Early years teachers instruct students, primarily young children, in basic subjects and creative play with the aim of developing their social and intellectual skills in an informal way in preparation for future formal learning. They create lesson plans, possibly in accordance with a fixed curriculum, for an entire class or smaller groups and test the students on the content. These lesson plans, based on basic subjects, can include the instruction of number, letter, and colour recognition, days of the week, categorisation of animals and transport vehicles etc. Early years teachers also supervise students outside the classroom on school grounds and enforce rules of behaviour there as well.

Tasks

Tasks include -
(a) Planning and organizing individual and group activities designed to facilitate the development of children's motor skills, cooperative and social skills, confidence and understanding;
(b) Promoting language development through story-telling, role-play, songs, rhymes and informal conversations and discussions;
(c) Leading children in activities that provide opportunities for creative expression through the media of art, dramatic play, music and physical fitness;
(d) Observing children in order to evaluate progress and to detect signs of developmental, emotional or health related problems;
(e) Observing and assessing nutritional health, welfare and safety needs of students and identifying factors which may impede students' progress;
(f) Supervising children's activities to ensure safety and resolve conflicts;
(g) Guiding and assisting children in the development of proper eating, dressing and toilet habits;
(h) Discussing progress or problems of children with parents and other staff members and identifying appropriate actions and referrals to other services;
(i) Establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with other service providers working with young children.