ABSTRACT
Map-Do-Review is a form of participatory practice that we use within our nursery to facilitate children’s voice in decision making. Map-Do-Review was originally devised during the research project, Enabling Young Children’s Participation in Decision Making, for my BA Childhood Practice undergraduate degree. The research project identified educational methods that emphasised young children’s participation in decision making. The High/Scope Preschool Approach (Hohmann & Weikart, 2002) and the Mosaic Approach (Clark & Moss, 2011) are two such examples, and elements of each influenced the development of Map-Do-Review.
Since the initial research project, Map-Do-Review has been used as an effective tool to ensure each child’s voice is heard in our setting, irrespective of the child’s language ability or developmental stage. Children are empowered to express ideas about play and learning using their own methods of communication – verbal or non-verbal – resulting in experiences that are meaningful to them. Using a cycle of engagement, children communicate intent for play, develop ideas during play and reflect afterwards. Early years practitioners support children with each stage of Map-Do-Review by practising a pedagogy of listening and responsiveness.
This case study explains how the method is used and the positive impact it has for children and practitioners in supporting children’s articulation of voice. Examples of children’s language, innate curiosity, approach to enquiry and sustained creative play evidence how strong children’s voices are through the use of Map-Do-Review.
