2. Comparative degree
In comparative degree, there are three levels of comparison:
i) Equality: as + adj. + as
a. Jack is as tall as Mary or Jack is tall, so is Mary.
b. A girl child is as important as a boy child or
c. A girl child is important and so is a boy child.
ii. Inferiority:
Not as +adj.+ as; less+ adj.+ than; adj. of minor value+ than or not so +adj. +as
Examples:
a. Adults are not as interested in games as kids.
b. Bruce is not so tall as Jack.
c. Charles is less intelligent than Assia.d. Thierry is shorter than his sister.
iii) Superiority
Adjective (of major value) + er + than, more + polysyllabic or verbal adjective.
+ than
a. Fabiola was quicker than Alpha
b. This machine is more expensive than that one.
c. Enock is more tired than Teddy.
3. Superlative degree
The+ adjective +est + of/in or the + most + polysyllabic or verbal adjective+ of/
in
a. Who is the quickest learner of your class?
b. The most difficult thing in life is to manage oneself.
c. Constance was the most excited of all.
Notes:
Irregular comparison
Adjective comparative Superlative
Good/well: better…than (the) best
Bad/ill worse…than (the) worst
Far farther…than (the) farthest
Near nearer…than (the) nearest
Old older….than (the) oldest
Late latter....than (the) latestMany/much more…than (the) most
Exercises:
1. Complete the sentences with the correct comparison form
a. Both Kelly and Kenia are intelligent but Kenia is the………. Of the two.
(intelligent)
b. My results in exams are………than I expected ( good)
c. Who is the…….man in the world? (rich)
d. Innocent is my …..brother. Of course he is ……than me(old)
2. Write about duties and responsibilities of educational stakeholders usingmodal verbs and adjective’s degrees of comparison.
5. 5. Spelling and pronunciation
Use dictionaries and thesaurus to find the missing pronunciations and meaningsof the words in the following table.
5.6 END UNIT ASSESSMENT
A. Complete the sentences using should, shouldn’t and the words in
brackets.
1. You have a great job as early childhood officer; you ……………..
(change) it.
2. You…………….. (drink) so much coffee; it’s bad for your blood
pressure.
3. The government…………….. (help) Pre-primary schools more
than other schools.
4. It’s an incredible film. Children……………… (watch) it.
5. It’s a very dangerous area. Little children…………….. (go) there.
6. Do you think……………. (I/apply) for a new job as a head teacher
of Kagarama nursery school?
7. You ………….. (go) to that restaurant. The food is terrible.
8. Children are aware that when someone does you a favour,
you………(say) thank you.
9. Children…………… (drink) sugary drinks. It’s not very healthy.
B. Debate about the importance of early child hood education.
Topic: Early child hood education does not contribute to any further
studies.
C. Write an article describing the role of early child education in furtheracademic performances and parental involvement.