Teaching the Visual Arts in Kindergarten

Visual Arts in Kindergarten (4-5yrs)

The visual arts in kindergarten consists of engaging in art-making activities such as construction, drawing and painting. Dinham and Chalk (2018) highlights the importance of exposing children to a range of different visual arts processes. These include two-dimensional art forms (e.g. painting), three-dimensional art forms (e.g. sculpting with playdough), using the environment as an art form (e.g. installations), and engaging in crafts (e.g. pottery). In regard to the kindergarten curriculum, The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority have listed several content descriptors under the subject of visual arts, that early childhood educators should work towards their kindergarten students to achieve. These include ‘Explore ideas, experiences and observations to create visual artworks (VCAVAE013)’, and ‘Explore different materials and techniques to make artworks (VCAVAV014)’.

Early childhood educators should also adhere to the learning outcomes found in the Early Years Learning Framework. Some of these learning outcomes include ‘Children are connected with and contribute to their world’, and ‘Children are confident and involved learners.’ Educators should design the visual arts activities completed in the classroom in hopes of achieving both the content descriptors and the learning outcomes.

Creative Learning Environment

When conducting activities in the visual arts, educators should consider the importance of organising the learning environment. This is due to the third national quality standard stated by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. This standard highlights the importance of the physical environment when promoting quality education for children. Thus, educators must ensure that they arrange the working environment in a way that allows the children access to a variety of different tools and materials. 

For example, if the educator is conducting a drawing activity where children are encouraged to draw anything that interests them, they should have an array of different drawing tools placed on the tables. Dinham and Chalk (2018) suggest having several options for drawing utensils such as pencils, crayons, paint and textas. They also encourage educators in offering a selection of different coloured paper, with an arrange of distinctive textures. This can allow the children to have more control in what tools they wish to use when communicating their thoughts and feelings through the drawing activity.  

Benefits of Teaching the Visual Arts

Several benefits can be seen from teaching the visual arts to kindergarten children. Firstly, engaging in the visual arts teaches children how the use of spatial and visual symbols can be used as a means of communication. This is crucial for children at this age, as according to Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, children between the ages of two and seven are in the preoperational stage. This stage involves children being able to mentally reflect on their thoughts, feelings and language through symbolic representation. The child’s ability to communicate through their artwork links to the visual arts content descriptor stated by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority being ‘Create and display artworks to communicate an idea, concept or observation (VCAVAP015).

Due to the visual arts consisting of many different components such as drawing, painting and creating constructions, this allows children several ways in expressing their thoughts and feelings that’s comfortable for them. This concept also links with the Reggio Emilia approach to teaching as it states how children express themselves in many different forms. Thus, as mentioned earlier, educators should ensure that the children have access to a range of different tools and materials in order for them to express their thoughts and feelings. For instance, leaving pencils and paper on the table can encourage children to draw if they wish to do so.

Several studies have illustrated the ability for children to communicate through the visual arts. It has been found that engaging in this art form can assist children in developing empathy and expressing positive emotions. Research conducted by Griebling (2011) involved the observation of several preschool children within the classroom. It was found that these children were able to communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings through their artwork. These children also displayed developmental progress in portraying traits such as generosity, independence and feeling the need to belong. A recent study also displayed how children can express feelings on sensitive topics that they may have trouble with verbally communicating. The participants in this study were children aged between four and seven who were diagnosed with cancer. When the children were asked to draw how they felt on bad days, they were able to express how they viewed and felt about their symptoms through their artwork. These studies show how engaging in the visual arts can benefit children by allowing them to express both their positive and negative thoughts and feelings.

Teaching Strategies to Engage Children’s Learning

A strategy that can be utilized when teaching the visual arts to kindergarten children involves the use of an interactive white board. This constitutes of a large touch screen that is able to be placed on a wall. Children can then use their fingers or an electronic pen to write and draw on the interactive whiteboard. It’s been discovered that the use of these whiteboards can maintain the engagement of kindergarten children and also enhance their learning development. They also support children who have special learning needs.

Teaching Practices for Diverse Backgrounds

When teaching the visual arts with children from diverse backgrounds, educators should be aware of their teaching practices. Educators should adopt a culturally responsive teaching approach when working with culturally diverse children. This is where they embrace the different cultures within the classroom and even incorporate these into visual art activities. An example of this can be the completion of aboriginal dot painting. This can assist educators in forming meaningful bonds with the culturally diverse children, and also benefits the children in connecting with their cultures.

When working with indigenous children, educators should allow them to explore their environment and engage in visual art activities when they are comfortable and ready to do so. Once the child has chosen to participate in the visual art activity such as painting, the educator is encouraged to promote their learning and development by asking simple questions and commenting about their artwork.

Assessment Strategy

When completing an assessment of a child’s learning and development in the visual arts, Dinham and Chalk (2018) suggest using the learning advancement cycle. This allows the early childhood educator to observe the child’s behaviour (which is the first phase of the cycle), interpret and assess the information (second phase), and plan for future learning activities and outcomes (final phase).

An assessment strategy that can be utilised which accompanies all three phases of the learning advancement cycle is the completion of a learning story. Learning stories are achieved by recording down the observations of the child completing the activity as it occurs. They are structured similar to that of a story as the educator observing the child writes down everything they can see, hear and interpret. The educator’s observations, assessments and plans for future learning activities are all included in this assessment strategy. Learning stories are completed alongside images of the child participating in the activity. This can allow staff and families to have a greater report of the child’s experience. Examples of some learning stories can be seen on the Early Works website.

References

Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (2018). National quality standard. Retrieved from https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-07/RevisedNQSHandoutA4.pdf

Australian Government Department of Education and Training. (2009). Belonging, being & becoming: The early years learning framework for Australia. Retrieved from https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia_0.pdf

Chilton, G., Gerber, N., Bechtel, N., Councill, T,. Dreyer, M., & Yingling, E. (2015). The art of positive emotions: Expressing positive emotions within the intersubjective art making process. Canadian Art Therapy Association Journal, 28(1-2), 12-25. Retrieved from https://www-tandfonline-com.ezproxy2.acu.edu.au/doi/full/10.1080/08322473.2015.1100580

Chou, P., Chang, C., & Chen, M. (2016). Let’s draw: Utilizing interactive white board to support kindergarten children’s visual art learning practice. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 20(4), 89-101. Retrieved from https://web-b-ebscohost-com.ezproxy2.acu.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=20de00f5-2b27-4534-aa3a-de37932e7396%40sessionmgr101

Dinham, J., & Chalk, B. (2018). It’s arts play: Young children belonging, being and becoming through the arts. South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press.

Ewing, R. (2010). The arts and Australian education: Realising potential. Retrieved from https://www.steinereducation.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/AER-58-Arts-in-the-Curriculum.pdf

Griebling, S. (2011). Discoveries from a Reggio-inspired classroom: Meeting developmental needs through the visual arts. Art Education, 64(2), 6-11. Retrieved from https://web-b-ebscohost-com.ezproxy2.acu.edu.au/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=768a17be-5455-42ce-8e24-23a38b795df4%40pdc-v-sessmgr04&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=505395154&db=eue

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Hyslop, S., Sung, L., Stein, E., Dupuis, L. L., Spiegler, B., Vettese, E., & Tomlinson, D. (2018). Identifying symptoms using the drawings of 4-7 year olds with cancer. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 36, 56-61. Retrieved from https://www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy2.acu.edu.au/science/article/pii/S1462388918301029?via%3Dihub

Moment Path. (2019). Children completing artwork [photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.momentpath.com/owners-directors/operations/switching-classrooms-and-transition-activities-for-preschoolers/

Montessori Nature. (n.d). Child completing aboriginal dot painting [photgraph]. Retrieved from https://www.montessorinature.com/australian-aboriginal-dot-painting-for/

Nutbrown, C. (2011). Key concepts in early childhood education and care. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy1.acu.edu.au/lib/acu/detail.action?docID=689542

Reif, N., & Grant, L. (2010). Culturally responsive classrooms through art integration. Journal of Praxis in Multicultural Education, 5(1), 100-115. Retrieved from https://web-b-ebscohost-com.ezproxy2.acu.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=a6627eba-435e-4a1f-b656-64b7958b0d4f%40pdc-v-sessmgr03

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (2019). Level D (towards foundation): Visual arts. Retrieved from https://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/leveld(towardsfoundation)?layout=1&d

Weiss, D. (2014). Child drawing [photograph]. Retrieved from https://guardianlv.com/2014/08/preschooler-drawings-predict-teen-intelligence/