Concept Cat
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What is Concept Cat?
This school year, we are very excited to be introducing Concept Cat to our children in the Sunflowers ( 3-4 year olds). The project is supported by the Educational Endowment Foundation and the Department of Education.
‘Concept Cat’ is a whole class or group teaching method for early verbal concepts. It was developed by two leading experts in the field Stephen Parsons and Anna Branagan and is part of their ‘Word Aware’ approach. The Concept Cat approach teaches children concepts such as ‘first’, ‘wide’ and ‘empty’.
Words such as ‘first, through, before, next and forward’ are what we call ‘concepts.’ Concepts are words that are linked to ideas, and so really important for developing thinking. They are more than ‘just another word.’ This is taught in a structured and engaging manner with explicit teaching of vocabulary followed by implicit teaching in play-based learning.
The teaching process involves acting out a short story (with a toy cat), singing songs and providing play based opportunities for children. Families are encouraged to be involved too - please look out for our concept of the week.
The Early Years are when children learn so much about the world around them. Talking and understanding are the bridge to this development, allowing children to interact with others and learn more. For example, when a child learns a word such as ‘first’, they can talk about how objects, people and letters can be placed in order.
Click on this link to find out more about Concept Cat