Senior Infants
Senior Infants is the second year in primary school. Children in Senior Infants are aged 5-6 years old. Infant classes have a shorter day than the rest of the school (8:45-13:25). They cover the 12 curriculum subjects with the inclusion of Aistear which is an integrated learning programme through play. Each month the children engage in the study of a specific theme and this is integrated across the other curriculum subjects. Children partake in the 3 core subjects every day. For more information on how you can help your child in Senior Infants please see some advice from the NCCA.
Focus on oral language, reading and writing. Children engage in all aspects of the curriculum.
Writing: Focus on letter formation, with the introduction of capital letters, conventions of print, and sentence structure, genre writing.
Reading: Focus on phonics, tricky words, comprehension strategies and conventions of print.
Oral language: interlinked in every lesson and based around different monthly topics.
Children engage in daily Gaeilge lessons. Children develop vocabulary based on different topics and asking and answering simple questions. Children engage in songs, games, drama, poems and stories through Gaeilge. Gaeilge if taught through Gaeilge. We follow the themes of the Abair Liom programme.
Children engage in all aspects of the curriculum.
Introduction of the numbers 6-10 and practice counting from 0-20, 3D shape names, vocabulary around ordinal numbers, length, weight, capacity and the introduction of 1 hour intervals in time.
Additional topics covered: Early Mathematical Activities, Number, Algebra, Shape and space, Measures, Data.
The aim of Aistear is to help every child to grow and develop as a competent and confident learner. The Aistear framework uses four interconnected themes to describe children’s learning and development: Wellbeing, Identity and Belonging, Communicating, and Exploring and Thinking.
As a framework, Aistear makes connections in children’s learning throughout early childhood, as they move from one setting to another, for example from preschool to primary school. It is not a separate subject but a way of teaching every subject. It places an important emphasis on learning through play. Our Aistear theme changes each month and new vocabulary will be taught at the beginning of each new theme. The children are encouraged to use this language in context during Aistear time. Examples of themes include People who help us, Autumn, The Arctic, The Restaurant, The Garden Centre, Space etc.
You will find more information on Aistear on here.
Suggested storybooks for children in Senior Infants.