Educational approach of Wupperkids e.V.

The focus is on early childhood education and the development of language skills in pre-school children. The aim is to make the transition to school easier for children through play-based learning activities and targeted language support. Parents and carers are to be involved in this support through an accessible programme (parents’ café). 

 

The support objectives of the Wupperkids programme are based on the support areas and objectives set out in the KIBIZ (North Rhine-Westphalia Child Education Act). Due to the limited time available for support, the Wupperkids programme cannot meet all the objectives set out in the KIBIZ, let alone replace the services provided by a nursery. Furthermore, the children’s starting points will vary. 

 

When developing the Wupperkids course plan, therefore, reference should be made solely to the support objectives. During implementation, attention should always be paid to what is feasible for the respective support group. 

 

However, particular importance is attached to the development of language skills. 

Our funding objectives

The association has set itself the following objectives for the Wupperkids project:

 

  • Pre-school children with special educational needs are to be given support in language development, motor skills and concentration before they start school.
  • Parents are to be involved through a low-threshold initiative (parents’ café). 

 

Based on the support objectives set out in KIBIZ – and tailored to what is feasible within the scope of the Wupperkids programme – the association has identified the following support objectives: 

Social skills

The children should:

  • develop the ability to find their feet within a community 
  • experience routines (welcoming, work time, break, closing) 
  • learn and understand rules 
  • practise compassion, consideration and respect 
  • get to know different ways of life, languages, cultures and family structures 
Body awareness and concentration

The children should:

  • practise their gross motor skills and learn, for example, to balance, hop, throw and catch. 
  • practise their fine motor skills and learn how to use tools such as scissors, knives and needles. 
  • learn to concentrate 
Creative expertise

The children should:

  • sing and make music together, and discover rhythm and sound using simple instruments 
  • paint, do crafts and play with modelling clay 
  • move to music, and learn a sense of rhythm and physical expression 
Mathematical competence

The children should:

  • learn to recognise and name numbers 
  • discover geometric shapes (circle, square, triangle, rectangle) through sorting and matching games 
  • be able to recognise and name colours 
  • learn to compare quantities 
Experimental practical expertise

The children should:

  • Observe plant growth or insects in the garden 
  • Develop a curiosity about natural phenomena, e.g. the weather 
  • Learn to discover and observe plants and animals (e.g. plant growth, insects in the garden) 
  • Get to know nature, for example through walks in the woods 
  • Carry out simple experiments 
Language and Communication

The children should:

  • learn to express themselves and listen to others 
  • develop a playful enjoyment of language whilst improving their German 
  • listen to stories, recognise rhymes and consciously take in words 
  • and, where appropriate, even start telling their own stories. 
  • ‘read’ picture books 
  • Write or ‘trace’ their first letters 

Language and Communication

The funding area ‘Language(s), Communication and Literacy’ is central because language forms the basis for almost all educational processes and is key to education, participation and integration. Each of the funding areas mentioned above is linked to language. 

The Wuppertal Municipal Integration Centre (KI) drew the association’s attention to the ‘German for Starting School’ programme.

This programme is a scientifically based language development programme for pre-school children. It was developed in collaboration with Heidelberg University. 

However, the objectives set out there also largely correspond to those of the KiBIZ support area ‘Language(s), Communication and Literacy’. 

‘German for Starting School’ focuses on the systematic development of the German language, without neglecting the children’s first language. It also strengthens communicative skills and provides particularly intensive support for children learning German as a second language. 

The association uses the ‘German for Starting School’ programme and the materials developed for it in its provision.

The materials are made available to teaching staff for use in their courses. 

Evaluation

The children’s progress and development are assessed, whilst always taking data protection into account.

The association provides evaluation forms for the individual development records of each child.

 

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