For this week's task, please select an artefact representing your culture.

An artefact could be a song in your native language, a painting, a sculpture, a recipe, a flower, a bridge, etc...

Explain how you would introduce the artefact in a preschool so that children can learn about your culture. Include references to the EYLF and the two articles below:

• The EYLF
• The Role of Cultural Artefacts in Play as Tools to Mediate Learning in an Intercultural Preschool Programme
• Every household object tells a story: using artefacts to unlock families’ funds of knowledge

Please use APA 7 to reference in-text and at the end of your post.

Don't forget to reply to a peer to provide constructive feedback.

Here's my artefact!  An Italian recipe on how to make homemade ravioli with cheese and spinach.

You can find the full recipe here.

I would first read children a book about ravioli (stuffed pasta), maybe this one ....

... and the next day I would bring all the ingredients for the children to make their big raviolo with the filling they prefer!

This holistic learning experience supports children's fine motor skills, cognitive skills and pre-writing skills as they use their fingers and hands to prepare, roll and then cut the dough. These movements help them work out those little muscles that they will need to hold a pen in school while also supporting brain development.

Then, they mix the ingredients and measure their chosen fillings and the cooking time, all connected to STEAM learning!

Additionally, the children interact with the teachers and others while understanding that everyone's cultural identity matters and should be celebrated.

All this learning incorporates several Practices and Principles of the EYLF, in particular Respect for diversity, which states that educators build "culturally safe and secure environments for all children and their families" and recognise that "diversity contributes to the richness of our society" (Australian Government Department of Education. [AGDE] (2022), p. 16).

In addition, as stated by Hennig et al. (2012), cultural artefacts in the classroom invite children's (and teachers') home culture to emerge as the dominant one in the early childhood setting.

Ultimately, a simple recipe brings teachers and children together, enacting an authentically diverse pedagogy encompassing culturally diverse knowing, being and doing (Tong & Kumar, 2022).

References

Australian Government Department of Education. (2022). Belonging, being and becoming - the early years learning framework for Australia. Department of Education and Training. https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-01/EYLF-2022-V2.0.pdf

Hennig, K., & Kirova, A. (2012). The role of cultural artefacts in play as tools to mediate learning in an intercultural preschool programme. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 13(3), 226–241. https://doi.org/10.2304/ciec.2012.13.3.226

Tong, P., & Kumar, K. (2022). Every household object tells a story: Using artefacts to unlock families’ funds of knowledge. He Kupu, 7(1), 42-53. https://www.hekupu.ac.nz/sites/default/files/2022-04/08_Tong_and_Kumar.pdf