What are Social Stories and why would you use them in an Early Learning and Care setting?
In this edition of the LINC blog we examine social stories and their use in an Early Learning and Care setting. The concept of social stories was developed by Carol Grey in 1989 through her work as a teacher in Michigan. Social Stories are a method of...
LINC Programme Shortlisted for International Innovative Practice in Education Award.
The Leadership for INClusion in the Early Years (LINC) Programme has been shortlisted for a Zero Project award for Innovative Practice in Education. The Zero Project was initiated by the Essl Foundation in 2008 and focuses on the rights of persons with...
Supporting a Child with a Visual Impairment Using Sensory Play Experiences
In this edition of the LINC blog, we examine how to support a child with a visual impairment using sensory play experiences and emphasise the importance of touch in sensory play for children who may have this impairment. Children with sight loss have...
Leading by Example: Support and Supervision Sessions with Early Childhood Teachers
In this edition of the LINC blog, tutor Sharon Skehill considers what is necessary to provide leadership in an early learning and care setting, pointing out that quality and leadership are explicably linked. As a leader in the early learning and care...
Setting the Right Example: Becoming a Beacon for Desired Behaviour
In this edition of the LINC blog, tutor Bernie Connell questions the role of parents in influencing the behaviour of their children around new technologies and suggests ways in which they can help change this behaviour. Do you ever find yourself sitting...
Getting Ready for Primary School – Advice and Preparation
In this edition of the LINC blog, tutor Margaret Joyce shares some advice on getting your child ready for the transition from pre-school to primary school and what parents can expect their child to experience on their first day. The first day in primary...
Portfolios of Inclusion
In this edition of the LINC blog, tutor Paula Harte examines the relevance of the portfolio assignment that students are tasked to complete as part of the programme. In some further and higher education programmes, portfolios—a compilation of materials...
Coolkidz and our Community
In this edition of our blog, current student Siobhán Goodwin describes how the children of Coolkidz Montessori play an active role in the community that they live in. Coolkidz Montessori is a small pre-school in Knocklyon, Dublin 16. It is...
Making the Story Experience an Inclusive One
In this week's LINC blog, Programme Tutor Rachael Ryan examines how you can make the story-telling experience a more inclusive one in your early learning and care setting. The benefits of storytelling include building caring relationships and supporting...
Creating an Inclusive Environment for Children with Allergies
In this week's LINC blog, current LINC student Sinéad Gaffney, recounts her own personal experience as a parent of a child with allergies and suggests ways in which early learning and care settings can support inclusive practice around this additional need. ...
The Top 5 Story Books in English and Irish for Pre-School Age Children – Selected by the Staff of the MIC Library
In this week's LINC blog, we examine the benefits of storytime for children, and the staff in the Mary Immaculate College library share their top 5 books for pre-school age children available in the English and Irish language. Storytime is a regular part...
Let Children Tell Their Stories – Encouraging a Child’s Interest in the Early Years
In this week's LINC blog we examine how immersive play environments can spark a child's imagination and offer opportunities to broaden a child's knowledge and understanding. Elizabeth Wood broadly defines a pedagogy of play as "the ways in which early...
Minister Zappone Hails “Significant Impact” of Award-Winning Leadership for Inclusion in the Early Years (LINC) Higher Education Programme
Interim evaluation highlights how “highly valued” inclusion programme is set to reach 83% of pre-schools by 2020. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Katherine Zappone T.D., officially launched the interim evaluation of the Leadership for Inclusion in...
The Foundation of Quality
In this week's blog, LINC Programme Tutor and recent recipient of the Síolta Quality Assurance Award, Sharon Skehill, outlines what she feels adopting a child-centered approach means in an early learning and care setting. Before we think about our...
Rolling Snack Time – Why did we feel a need to change?
In this week's LINC blog, current student Brenda Langton describes how putting one small change into practice can make a big difference in the life of a child. In September 2017 a gorgeous little boy started in our service. He was full of fun and...
Leading Inclusion – Playmates Pre-school Win Inaugural LINC Award
Last Friday evening (12.04.2019) was a night of great celebration for the staff of Playmates Pre-school from Navan in Co. Meath, as staff accepted the first ever LINC Award for Leadership in Inclusion at the Early Childhood Ireland Awards ceremony held in The...
Montessori and Aistear a Marriage Made in Pre-school!
In this week's LINC blog current LINC student Sinéad McCarville outlines why she feels the links between Montessori and an emergent curriculum model are greater than you think. Montessori children are students with confidence. They are curious and self-directed...
TEAMWORK with NATURE – Learning with Leaves
In this edition of the LINC blog, current student and Owner/Manager of the Corrig Kids Playschool, Edel Graham, examines the benefits of outside play and how this environment can harbor rich learning experiences for children. ‘Children who play outside...
Am I fulfilling my role as INclusion COordinator?
In this week's LINC blog, graduate and INclusion COrdinator Josephine Thompson describes how she felt when she first started out in the role and how an initial meeting with her work colleagues helped her to find her feet. When I took on the role of INclusion...
Pathways to Inclusion
In this week's LINC blog, current student Joseph Smith outlines some of the worthwhile initiatives his setting has taken part in, and how their message of inclusion has helped to reinforce what he is learning on the LINC Programme. My name is Joseph Smith and I...
LINC Programme Wins Student Engagement and Communications Award
Last Thursday evening (22.02.2019) was a night of great celebration for the Leadership in Inclusion in the Early Years (LINC) Programme team as they accepted the Student Engagement & Communications Award at the 2019 Education Awards ceremony held in the...
Thinking about Gender: Gender Equity in the Early Years
In this week's blog LINC Researcher Sarah Kelleher, examines some of the current thinking on gender equity in the early years. Through interactions with their communities, children learn early on what it means to be a boy or girl, e.g. how to dress and...
Why Process Art Rocks!
In this week's LINC blog we examine the differences between process-focused art experiences and product-focused art experiences for children, and hear how one practitioner's personal experience has given her a greater appreciation of this approach to learning. ...
Learning from LINC – Using Song Choice Boards
In this edition of the LINC blog, current student Carrie O'Connor Byrne describes how putting a lesson learned on the LINC Programme into practice has benefited the children in her setting. Throughout the first module, Inclusion in Early Years Settings, I...
Propelling Early Learning and Development through High Quality Home Learning Activities
The recently published First Five: A Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028 underscores the substantial contribution of the home learning environment (HLE) to children's learning and development1. This aligns with...
Setting Focus: Happy Tots Montessori
In this edition of LINC blog, programme graduate Caroline Lohan describes how reflective practice techniques learned on the LINC programme have created a better learning environment for all children in her setting. My name is Caroline Lohan and I am an early...
Getting Winter-Ready – Tips for Outdoor Activity
In this edition of LINC blog, programme tutor Edel Fenlon outlines some handy tips to ensure the children in your care are outdoor activity ready this winter season. As we prepare ourselves for winter, what does this mean for the early childhood teachers...
LINC Programme shortlisted for four Education Awards
Having previously won the award for Best Online Learning Experience in 2017, and been shortlisted for the same accolade in 2018, the LINC Programme has once again received a nomination for an Education Award. This year the programme has been nominated under four award...
Transitions: Home to Pre-school and Pre-school to Primary School
In this week's blog, Ann Keating O'Neill, Owner/Manager of Shining Stars Preschool Lisronagh, Co. Tipperary and LINC graduate, describes how she manages the two major transitions for children in her setting. I have always put a lot of thought into the...
The Benefits of Board Games as Gifts for Children at Christmas
In this edition of the LINC blog, programme tutor and board game enthusiast Margaret Joyce, outlines why she feels board games are a worthwhile purchase for the little ones in your life this Christmas. It’s the time of year when Santa is busy preparing...