D. A. P. is a framework developed and supported by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). D. A. P.’s recommendations are appropriate for structuring lessons with children from birth to the age of eight. Importantly, D. A. P. is a framework, which means that it serves as a guide for educators without restricting their freedom to think creatively and prepare lesson plans based on their expertise. Also, it is based on knowledge about the stages and specifics of child development. Hence, educators can use D. A. P. to create lessons that are suitable for children of different ages based on the latter’s personal characteristics, sociocultural environment, and developmental capabilities.
The components of D. A. P. are child development knowledge, individual characteristics of a child, and sociocultural context. Knowledge about child development stages helps male predictions regarding the type of information or experiences that help promote the learning and development of a child. The teacher can assess the uniqueness of each child in their classroom to tailor the lessons to their needs.
Finally, the sociocultural environment is an important factor because it affects the child’s experiences at home and within their communities. D. A. P. is important because it promotes a child’s self-esteem and self-control, as well as helps manage the stress that children might experience from learning and exposure to inappropriate learning practices. Hence, by using D. A. P., the educators leverage the understanding of the development stages that all children go through and the knowledge about the individual or cultural specifics that affect the children.