BELONGING, BEING & BECOMINGTHE EARLY YEARS LEARNING
FRAMEWORK FOR AUSTRALIABELONGING, BEING & BECOMING The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia

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ISBN 978-642-77872-7

With the exception of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, the Department’s logo, anymaterial protected by a trade mark and where otherwise noted all material presented inthis document is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/) licence.
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The document must be attributed as the (The Early Years learning Framework forAustralia).
Reproduced by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training. for the Council ofAustralian Governments.

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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION

5A VISION FOR CHILDREN’S LEARNING
Elements of the Framework
Children’s Learning

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EARLY CHILDHOOD PEDAGOGY

12PRINCIPLES

13PRACTICE

16LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN BIRTH TO 5 YEARS
Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity

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23Children feel safe, secure, and supported
Children develop their emerging autonomy, inter-dependence, resilienceand sense of agency
Children develop knowledgeable and confident self identities
Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect

Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world

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Children develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities andan understanding of the reciprocal rights and responsibilities necessary
for active community participation
Children respond to diversity with respect
Children become aware of fairness
Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment

Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing

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Children become strong in their social and emotional wellbeing
Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing

Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners

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Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation,
confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination
and reflexivity
Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving,inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigatingChildren transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to anotherChildren resource their own learning through connecting with people, place,technologies and natural and processed materials

Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators

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Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes
Children engage with a range of texts and gain meaning from these texts
Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media
Children begin to understand how symbols and pattern systems work
Children use information and communication technologies to access information,
investigate ideas and represent their thinking

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GLOSSARY OF TERMS

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BIBLIOGRAPHY50

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INTRODUCTION
This is Australia’s first national Early Years Learning Framework for early childhood educators. The
aim of this document is to extend and enrich children’s learning from birth to five years and throughthe transition to school.
The Council of Australian Governments has developed this Framework to assist educators to provide
young children with opportunities to maximise their potential and develop a foundation for future
success in learning. In this way, the Early Years Learning Framework (the Framework) will contributeto realising the Council of Australian Governments’ vision that:“All children have the best start in life to create a better future for themselves and for the nation.” 1
The Framework draws on conclusive international evidence that early childhood is a vital period inchildren’s learning and development. It has been developed with considerable input from the earlychildhood sector, early childhood academics and the Australian and State and Territory Governments.
The Framework forms the foundation for ensuring that children in all early childhood education andcare settings experience quality teaching and learning. It has a specific emphasis on play-based learningand recognises the importance of communication and language (including early literacy and numeracy)
and social and emotional development. The Framework has been designed for use by early childhood
educators working in partnership with families, children’s first and most influential educators.
Early childhood educators guided by the Framework will reinforce in their daily practice the principles
laid out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (the Convention). The
Convention states that all children have the right to an education that lays a foundation for the rest of
their lives, maximises their ability, and respects their family, cultural and other identities andlanguages. The Convention also recognises children’s right to play and be active participants in all
matters affecting their lives.
This document may complement, supplement or replace individual State and Territory frameworks.
The exact relationship will be determined by each jurisdiction.
More broadly, the Framework supports Goal 2 of the Melbourne Declaration on Education Goals for
Young Australians2, that:All young Australians become:Successful learners



Confident and creative individuals

Active and informed citizens.

The Melbourne Declaration also commits to improved outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander young people and strengthening early childhood education.
The Council of Australian Governments is committed to closing the gap in educational achievement
between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a decade3. Early childhood education has acritical role to play in delivering this outcome.

1 Investing in the Early Years - a National Early Childhood Development Strategy, Council of Australian Governments
2 On 5 December 2008, State, Territory and Commonwealth Ministers of Education meeting as the Ministerial Council on
Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs, released the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young
Australians.
3 The Council of Australian Governments – Communique – 3 July 2008. Indigenous Reform – Closing the Gap.

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Recognising this, a specific document that provides educators with additional guidance on ensuring
cultural security for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families will be developed
and made available to educators.
Over time additional resources may be developed to support the application of this Framework.

Children:refers to babies, toddlers and three to five year olds, unless otherwise stated.
Educators:
early childhood practitioners who work directly with children in early childhood settings.
Play-based learning:a context for learning through which children organise and make sense of their social worlds, as they
engage actively with people, objects and representations.
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A VISION FOR
CHILDREN’S LEARNING
All children experience learning that is engaging
and builds success for life.
Fundamental to the Framework is a view of children’s lives as characterised by belonging, being andbecoming. From before birth children are connected to family, community, culture and place. Theirearliest development and learning takes place through these relationships, particularly within families,
who are children’s first and most influential educators. As children participate in everyday life, they
develop interests and construct their own identities and understandings of the world.

BELONGING
Experiencing belonging – knowing where and with whom you belong – is integral to human existence.
Children belong first to a family, a cultural group, a neighbourhood and a wider community. Belonging
acknowledges children’s interdependence with others and the basis of relationships in defining
identities. In early childhood, and throughout life, relationships are crucial to a sense of belonging.
Belonging is central to being and becoming in that it shapes who children are and who they can become.

“You belong in your house with your family” – Dong

BEING
Childhood is a time to be, to seek and make meaning of the world.
Being recognises the significance of the here and now in children’s lives. It is about the present andthem knowing themselves, building and maintaining relationships with others, engaging with life’s joys
and complexities, and meeting challenges in everyday life. The early childhood years are not solely
preparation for the future but also about the present.

“If you want to be a mermaid you can imagine” – Jazmine

BECOMING
Children’s identities, knowledge, understandings, capacities, skills and relationships change duringchildhood. They are shaped by many different events and circumstances. Becoming reflects thisprocess of rapid and significant change that occurs in the early years as young children learn and grow.
It emphasises learning to participate fully and actively in society.

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“When you keep planting plants you become a gardener” – Olivia
The Framework conveys the highest expectations for all children’s learning from birth to five years
and through the transitions to school. It communicates these expectations through the following five
Learning Outcomes:Children have a strong sense of identityChildren are connected with and contribute to their worldChildren have a strong sense of wellbeingChildren are confident and involved learners

Children are effective communicators.

The Framework provides broad direction for early childhood educators in early childhood settings tofacilitate children’s learning.
It guides educators in their curriculum decision-making and assists in planning, implementing andevaluating quality in early childhood settings. It also underpins the implementation of more specificcurriculum relevant to each local community and early childhood setting.
The Framework is designed to inspire conversations, improve communication and provide a common
language about young children’s learning among children themselves, their families, the broader
community, early childhood educators and other professionals.

Learning outcome:a skill, knowledge or disposition that educators can actively promote in early childhood settings, incollaboration with children and families.
Early childhood settings:
long day care, occasional care, family day care, Multi-purpose Aboriginal Children’s Services,preschools and kindergartens, playgroups, creches, early intervention settings and similar services.
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ELEMENTS OF THE FRAMEWORKThe Framework puts children’s learning at the core and comprises three inter-related elements:
Principles, Practice and Learning Outcomes (see Figure 1). All three elements are fundamental to earlychildhood pedagogy and curriculum decision-making.
Curriculum encompasses all the interactions, experiences, routines and events, planned andunplanned, that occur in an environment designed to foster children’s learning and development.
The emphasis in the Framework is on the planned or intentional aspects of the curriculum.
Children are receptive to a wide range of experiences. What is included or excluded from thecurriculum affects how children learn, develop and understand the world.
The Framework supports a model of curriculum decision-making as an ongoing cycle. This involves
educators drawing on their professional knowledge, including their in-depth knowledge of each child.
Working in partnership with families, educators use the Learning Outcomes to guide their planning forchildren’s learning. In order to engage children actively in learning, educators identify children’s strengths
and interests, choose appropriate teaching strategies and design the learning environment.
Educators carefully assess learning to inform further planning.

Curriculum:in the early childhood setting curriculum means ‘all the interactions, experiences, activities, routinesand events, planned and unplanned, that occur in an environment designed to foster children’s
learning and development’. [adapted from Te Whariki]

Pedagogy:
early childhood educators’ professional practice, especially those aspects that involve building andnurturing relationships, curriculum decision-making, teaching and learning.
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The diversity in family life means that children experience belonging, being and becoming in manydifferent ways. They bring their diverse experiences, perspectives, expectations, knowledge and skills
to their learning.
Children’s learning is dynamic, complex and holistic. Physical, social, emotional, personal, spiritual,creative, cognitive and linguistic aspects of learning are all intricately interwoven and interrelated.
Play is a context for learning that:

allows for the expression of personality and uniqueness

enhances dispositions such as curiosity and creativity

enables children to make connections between prior experiences and new learning

assists children to develop relationships and conceptsstimulates a sense of wellbeing.

Children actively construct their own understandings and contribute to others’ learning. They recognise
their agency, capacity to initiate and lead learning, and their rights to participate in decisions that affectthem, including their learning.
Viewing children as active participants and decision makers opens up possibilities for educators tomove beyond pre-conceived expectations about what children can do and learn. This requires
educators to respect and work with each child’s unique qualities and abilities.
Educators’ practices and the relationships they form with children and families have a significant effect onchildren’s involvement and success in learning. Children thrive when families and educators work
together in partnership to support young children’s learning.
Children’s early learning influences their life chances. Wellbeing and a strong sense of connection,
optimism and engagement enable children to develop a positive attitude to learning.
The Learning Outcomes section of the Framework provides examples of evidence of children’s
learning and the educator’s role.

Involvement:
is a state of intense, whole hearted mental activity, characterised by sustained concentration andintrinsic motivation. Highly involved children (and adults) operate at the limit of their capacities,
leading to changed ways of responding and understanding leading to deep level learning. (adapted from
Laevers 1994)

Dispositions:enduring habits of mind and actions, and tendencies to respond in characteristic ways to situations,for example, maintaining an optimistic outlook, being willing to persevere, approaching newexperiences with confidence. (Carr, 2001)
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ELEMENTS OF THE EARLY YEARS LEARNING
FRAMEWORKThis diagram shows the relationship between learning outcomes, principles and practice whichcentres on children’s learning. The three themes of Belonging, Being and Becoming are contained
overlapping all of these elements.

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EARLY CHILDHOOD PEDAGOGY
The term pedagogy refers to the holistic nature of early childhood educators’ professional practice(especially those aspects that involve building and nurturing relationships), curriculum decision-making,teaching and learning. When educators establish respectful and caring relationships with children andfamilies, they are able to work together to construct curriculum and learning experiences relevant tochildren in their local context. These experiences gradually expand children’s knowledge andunderstanding of the world.
Educators’ professional judgements are central to their active role in facilitating children’s learning. In
making professional judgements, they weave together their:

professional knowledge and skills

knowledge of children, families and communities

awareness of how their beliefs and values impact on children’s learning

personal styles and past experiences.

They also draw on their creativity, intuition and imagination to help them improvise and adjust theirpractice to suit the time, place and context of learning.
Different theories about early childhood inform approaches to children’s learning and development.
Early childhood educators draw upon a range of perspectives in their work which may include:

developmental theories that focus on describing and understanding the processes of change
in children’s learning and development over timesocio-cultural theories that emphasise the central role that families and cultural groups playin children’s learning and the importance of respectful relationships and provide insight intosocial and cultural contexts of learning and developmentsocio-behaviourist theories that focus on the role of experiences in shaping children’s
behaviourcritical theories that invite early childhood educators to challenge assumptions about
curriculum, and consider how their decisions may affect children differently

post-structuralist theories that offer insights into issues of power, equity and social justice inearly childhood settings.

Drawing on a range of perspectives and theories can challenge traditional ways of seeing children,
teaching and learning, and encourage educators, as individuals and with colleagues, to:

investigate why they act in the ways that they dodiscuss and debate theories to identify strengths and limitations

recognise how the theories and beliefs that they use to make sense of their work enable but
also limit their actions and thoughts

consider the consequences of their actions for children’s experiences

find new ways of working fairly and justly.

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The following are five Principles that reflect contemporary theories and research evidence concerning
children’s learning and early childhood pedagogy. The Principles underpin practice that is focused on
assisting all children to make progress in relation to the Learning Outcomes.

1. SECURE, RESPECTFUL AND RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIPS
Educators who are attuned to children’s thoughts and feelings, support the development of a strong
sense of wellbeing. They positively interact with the young child in their learning.
Research has shown that babies are both vulnerable and competent. Babies’ first attachments within
their families and within other trusting relationships provide them with a secure base for explorationand learning.
Through a widening network of secure relationships, children develop confidence and feel respected
and valued. They become increasingly able to recognise and respect the feelings of others and tointeract positively with them.
Educators who give priority to nurturing relationships and providing children with consistentemotional support can assist children to develop the skills and understandings they need to interact
positively with others. They also help children to learn about their responsibilities to others, toappreciate their connectedness and interdependence as learners, and to value collaboration andteamwork.

2. PARTNERSHIPS
Learning outcomes are most likely to be achieved when early childhood educators work in
partnership with families. Educators recognise that families are children’s first and most influential
teachers. They create a welcoming environment where all children and families are respected andactively encouraged to collaborate with educators about curriculum decisions in order to ensure thatlearning experiences are meaningful.
Partnerships are based on the foundations of understanding each other’s expectations and attitudes,
and build on the strength of each others’ knowledge.
In genuine partnerships, families and early childhood educators:value each other’s knowledge of each childvalue each other’s contributions to and roles in each child’s life

trust each othercommunicate freely and respectfully with each other

share insights and perspectives about each child

engage in shared decision-making.

Partnerships also involve educators, families and support professionals working together to explore
the learning potential in every day events, routines and play so that children with additional needs areprovided with daily opportunities to learn from active participation and engagement in theseexperiences in the home and in early childhood or specialist settings.

3. HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND EQUITY
Early childhood educators who are committed to equity believe in all children’s capacities to succeed,
regardless of diverse circumstances and abilities. Children progress well when they, their parents andeducators hold high expectations for their achievement in learning.

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Educators recognise and respond to barriers to children achieving educational success. In response
they challenge practices that contribute to inequities and make curriculum decisions that promote
inclusion and participation of all children. By developing their professional knowledge and skills, andworking in partnership with children, families, communities, other services and agencies, they
continually strive to find equitable and effective ways to ensure that all children have opportunities toachieve learning outcomes.

4. RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY
There are many ways of living, being and of knowing. Children are born belonging to a culture, which is
not only influenced by traditional practices, heritage and ancestral knowledge, but also by theexperiences, values and beliefs of individual families and communities. Respecting diversity means
within the curriculum valuing and reflecting the practices, values and beliefs of families. Educators
honour the histories, cultures, languages, traditions, child rearing practices and lifestyle choices offamilies. They value children’s different capacities and abilities and respect differences in families’ home
lives.
Educators recognise that diversity contributes to the richness of our society and provides a valid
evidence base about ways of knowing. For Australia it also includes promoting greater understandingof Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing and being.
When early childhood educators respect the diversity of families and communities, and the aspirations
they hold for children, they are able to foster children’s motivation to learn and reinforce their senseof themselves as competent learners. They make curriculum decisions that uphold all children’s rights
to have their cultures, identities, abilities and strengths acknowledged and valued,
and respond to the complexity of children’s and families’ lives.
Educators think critically about opportunities and dilemmas that can arise from diversity and take action
to redress unfairness. They provide opportunities to learn about similarities and difference and about
interdependence and how we can learn to live together.

5. ONGOING LEARNING AND REFLECTIVE PRACTICE
Educators continually seek ways to build their professional knowledge and develop learning
communities. They become co-learners with children, families and community, and value the continuity
and richness of local knowledge shared by community members, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Elders.
Reflective practice is a form of ongoing learning that involves engaging with questions of philosophy,
ethics and practice. Its intention is to gather information and gain insights that support, inform andenrich decision-making about children’s learning. As professionals, early childhood educators examine
what happens in their settings and reflect on what they might change.
Critical reflection involves closely examining all aspects of events and experiences from different
perspectives. Educators often frame their reflective practice within a set of overarching questions,developing more specific questions for particular areas of enquiry.
Overarching questions to guide reflection include:What are my understandings of each child?

What theories, philosophies and understandings shape and assist my work?



Who is advantaged when I work in this way? Who is disadvantaged?

What questions do I have about my work? What am I challenged by? What am I curious
about? What am I confronted by?

What aspects of my work are not helped by the theories and guidance that I usually draw on
to make sense of what I do?

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Are there other theories or knowledge that could help me to understand better what I haveobserved or experienced? What are they? How might those theories and that knowledge
affect my practice?

A lively culture of professional inquiry is established when early childhood educators and those withwhom they work are all involved in an ongoing cycle of review through which current practices are
examined, outcomes reviewed and new ideas generated. In such a climate, issues relating to curriculum
quality, equity and children’s wellbeing can be raised and debated.

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PRACTICE
The principles of early childhood pedagogy underpin practice. Educators draw on a rich repertoire ofpedagogical practices to promote children’s learning by:

adopting holistic approaches

being responsive to childrenplanning and implementing learning through play

intentional teaching

creating physical and social learning environments that have a positive impact on children’s
learningvaluing the cultural and social contexts of children and their families

providing for continuity in experiences and enabling children to have successful transition

assessing and monitoring children’s learning to inform provision and to support children inachieving learning outcomes.

HOLISTIC APPROACHES
Holistic approaches to teaching and learning recognise the connectedness of mind, body and spirit4.
When early childhood educators take a holistic approach they pay attention to children’s physical,
personal, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing as well as cognitive aspects of learning. Whileeducators may plan or assess with a focus on a particular outcome or component of learning, they see
children’s learning as integrated and interconnected. They recognise the connections between
children, families and communities and the importance of reciprocal relationships and partnerships forlearning. They see learning as a social activity and value collaborative learning and community
participation.
An integrated, holistic approach to teaching and learning also focuses on connections to the natural
world. Educators foster children’s capacity to understand and respect the natural environment andthe interdependence between people, plants, animals and the land.

RESPONSIVENESS TO CHILDREN
Educators are responsive to all children’s strengths, abilities and interests. They value and build onchildren’s strengths, skills and knowledge to ensure their motivation and engagement in learning. They
respond to children’s expertise, cultural traditions and ways of knowing, the multiple languages
spoken by some children, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and the strategies
used by children with additional needs to negotiate their every day lives.

4 Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Sylva, K. (2004). Researching pedagogy in English pre-schools. British Educational Research Journal, 30(5),712-730.

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Educators are also responsive to children’s ideas and play, which form an important basis for
curriculum decision-making. In response to children’s evolving ideas and interests, educators assess,anticipate and extend children’s learning via open ended questioning, providing feedback, challenging
their thinking and guiding their learning. They make use of spontaneous ‘teachable moments’ toscaffold children’s learning.
Responsive learning relationships are strengthened as educators and children learn together and sharedecisions, respect and trust. Responsiveness enables educators to respectfully enter children’s playand ongoing projects, stimulate their thinking and enrich their learning.
Examples of how educators can reflect on their practice can be found in the description of the
Learning Outcomes.
Scaffold:the educators’ decisions and actions that build on children’s existing knowledge and skills to enhancetheir learning.

LEARNING THROUGH PLAY
Play provides opportunities for children to learn as they discover, create, improvise and imagine. Whenchildren play with other children they create social groups, test out ideas, challenge each other’s thinking
and build new understandings. Play provides a supportive environment where children can ask questions,solve problems and engage in critical thinking. Play can expand children’s thinking and enhance their
desire to know and to learn. In these ways play can promote positive dispositions towards learning.
Children’s immersion in their play illustrates how play enables them to simply enjoy being.
Early childhood educators take on many roles in play with children and use a range of strategies tosupport learning. They engage in sustained shared conversations with children to extend theirthinking5.They provide a balance between child led, child initiated and educator supported learning.
They create learning environments that encourage children to explore, solve problems, create andconstruct. Educators interact with babies and children to build attachment. They use routines and playexperiences to do this. They also recognise spontaneous teachable moments as they occur, and use
them to build on children’s learning. Early childhood educators work with young children to promoteand model positive ways to relate to others. They actively support the inclusion of all children in play,
help children to recognise when play is unfair and offer constructive ways to build a caring, fair andinclusive learning community.
Intentional teaching: involves educators being deliberate, purposeful and thoughtful in their decisions
and action. Intentional teaching is the opposite of teaching by rote or continuing with traditions simply
because things have ‘always’ been done that way.

5 Sraj-Blatchford, I., & Sylva, K. (2004). Researching pedagogy in English pre-schools. British Educational Research Journal, 30(5),712-730.

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INTENTIONAL TEACHING
Intentional teaching is deliberate, purposeful and thoughtful.
Educators who engage in intentional teaching recognise that learning occurs in social contexts andthat interactions and conversations are vitally important for learning. They actively promote children’s
learning through worthwhile and challenging experiences and interactions that foster high-level
thinking skills. They use strategies such as modelling and demonstrating, open questioning, speculating,
explaining, engaging in shared thinking and problem solving to extend children’s thinking and learning.
Educators move flexibly in and out of different roles and draw on different strategies as the context
changes. They plan opportunities for intentional teaching and knowledge-building. They document andmonitor children’s learning.

LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
Learning environments are welcoming spaces when they reflect and enrich the lives and identities ofchildren and families participating in the setting and respond to their interests and needs.
Environments that support learning are vibrant and flexible spaces that are responsive to the interests
and abilities of each child. They cater for different learning capacities and learning styles and invite
children and families to contribute ideas, interests and questions.
Outdoor learning spaces are a feature of Australian learning environments. They offer a vast array ofpossibilities not available indoors. Play spaces in natural environments include plants, trees, edible
gardens, sand, rocks, mud, water and other elements from nature. These spaces invite open-ended
interactions, spontaneity, risk-taking, exploration, discovery and connection with nature. They foster
an appreciation of the natural environment, develop environmental awareness and provide a platform
for ongoing environmental education.
Indoor and outdoor environments support all aspects of children’s learning and invite conversations
between children, early childhood educators, families and the broader community. They promote
opportunities for sustained shared thinking and collaborative learning.
Materials enhance learning when they reflect what is natural and familiar and also introduce novelty to
provoke interest and more complex and increasingly abstract thinking. For example, digitaltechnologies can enable children to access global connections and resources, and encourage new
ways of thinking. Environments and resources can also highlight our responsibilities for a sustainable
future and promote children’s understanding about their responsibility to care for the environment.
They can foster hope, wonder and knowledge about the natural world.
Educators can encourage children and families to contribute ideas, interests and questions to thelearning environment. They can support engagement by allowing time for meaningful interactions, byproviding a range of opportunities for individual and shared experiences, and by finding opportunities
for children to go into and contribute to their local community.

CULTURAL COMPETENCE
Educators who are culturally competent respect multiple cultural ways of knowing, seeing and living,celebrate the benefits of diversity and have an ability to understand and honour differences. This isevident in everyday practice when educators demonstrate an ongoing commitment to developing
their own cultural competence in a two way process with families and communities.
Educators view culture and the context of family as central to children’s sense of being and belonging,and to success in lifelong learning. Educators also seek to promote children’s cultural competence.

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Cultural competence is much more than awareness of cultural differences. It is the ability tounderstand, communicate with, and effectively interact with people across cultures. Culturalcompetence encompasses:


being aware of one’s own world viewdeveloping positive attitudes towards cultural differences

gaining knowledge of different cultural practices and world viewsdeveloping skills for communication and interaction across cultures.

CONTINUITY OF LEARNING AND TRANSITIONSChildren bring family and community ways of being, belonging and becoming to their early childhood
settings. By building on these experiences educators help all children to feel secure, confident andincluded and to experience continuity in how to be and how to learn.
Transitions, including from home to early childhood settings, between settings, and from earlychildhood settings to school, offer opportunities and challenges. Different places and spaces have theirown purposes, expectations and ways of doing things. Building on children’s prior and current
experiences helps them to feel secure, confident and connected to familiar people, places, events andunderstandings. Children, families and early childhood educators all contribute to successfultransitions between settings.
In partnership with families, early childhood educators ensure that children have an active role inpreparing for transitions. They assist children to understand the traditions, routines and practices ofthe settings to which they are moving and to feel comfortable with the process of change.
Early childhood educators also help children to negotiate changes in their status or identities,
especially when they begin full-time school. As children make transitions to new settings (including
school) educators from early childhood settings and schools commit to sharing information about
each child’s knowledge and skills so learning can build on foundations of earlier learning. Educators
work collaboratively with each child’s new educator and other professionals to ensure a successfultransition.

ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING
Assessment for children’s learning refers to the process of gathering and analysing information as
evidence about what children know, can do and understand. It is part of an ongoing cycle that includes
planning, documenting and evaluating children’s learning.
It is important because it enables educators in partnership with families, children and otherprofessionals to:plan effectively for children’s current and future learning

communicate about children’s learning and progress

determine the extent to which all children are progressing toward realising learning
outcomes and if not, what might be impeding their progress

identify children who may need additional support in order to achieve particular learning
outcomes, providing that support or assisting families to access specialist helpevaluate the effectiveness of learning opportunities, environments and experiences offered
and the approaches taken to enable children’s learningreflect on pedagogy that will suit this context and these children.

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Educators use a variety of strategies to collect, document, organise, synthesise and interpret the
information that they gather to assess children’s learning. They search for appropriate ways to collectrich and meaningful information that depicts children’s learning in context, describes their progress
and identifies their strengths, skills and understandings. More recent approaches to assessment also
examine the learning strategies that children use and reflect ways in which learning is co-constructed
through interactions between the educator and each child. Used effectively, these approaches toassessment become powerful ways to make the process of learning visible to children and theirfamilies, educators and other professionals.
The five Learning Outcomes in this Framework, as outlined later, provide early childhood educatorswith key reference points against which children’s progress can be identified, documented andcommunicated to families, other early childhood professionals and educators in schools. Over timeeducators can reflect on how children have developed, how they have engaged with increasingly
complex ideas and participated in increasingly sophisticated learning experiences.
Ongoing assessment processes that include a diverse array of methods capture and validate thedifferent pathways that children take toward achieving these outcomes. Such processes do not focus
exclusively on the endpoints of children’s learning; they give equal consideration to the ‘distancetravelled’ by individual children and recognise and celebrate not only the giant leaps that children takein their learning but the small steps as well.
All children demonstrate their learning in different ways. Approaches to assessment that areculturally and linguistically relevant and responsive to the physical and intellectual capabilities of eachchild will acknowledge each child’s abilities and strengths, and allow them to demonstratecompetence.
Including children, families and other professionals in the development and implementation of relevant
and appropriate assessment processes allows for new understandings to emerge that are not possible
if educators rely solely on their own strategies and perspectives. Developing inclusive assessment
practices with children and their families demonstrates respect for diversity, helps educators makebetter sense of what they have observed and supports learning for both children and adults.
Assessment, when undertaken in collaboration with families, can assist families to support children’s
learning and empower them to act on behalf of their children beyond the early childhood setting.
When children are included in the assessment process they can develop an understanding ofthemselves as learners and an understanding of how they learn best.
When educators reflect on their role in children’s learning and assessment they reflect on their own
views and understandings of early childhood theory, research and practice to focus on:the experiences and environments they provide and how that links to the intended learning
outcomesthe extent to which they know and value the culturally specific knowledge about children andlearning that is embedded within the community in which they are working

each child’s learning in the context of their families, drawing family perspectives,
understandings, experiences and expectations

the learning opportunities which build on what children already know and what they bring to
the early childhood settingevidence that the learning experiences offered are inclusive of all children and culturally
appropriate

not making assumptions about children’s learning or setting lower expectations for somechildren because of unacknowledged biases



incorporating pedagogical practices that reflect knowledge of diverse perspectives andcontribute to children’s wellbeing and successful learning

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whether there are sufficiently challenging experiences for all childrenthe evidence that demonstrates children are learning

how they can expand the range of ways they assess to make assessment richer and more
useful.

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LEARNING OUTCOMESThe five Learning Outcomes are designed to capture the integrated and complex learning anddevelopment of all children across the birth to five age range. The outcomes are:Children have a strong sense of identityChildren are connected with and contributeto their worldChildren have a strong sense of wellbeingChildren are confident and involved learners

Children are effective communicators.

The outcomes are broad and observable. They acknowledge that children learn in a variety of ways
and vary in their capabilities and pace of learning. Over time children engage with increasingly
complex ideas and learning experiences, which are transferable to other situations.
Learning in relation to the outcomes is influenced by:each child’s current capabilities, dispositions and learning preferences

educators’ practices and the early childhood environmentengagement with each child’s family and community

the integration of learning across the outcomes.

Children’s learning is ongoing and each child will progress towards the outcomes in different andequally meaningful ways. Learning is not always predictable and linear. Educators plan with each childand the outcomes in mind.
The following Learning Outcomes demonstrate how the three elements of the Framework: Principles,
Practices and Outcomes combine to guide curriculum decision-making and assessment to promotechildren’s learning.
Key components of learning in each outcome are expanded to provide examples of evidence that
educators may observe in children as they learn. Examples of practice to promote children’s learning
are also included.
There will be many other ways that children demonstrate learning within and across the outcomes.
Educators understand, engage with and promote children’s learning. They talk with families andcommunities to make locally based decisions, relevant to each child and their community.
There is provision for educators to list specific examples of evidence and practice that are culturally
and contextually appropriate to each child and their settings.
The points described within each outcome are relevant to children of all ages. Knowledge of individual
children, their strengths and capabilities will guide educators’ professional judgement to ensure all
children are engaging in a range of experiences across all the Learning Outcomesin ways that optimise their learning.

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OUTCOME 1:
CHILDREN HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF IDENTITY
Belonging, being and becoming are integral parts of identity.
Children learn about themselves and construct their own identity within the context of their families
and communities. This includes their relationships with people, places and things and the actions andresponses of others. Identity is not fixed. It is shaped by experiences. When children have positive
experiences they develop an understanding of themselves as significant and respected, and feel a senseof belonging. Relationships are the foundations for the construction of identity – ‘who I am’, ‘how I
belong’ and ‘what is my influence?’
In early childhood settings children develop a sense of belonging when they feel accepted, develop
attachments and trust those that care for them. As children are developing their sense of identity,
they explore different aspects of it (physical, social, emotional, spiritual, cognitive), through their play
and their relationships.
When children feel safe, secure and supported they grow in confidence to explore and learn.
The concept of being reminds educators to focus on children in the here and now, and of theimportance of children’s right to be a child and experience the joy of childhood. Being involves
children developing an awareness of their social and cultural heritage, of gender and their significancein their world.
Becoming includes children building and shaping their identity through their evolving experiences andrelationships which include change and transitions. Children are always learning about the impact of
their personal beliefs and values. Children’s agency, as well as guidance, care and teaching by families
and educators shape children’s experiences of becoming.

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OUTCOME 1: CHILDREN HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF IDENTITY


Children feel safe, secure, and supportedChildren develop their emerging autonomy, inter-dependence, resilience and sense of agency

Children develop knowledgeable and confident self identitiesChildren learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect

Children feel safe, secure, and supported
This is evident, for example, whenchildren: build secure attachments with one andthen more familiar educators
 use effective routines to help makepredicted transitions smoothly sense and respond to a feeling of
belonging communicate their needs for comfort
and assistance establish and maintain respectful,trusting relationships with otherchildren and educators
 openly express their feelings and ideas
in their interactions with others
 respond to ideas and suggestions fromothers initiate interactions and conversations
with trusted educators
 confidently explore and engage withsocial and physical environments
through relationships and play initiate and join in play explore aspects of identity throughrole play

Educators promote this learning, forexample, when they: acknowledge and respond sensitively
to children’s cues and signals
 respond sensitively to children’s
attempts
to initiate interactions andconversations
 support children’s secure attachment
through consistent and warm nurturing
relationships
 support children in times of change andbridge the gap between the familiar andthe unfamiliar
 build upon culturally valued childrearing practices and approaches tolearning
 are emotionally available and support
children’s expression of their thoughts
and feelings
 recognise that feelings of distress, fearor discomfort may take some time toresolve acknowledge each child’s uniqueness inpositive ways
 spend time interacting and conversing
with each childAdd your own examples from your context:

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OUTCOME 1: CHILDREN HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF IDENTITY
Children develop their emerging autonomy, inter-dependence,
resilience and sense of agency
This is evident, for example, whenchildren: demonstrate increasing awareness ofthe needs and rights of others be open to new challenges anddiscoveries
 increasingly co-operate and work
collaboratively with others
 take considered risk in their decisionmaking and cope with the unexpected recognise their individual achievements
and the achievements of others demonstrate an increasing capacity for
self-regulation
 approach new safe situations withconfidence begin to initiate negotiating and sharing
behaviours
 persist when faced with challenges andwhen first attempts are not successful

Educators promote this learning, forexample, when they: provide children with strategies tomake informed choices about their
behaviours
 promote children’s sense of belonging,connectedness and wellbeing
 maintain high expectations of eachchild’s capabilities
 mediate and assist children to negotiate
their rights in relation to the rights ofothers provide opportunities for children to
engage independently with tasks andplay display delight, encouragement andenthusiasm for children’s attempts
 support children’s efforts, assisting andencouraging as appropriate
 motivate and encourage children to
succeed when they are faced withchallenges
 provide time and space for children to
engage in both individual andcollaborative pursuits
 build on the culturally valued learningof individual children’s communities
 encourage children to make choices
and decisions

Add your own examples from your context:

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OUTCOME 1: CHILDREN HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF IDENTITY
Children develop knowledgeable and confident self identities
This is evident, for example, whenchildren:











feel recognised and respected for who
they areexplore different identities and pointsof view in dramatic playshare aspects of their culture with theother children and educators
use their home language to constructmeaningdevelop strong foundations in both theculture and language/s of their family
and of the broader community withoutcompromising their cultural identities
develop their social and cultural
heritage through engagement with
Elders and community members
reach out and communicate for
comfort, assistance and companionshipcelebrate and share their contributions
and achievements with others

Educators promote this learning, forexample, when they:





















promote in all children a strong senseof who they are and theirconnectedness to others – a shared
identity as Australians
ensure all children experience prideand confidence in their achievements
share children’s successes with families
show respect for diversity,
acknowledging the varying approachesof children, families, communities andculturesacknowledge and understand thatchildren construct meaning in manydifferent ways
demonstrate deep understanding ofeach child, their family and community
contexts in planning for children’s
learning
provide children with examples of themany ways identities and culture arerecognised and expressedbuild upon culturally valued approaches
to learningbuild on the knowledge, languages andunderstandings that children bringtalk with children in respectful ways
about similarities and differences inpeopleprovide rich and diverse resources thatreflect children’s social worlds
listen to and learn about children’s
understandings of themselves
actively support the maintenance ofhome language and culture
develop authentic children’s
understanding of themselves

Add your own examples from your context:

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OUTCOME 1: CHILDREN HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF IDENTITY
Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy andrespect
This is evident, for example, whenchildren: show interest in other children andbeing part of a group engage in and contribute to shared playexperiences express a wide range of emotions,thoughts and views constructively
 empathise with and express concern
for others
 display awareness of and respect forothers’ perspectives
 reflect on their actions and consider
consequences for others

Educators promote this learning, forexample, when they: initiate one-to-one interactions withchildren, particularly babies andtoddlers, during daily routines
 organise learning environments in waysthat promote small group interactions
and play experiences model care, empathy and respect forchildren, staff and families
 model explicit communication
strategies to support children to
initiate interactions and join in play andsocial experiences in ways that sustain
productive relationships with otherchildren acknowledge children’s complex
relationships and sensitively intervenein ways that promote consideration ofalternative perspectives and social
inclusion

Add your own examples from your context:

Inclusion:
involves taking into account all children’s social, cultural and linguistic diversity (including learning
styles, abilities, disabilities, gender, family circumstances and geographic location) in curriculum
decision-making processes. The intent is to ensure that all children’s experiences are recognised andvalued. The intent is also to ensure that all children have equitable access to resources andparticipation, and opportunities to demonstrate their learning and to value difference.

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OUTCOME 2: CHILDREN ARE CONNECTED WITH AND
CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR WORLD
Experiences of relationships and participation in communities contribute to children’s belonging, being
and becoming. From birth children experience living and learning with others in a range ofcommunities. These might include families, local communities or early childhood settings. Having a
positive sense of identity and experiencing respectful, responsive relationships strengthens children’sinterest and skills in being and becoming active contributors to their world. As children move into
early childhood settings they broaden their experiences as participants in different relationships andcommunities.
Over time the variety and complexity of ways in which children connect and participate with others
increases. Babies participate through smiling, crying, imitating, and making sounds to show their levelof interest in relating to or participating with others. Toddlers participate and connect with othertoddlers through such gestures as offering their teddy to a distressed child or welcoming a new childenthusiastically. Older children show interest in how others regard them and understandings about
friendships. They develop understandings that their actions or responses affect how others feel orexperience belonging.
When educators create environments in which children experience mutually enjoyable, caring andrespectful relationships with people and the environment, children respond accordingly. Whenchildren participate collaboratively in everyday routines, events and experiences and haveopportunities to contribute to decisions, they learn to live interdependently.
Children’s connectedness and different ways of belonging with people, country and communities helps
them to learn ways of being which reflect the values, traditions and practices of their families andcommunities. Over time this learning transforms the ways they interact with others.

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OUTCOME 2: CHILDREN ARE CONNECTED WITH AND
CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR WORLDChildren develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities and an understanding of thereciprocal rights and responsibilities necessary for active community participation

Children respond to diversity with respectChildren become aware of fairnessChildren become socially responsible and show respect for the environment

Children develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities andan understanding of the reciprocal rights and responsibilities necessary
for active community participation
This is evident, for example, whenchildren: begin to recognise that they have a rightto belong to many communities
 cooperate with others and negotiate
roles and relationships in play episodes
and group experiences
 take action to assist other children toparticipate in social groups broaden their understanding of theworld
in which they live express an opinion in matters that affectthem build on their own social experiences to
explore other ways of being
 participate in reciprocal relationships
 gradually learn to ‘read’ the behavioursof others and respond appropriately understand different ways ofcontributing through play and projects
 demonstrate a sense of belonging andcomfort in their environments
 are playful and respond positively toothers, reaching out for company andfriendship contribute to fair decision-making about
matters that affect them

Educators promote this learning, forexample, when they: promote a sense of community within
the early childhood setting
 build connections between the earlychildhood setting and the local
community provide opportunities for children toinvestigate ideas, complex concepts andethical issues that are relevant to theirlives and their local communities
 model language that children can use toexpress ideas, negotiate roles andcollaborate to achieve goals
 ensure that children have the skills toparticipate and contribute to group playand projects
 plan opportunities for children toparticipate in meaningful ways in group
discussions and shared decision-making
about rules and expectations

Add your own examples from your context:

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OUTCOME 2: CHILDREN ARE CONNECTED WITH AND
CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR WORLDChildren respond to diversity with respect
This is evident, for example, whenchildren: begin to show concern for others explore the diversity of culture, heritage,
background and tradition and thatdiversity presents opportunities forchoices and new understandings
 become aware of connections,similarities and differences between
people listen to others’ ideas and respectdifferent ways of being and doing practise inclusive ways of achieving
coexistence notice and react in positive ways tosimilarities and differences among people

Educators promote this learning, forexample, when they: reflect on their own responses todiversity plan experiences and provide resourcesthat broaden children’s perspectives
and encourage appreciation of diversity
 expose children to different languages
and dialects and encourage appreciationof linguistic diversity
 encourage children to listen to others
and to respect diverse perspectives
 demonstrate positive responses todiversity in their own behaviour and inconversations with children
 engage in interactions with children that
promote respect for diversity and value
distinctiveness explore the culture, heritage,
backgrounds and traditions of eachchild within the context of theircommunity explore with children their ideas about
diversity

Add your own examples from your context:

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OUTCOME 2: CHILDREN ARE CONNECTED WITH AND
CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR WORLDChildren become aware of fairness
This is evident, for example, whenchildren: discover and explore some connections
amongst people
 become aware of ways in which people
are included or excluded from physicaland social environments
 develop the ability to recognise
unfairness and bias and the capacity to
act with compassion and kindness
 are empowered to make choices andproblem solve to meet their needs inparticular contexts
 begin to think critically about fair andunfair behaviour
 begin to understand and evaluate ways
in which texts construct identities andcreate stereotypes

Educators promote this learning, for example,
when they:
 notice and listen carefully to children’sconcerns and discuss diverse
perspectives on issues of inclusion andexclusion and fair and unfair behaviour
 engage children in discussions about
respectful and equal relations such as
when a child dominates in the use ofresources analyse and discuss with children ways
in which texts construct a limited rangeof identities and reinforce stereotypes
 draw children’s attention to issues offairness relevant to them in the earlychildhood setting and community

Add your own examples from your context:

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OUTCOME 2: CHILDREN ARE CONNECTED WITH AND
CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR WORLDChildren become socially responsible and show respect for theenvironment
This is evident, for example, whenchildren: use play to investigate, project andexplore new ideas
 participate with others to solve
problems and contribute to groupoutcomes
 demonstrate an increasing knowledgeof, and respect for natural andconstructed environments
 explore, infer, predict and hypothesisein order to develop an increased
understanding of the interdependence
between land, people, plants and animals
 show growing appreciation and care fornatural and constructed environments
 explore relationships with other living
and non-living things and observe,
notice and respond to change develop an awareness of the impact ofhuman activity on environments and theinterdependence of living things

Educators promote this learning, for example,
when they: provide children with access to a rangeof natural materials in theirenvironment
 model respect, care and appreciation
for the natural environment
 find ways of enabling children to care
for and learn from the land
 consider the nature of children’sconnectedness to the land anddemonstrate respect for community
protocols share information and provide children
with access to resources about theenvironment and the impact of humanactivities on environments
 embed sustainability in daily routinesand practices
 look for examples of interdependence
in the environment and discuss the ways
the life and health of living things areinterconnected

Add your own examples from your context:

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OUTCOME 3:
CHILDREN HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF WELLBEING
Wellbeing incorporates both physical and psychological aspects and is central to belonging, being andbecoming. Without a strong sense of wellbeing it is difficult to have a sense of belonging, to trust others
and feel confident in being, and to optimistically engage in experiences that contribute to becoming.
Wellbeing includes good physical health, feelings of happiness, satisfaction and successful social
functioning. It influences the way children interact in their environments. A strong sense of wellbeing
provides children with confidence and optimism which maximise their learning potential. It
encourages the development of children’s innate exploratory drive, a sense of agency and a desire tointeract with responsive others.
Wellbeing is correlated with resilience, providing children with the capacity to cope with day-to day
stress and challenges. The readiness to persevere when faced with unfamiliar and challenging learning
situations creates the opportunity for success and achievement.
Children’s learning and physical development is evident through their movement patterns from physicaldependence and reflex actions at birth, to the integration of sensory, motor and cognitive systems fororganised, controlled physical activity for both purpose and enjoyment.
Children’s wellbeing can be affected by all their experiences within and outside of their early childhood
settings. To support children’s learning, it is essential that educators attend to children’s wellbeing by
providing warm, trusting relationships, predictable and safe environments, affirmation and respect for all
aspects of their physical, emotional, social, cognitive, linguistic, creative and spiritual being. By
acknowledging each child’s cultural and social identity, and responding sensitively to their emotional
states, educators build children’s confidence, sense of wellbeing and willingness to engage in learning.
Children’s developing resilience and their ability to take increasing responsibility for self-help and basic
health routines promote a sense of independence and confidence. As they experience being cared forby educators and others, they become aware of the importance of living and learninginterdependently with others.
Learning about healthy lifestyles, including nutrition, personal hygiene, physical fitness, emotions andsocial relationships is integral to wellbeing and self-confidence. Physical wellbeing contributes tochildren’s ability to concentrate, cooperate and learn. As children become more independent they
can take greater responsibility for their health, hygiene and personal care and become mindful of theirown and others’ safety. Routines provide opportunities for children to learn about health and safety.
Good nutrition is essential to healthy living and enables children to be active participants in play. Early
childhood settings provide many opportunities for children to experience a range of healthy foods andto learn about food choices from educators and other children. Physical activity and attention to fineand gross motor skills provide children with the foundations for their growing independence andsatisfaction in being able to do things for themselves.

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OUTCOME 3: CHILDREN HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF WELLBEING
Children become strong in their social and emotional wellbeingChildren take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing

Children become strong in their social and emotional wellbeing
This is evident, for example, whenchildren: demonstrate trust and confidence remain accessible to others at times of
distress, confusion and frustration
 share humour, happiness andsatisfaction
 seek out and accept new challenges,
make new discoveries, and celebrate
their own efforts and achievements andthose of others
 increasingly co-operate and work
collaboratively with others
 enjoy moments of solitude recognise their individual achievement
 make choices, accept challenges, takeconsidered risks, manage change andcope with frustrations and theunexpected show an increasing capacity tounderstand, self-regulate and manage
their emotions in ways that reflect the
feelings and needs of others experience and share personal
successes in learning and initiate
opportunities for new learning in theirhome languages or Standard AustralianEnglish acknowledge and accept affirmation
 assert their capabilities andindependence while demonstrating
increasing awareness of the needs andrights of others
 recognise the contributions they maketo shared projects and experiences

Educators promote this learning, forexample, when they: show genuine affection, understanding
and respect for all children
 collaborate with children to document
their achievements and share theirsuccesses with their families
 ensure that all children experience pridein their attempts and achievements
 promote children’s sense of belonging,connectedness and wellbeing
 challenge and support children to
engage in and persevere at tasks andplay build upon and extend children’s ideas
 maintain high expectations of eachchild’s capabilities
 value children’s personal decisionmaking
 welcome children and families sharing
aspects of their culture and spirituallives
 talk with children about their emotions
and responses to events with a view tosupporting their understandings ofemotional regulation and self-control
 acknowledge and affirm children’s effort
and growth mediate and assist children to negotiate
their rights in relation to the rights ofothers

Add your own examples from your context:

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OUTCOME 3: CHILDREN HAVE A STRONG SENSE OFWELLBEINGChildren take increasing responsibility for their own health and physicalwellbeing
This is evident, for example, whenchildren: recognise and communicate their bodily
needs (for example, thirst, hunger, rest,
comfort, physical activity)
 are happy, healthy, safe and connected
to others engage in increasingly complex sensorymotor skills and movement patterns
 combine gross and fine motor
movement and balance to achieve
increasingly complex patterns of activity
including dance, creative movement anddrama use their sensory capabilities anddispositions with increasing integration,
skill and purpose to explore andrespondto their world demonstrate spatial awareness andorient themselves, moving around andthrough their environments confidently
and safely
 manipulate equipment and manage tools
with increasing competence and skill
 respond through movement totraditional and contemporary music,
dance and storytelling show an increasing awareness of healthy
lifestyles and good nutrition
 show increasing independence andcompetence in personal hygiene, careand safety for themselves and others
 show enthusiasm for participating inphysical play and negotiate play spaces toensure the safety and wellbeing ofthemselves and others

Educators promote this learning, forexample, when they: plan for and participate in energetic
physical activity with children, including
dance, drama, movement and games draw on family and community
experiences and expertise to include
familiar games and physical activities inplay provide a wide range of tools andmaterials to resource children’s fine andgross motor skills
 actively support children to learnhygiene practices
 promote continuity of children’s
personal health and hygiene by sharing
ownership of routines and schedules
with children, families and thecommunity discuss health and safety issues withchildren and involve them in developing
guidelines to keep the environment safe
for all engage children in experiences,conversations and routines that
promote healthy lifestyles and goodnutrition
 consider the pace of the day within thecontext of the community
 model and reinforce health, nutritionand personal hygiene practices withchildren provide a range of active and restfulexperiences throughout the day andsupport children to make appropriate
decisions regarding participation

Add your own examples from your context:

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OUTCOME 4: CHILDREN ARE CONFIDENT AND INVOLVEDLEARNERS
A sense of security and sound wellbeing gives children the confidence to experiment and explore andto try out new ideas, thus developing their competence and becoming active and involved participantsin learning. Children are more likely to be confident and involved learners when their family andcommunity experiences and understandings are recognised and included in the early childhood
setting. This assists them to make connections and to make sense of new experiences.
Children use processes such as exploration, collaboration and problem solving across all aspects ofcurriculum. Developing dispositions such as curiosity, persistence and creativity enables children toparticipate in and gain from learning. Effective learners are also able to transfer and adapt what they havelearned from one context to another and to locate and use resources for learning.
In a supportive active learning environment, children who are confident and involved learners are
increasingly able to take responsibility for their own learning, personal regulation and contribution to
the social environment. Connections and continuity between learning experiences in different settings
make learning more meaningful and increase children’s feelings of belonging.
Children develop understandings of themselves and their world through active, hands-on
investigation. A supportive active learning environment encourages children’s engagement in learningwhich can be recognised as deep concentration and complete focus on what captures their interests.
Children bring their being to their learning. They have many ways of seeing the world, different
processes of learning and their own preferred learning styles.
Active involvement in learning builds children’s understandings of concepts and the creative thinking andinquiry processes that are necessary for lifelong learning. They can challenge and extend their own thinking,and that of others, and create new knowledge in collaborative interactions and negotiations. Children’s active
involvement changes what they know, can do, value and transforms their learning.
Educators’ knowledge of individual children is crucial to providing an environment and experiencesthat will optimise children’s learning.

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OUTCOME 4: CHILDREN ARE CONFIDENT AND INVOLVEDLEARNERSChildren develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity,commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivityChildren develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, enquiry,
experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigatingChildren transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to anotherChildren resource their own learning through connecting with people, place, technologies andnatural and processed materials

Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity,
cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm,
persistence, imagination and reflexivity
This is evident, for example, whenchildren: express wonder and interest in theirenvironments
 are curious and enthusiastic participantsin their learning use play to investigate, imagine andexplore ideas
 follow and extend their own interests
with enthusiasm, energy andconcentration
 initiate and contribute to playexperiences emerging from their own
ideas participate in a variety of rich andmeaningful inquiry-based experiences persevere and experience thesatisfaction of achievement
 persist even when they find a taskdifficult

Educators promote this learning, forexample, when they: recognise and value children’s
involvement in learning provide learning environments that are
flexible and open-ended
 respond to children’s displays of learning
dispositions by commenting on them andproviding encouragement and additionalideas
 encourage children to engage in bothindividual and collaborative explorative
learning processes
 listen carefully to children’s ideas anddiscuss with them how these ideas
might
be developed provide opportunities for children torevisit their ideas and extend theirthinking
 model inquiry processes, including
wonder, curiosity and imagination, try
new ideas and take on challenges
 reflect with children on what and how
they have learned
 build on the knowledge, languages andunderstandings that children bring totheir early childhood setting explore the diversity of cultures andsocial identities
 promote in children a strong sense of
who they are and their connectedness
to others – a shared identity as
Australians

Add your own examples from your context:
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OUTCOME 4: CHILDREN ARE CONFIDENT AND INVOLVEDLEARNERSChildren develop a range of skills and processes such as problem
solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching andinvestigatingThis is evident, for example, whenchildren: apply a wide variety of thinking
strategies to engage with situations andsolve problems, and adapt thesestrategies to new situations
 create and use representation toorganise, record and communicate
mathematical ideas and concepts
 make predictions and generalisations
about their daily activities, aspects of
the natural world and environments,using patterns they generate or identify
and communicate these using
mathematical language and symbols
 explore their environment
 manipulate objects and experiment withcause and effect, trial and error, andmotion contribute constructively tomathematical discussions and arguments
 use reflective thinking to consider why
things happen and what can be learnt
from these experiences

Educators promote this learning, forexample, when they: plan learning environments withappropriate levels of challenge wherechildren are encouraged to explore,
experiment and take appropriate risks
in their learning recognise mathematical understandingsthat children bring to learning and buildon these in ways that are relevant toeach child provide babies and toddlers withresources that offer challenge, intrigue
and surprise, support theirinvestigations and share their enjoyment
 provide experiences that encouragechildren to investigate and solve
problems
 encourage children to use language todescribe and explain their ideas
 provide opportunities for involvement
in experiences that support theinvestigation of ideas, complex concepts
and thinking, reasoning andhypothesizing
 encourage children to make their ideas
and theories visible to others
 model mathematical and scientificlanguage and language associated withthe arts
 join in children’s play and model
reasoning, predicting and reflecting
processes and language intentionally scaffold children’s
understandings
 listen carefully to children’s attempts tohypothesise and expand on theirthinking through conversation andquestioning

Add your own examples from your context:

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OUTCOME 4: CHILDREN ARE CONFIDENT AND INVOLVEDLEARNERSChildren transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context
to another
This is evident, for example,
when children: engage with and co-construct learning develop an ability to mirror, repeat andpractice the actions of others, either
immediately or later make connections between experiences,
concepts and processes use the processes of play, reflection andinvestigation to solve problems
 apply generalisations from one situation
to another try out strategies that were effective tosolve problems in one situation in a newcontext
 transfer knowledge from one setting toanother

Educators promote this learning,for example, when they: value signs of children applying theirlearning in new ways and talk about thiswith them in ways that grow theirunderstanding support children to construct multiple
solutions to problems and use different
ways of thinking
 draw children’s attention to patterns
and relationships in the environment
and intheir learning plan for time and space where children
can reflect on their learning and to see
similarities and connections between
existing and new learning share and transfer knowledge aboutchildren’s learning from one setting toanother, by exchanging information withfamilies and with professionals in othersettings
 encourage children to discuss theirideas and understandings
 understand that competence is not tied
to any particular language, dialect or
cultureAdd your own examples from your context:

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OUTCOME 4: CHILDREN ARE CONFIDENT AND INVOLVEDLEARNERSChildren resource their own learning through connecting with people,
place, technologies and natural and processed materials
This is evident, for example,
when children: engage in learning relationships
 use their senses to explore natural andbuilt environments
 experience the benefits and pleasures ofshared learning exploration
 explore the purpose and function of arange of tools, media, sounds andgraphics
 manipulate resources to investigate,
take apart, assemble, invent andconstruct experiment with different technologies
 use information and communication
technologies (ICT) to investigate andproblem solve explore ideas and theories using
imagination, creativity and play use feedback from themselves andothers to revise and build on an idea

Educators promote this learning,for example, when they: provide opportunities and support forchildren to engage in meaningfullearning relationships
 provide sensory and exploratory
experiences with natural and processedmaterials
 provide experiences that involve children
in the broader community andenvironment beyond the early childhood
setting think carefully about how children aregrouped for play, considering
possibilities for peer scaffolding introduce appropriate tools, technologies
and media and provide the skills,
knowledge and techniques to enhancechildren’s learning provide opportunities for children toboth construct and take apart materials
as a strategy for learning develop their own confidence withtechnologies available to children in
the setting
 provide resources that encouragechildren to represent their thinking

Add your own examples from your context:

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OUTCOME 5:
CHILDREN ARE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORS
Communication is crucial to belonging, being and becoming. From birth children communicate with others
using gestures, sounds, language and assisted communication. They are social beings who are intrinsicallymotivated to exchange ideas, thoughts, questions and feelings, and to use a range of tools and media,
including music, dance and drama, to express themselves, connect with others and extend their learning.
Children’s use of their home languages underpins their sense of identity and their conceptual
development. Children feel a sense of belonging when their language, interaction styles and ways ofcommunicating are valued. They have the right to be continuing users of their home language as wellas to develop competency in Standard Australian English.
Literacy and numeracy capabilities are important aspects of communication and are vital for successful
learning across the curriculum.
Literacy is the capacity, confidence and disposition to use language in all its forms. Literacy
incorporates a range of modes of communication including music, movement, dance, story telling,visual arts, media and drama, as well as talking, listening, viewing, reading and writing. Contemporary
texts include electronic and print based media. In an increasingly technological world, the ability tocritically analyse texts is a key component of literacy. Children benefit from opportunities to explore
their world using technologies and to develop confidence in using digital media.
Numeracy is the capacity, confidence and disposition to use mathematics in daily life. Children bringnew mathematical understandings through engaging with problem solving. It is essential that themathematical ideas with which young children interact are relevant and meaningful in the context of
their current lives. Educators require a rich mathematical vocabulary to accurately describe andexplain children’s mathematical ideas and to support numeracy development. Spatial sense, structure
and pattern, number, measurement, data argumentation, connections and exploring the world
mathematically are the powerful mathematical ideas children need to become numerate.
Experiences in early childhood settings build on the range of experiences with language, literacy andnumeracy that children have within their families and communities.
Positive attitudes and competencies in literacy and numeracy are essential for children’s successful
learning. The foundations for these competencies are built in early childhood.

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OUTCOME 5: CHILDREN ARE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORSChildren interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposesChildren engage with a range of texts and gain meaning from these textsChildren express ideas and make meaning using a range of media

Children begin to understand how symbols and pattern systems workChildren use information and communication technologies to access information, investigate
ideas and represent their thinking

Texts:
things that we read, view and listen to and that we create in order to share meaning. Texts can be
print-based, such as books, magazines and posters or screen-based, for example internet sites andDVDs. Many texts are multimodal, integrating images, written words and/or sound.

Attuned:“Attunement includes the alignment of states of mind in moments of engagement, during which affectis communicated with facial expression, vocalisations, body gestures and eye contact”. (Siegel,1999)

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OUTCOME 5: CHILDREN ARE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORSChildren interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes
This is evident, for example, whenchildren: engage in enjoyable interactions using
verbal and non-verbal language
 convey and construct messages withpurpose and confidence, building on
home/family and community literacies
 respond verbally and non-verbally towhat they see, hear, touch, feel andtaste
 use language and representations fromplay, music and art to share and project
meaning contribute their ideas and experiencesin play, small and large group discussions
 attend and give cultural cues that they arelistening to and understanding what is said
to them are independent communicators who
initiate Standard Australian English andhome language conversations anddemonstrate the ability to meet thelisteners’ needs
 interact with others to explore ideas
and concepts, clarify and challenge
thinking,
negotiate and share new understandings
 convey and construct messages withpurpose and confidence, building onliteracies of home/family and thebroader community exchange ideas, feelings andunderstandings using language andrepresentations in play
 demonstrate an increasing
understanding of measurement andnumber using vocabulary to describe
size, length, volume, capacity and namesof numbers
 express ideas and feelings and understandand respect the perspectives of others
 use language to communicate thinking
about quantities to describe attributesof objects and collections, and to
explain mathematical ideas show increasing knowledge,
understanding and skill in conveying
meaning in at least one language

Educators promote this learning, forexample, when they: engage in enjoyable interactions withbabies as they make and play with sounds
 are attuned and respond sensitively andappropriately to children’s efforts tocommunicate
 listen to and respond to children’s
approximations of words
 value children’s linguistic heritage andwith family and community members
encourage the use of and acquisition ofhome languages and Standard AustralianEnglish recognise that children enter earlychildhood programs having begun tocommunicate and make sense of theirexperiences at home and in theircommunities
 model language and encourage children
to express themselves through language
in a range of contexts and for a range of
purposes engage in sustained communication withchildren about ideas and experiences,and extend their vocabulary
 include real-life resources to promotechildren’s use of mathematical language

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OUTCOME 5: CHILDREN ARE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORSChildren engage with a range of texts and gain meaning from thesetextsThis is evident, for example, whenchildren: listen and respond to sounds andpatterns in speech, stories and rhymes
in context
 view and listen to printed, visual andmultimedia texts and respond with
relevant gestures, actions, comments
and/or questions
 sing and chant rhymes, jingles and songs
 take on roles of literacy and numeracy
users in their play begin to understand key literacy andnumeracy concepts and processes, suchas the sounds of language, letter-soundrelationships, concepts of print and theways that texts are structured
 explore texts from a range of different
perspectives and begin to analyse themeanings
 actively use, engage with and share theenjoyment of language and texts in arange of ways
 recognise and engage with written andoral culturally constructed texts

Educators promote this learning, forexample, when they: read and share a range of books andother texts with children provide a literacy-enriched environment
including display print in home languages
and Standard Australian English
 sing and chant rhymes, jingles and songs
 engage children in play with words andsounds talk explicitly about concepts such as
rhyme and letters and sounds whensharing texts with children
 incorporate familiar family andcommunity texts and tell stories
 join in children’s play and engage
children in conversations about themeanings of images and print
 engage children in discussions aboutbooks and other texts that promoteconsideration of diverse perspectives
 support children to analyse ways inwhich texts are constructed to present
particular views and to sell products teach art as language and how artists canuse the elements and principles toconstruct visual/musical/dance/mediatexts provide opportunities for children to
engage with familiar and unfamiliar
culturally constructed text

Add your own examples from your context:

Literacy:in the early years literacy includes a range of modes of communication including music, movement, dance,story telling, visual arts, media and drama, as well as talking, reading and writing.
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OUTCOME 5: CHILDREN ARE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORSChildren express ideas and make meaning using a range of media
This is evident, for example, whenchildren: use language and engage in play toimagine and create roles, scripts andideas share the stories and symbols of theirown culture and re-enact well-known
stories use the creative arts such as drawing,
painting, sculpture, drama, dance,
movement, music and storytelling to
express ideas and make meaning experiment with ways of expressing
ideas and meaning using a range ofmedia
 begin to use images and approximationsof letters and words to convey meaning

Educators promote this learning, forexample, when they: build on children’s family andcommunity experiences with creativeand expressive arts
 provide a range of resources that enable
children to express meaning using visual
arts, dance, drama and music
 ask and answer questions during thereading or discussion of books andother texts
 provide resources that encouragechildren to experiment with images andprint teach children skills and techniques thatwill enhance their capacity for
self-expression and communication
 join in children’s play and co-constructmaterials such as signs that extend theplay and enhance literacy learning respond to children’s images andsymbols, talking about the elements,
principles, skills and techniques they
have used in order to convey meaning

Add your own examples from your context:

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OUTCOME 5: CHILDREN ARE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORSChildren begin to understand how symbols and pattern systems work
This is evident, for example, whenchildren: use symbols in play to represent andmake meaning
 begin to make connections between andsee patterns in their feelings, ideas,
words and actions and those of others
 notice and predict the patterns ofregular routines and the passing of time develop an understanding that symbols
are a powerful means of communicationand that ideas, thoughts and concepts
can be represented through them begin to be aware of the relationships
between oral, written and visual
representations
 begin to recognise patterns andrelationships and the connections
between them begin to sort, categorise, order andcompare collections and events andattributes of objects and materials, intheir social and natural worlds
 listen and respond to sounds andpatterns in speech, stories and rhyme draw on memory of a sequence tocomplete a task
 draw on their experiences inconstructing meaning using symbols

Educators promote this learning, forexample, when they: draw children’s attention to symbols
and patterns in their environment andtalk about patterns and relationships,
including the relationship between
letters and sounds
 provide children with access to a wide
range of everyday materials that they
can use to create patterns and to sort,categorise, order and compare
 engage children in discussions about
symbol systems, for example, letters,
numbers, time, money and musicalnotation
 encourage children to develop theirown symbol systems and provide themwith opportunities to explore culturally
constructed symbol systems

Add your own examples from your context:

Numeracy:broadly includes understandings about numbers, patterns, measurement, spatial awareness and data as
well as mathematical thinking, reasoning and counting.
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OUTCOME 5: CHILDREN ARE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORSChildren use information and communication technologies to accessinformation, investigate ideas and represent their thinking
This is evident, for example, whenchildren: identify the uses of technologies ineveryday life and use real or imaginary
technologies as props in their play use information and communication
technologies to access images andinformation, explore diverse
perspectives and make sense of theirworld
 use information and communication
technologies as tools for designing,drawing, editing, reflecting andcomposing engage with technology for fun and to
make meaning

Educators promote this learning, forexample, when they: provide children with access to a rangeof technologies
 integrate technologies into children’s
play experiences and projects
 teach skills and techniques andencourage children to use technologies
to explore new information andrepresent their ideas
 encourage collaborative learning about
and through technologies between
children, and children and educators

Add your own examples from your context:

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GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Active learning environment: an active learning environment is one in which children areencouraged to explore and interact with the environment to make (or construct) meaning andknowledge through their experiences, social interactions and negotiations with others. In an active
learning environment, educators play a crucial role of encouraging children to discover deeper
meanings and make connections among ideas and between concepts, processes and representations.
This requires educators to be engaged with children’s emotions and thinking. (Adapted from South
Australian Curriculum Standards and Accountability (SACSA) Framework, General Introduction, pp10 & 11).
Agency: being able to make choices and decisions, to influence events and to have an impact on
one’s world.
Attuned: “Attunement includes the alignment of states of mind in moments of engagement, during
which affect is communicated with facial expression, vocalisations, body gestures and eye contact”.
(Siegel, 1999).
Children: refers to babies, toddlers and three to five year olds, unless otherwise stated.
Community participation: taking an active role in contributing to communities.
Co-construct: learning takes place as children interact with educators and other children as theywork together in partnership.
Communities: social or cultural groups or networks that share a common purpose, heritage, rights
and responsibilities and/or other bonds. ‘Communities’ is used variously to refer, for example, to thecommunity within early childhood settings, extended kinships, the local geographic community andbroader Australian society.
Critical reflection: reflective practices that focus on implications for equity and social justice.
Curriculum: in the early childhood setting curriculum means ‘all the interactions, experiences,
activities, routines and events, planned and unplanned, that occur in an environment designed tofoster children’s learning and development’. [adapted from Te Whariki].
Dispositions: enduring habits of mind and actions, and tendencies to respond in characteristic ways
to situations, for example, maintaining an optimistic outlook, being willing to persevere, approaching
new experiences with confidence.
Early childhood settings: long day care, occasional care, family day care, Multi-purpose Aboriginal
Children’s Services, preschools and kindergartens, playgroups, creches, early intervention settings andsimilar services.
Educators: early childhood practitioners who work directly with children in early childhood settings.
Inclusion: involves taking into account all children’s social, cultural and linguistic diversity (including
learning styles, abilities, disabilities, gender, family circumstances and geographic location) in
curriculum decision-making processes. The intent is to ensure that all children’s experiences arerecognised and valued. The intent is also to ensure that all children have equitable access to resources
and participation, and opportunities to demonstrate their learning and to value difference.
Intentional teaching: involves educators being deliberate, purposeful and thoughtful in theirdecisions and actions. Intentional teaching is the opposite of teaching by rote or continuing withtraditions simply because things have ‘always’ been done that way.
Involvement: is a state of intense, whole hearted mental activity, characterised by sustained
concentration and intrinsic motivation. Highly involved children (and adults) operate at the limit of
their capacities, leading to changed ways of responding and understanding leading to deep level
learning (adapted from Laevers, 1994).

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Children’s involvement can be recognised by their facial, vocal and emotional expressions, the energy,
attention and care they apply and the creativity and complexity they bring to the situation. (Laevers)
A state of flow Csikszentmihayle cited in Reflect, Respect, Relate (DECS 2008).
Learning: a natural process of exploration that children engage in from birth as they expand theirintellectual, physical, social, emotional and creative capacities. Early learning is closely linked to early
development.
Learning framework: a guide which provides general goals or outcomes for children’s learning andhow they might be attained. It also provides a scaffold to assist early childhood settings to develop
their own, more detailed curriculum.
Learning Outcome: a skill, knowledge or disposition that educators can actively promote in earlychildhood settings, in collaboration with children and families.
Learning relationships: relationships that further children’s learning and development. Both theadult and the child have intent to learn from each other.
Literacy: in the early years literacy includes a range of modes of communication including music,
movement, dance, story telling, visual arts, media and drama, as well as talking, reading and writing.
Numeracy: broadly includes understandings about numbers, patterns, measurement, spatialawareness and data as well as mathematical thinking, reasoning and counting.
Pedagogies: practices that are intended to promote children’s learning.
Pedagogy: early childhood educators’ professional practice, especially those aspects that involve
building and nurturing relationships, curriculum decision-making, teaching and learning.
Play-based learning: A context for learning through which children organise and make sense of
their social worlds, as they engage actively with people, objects and representations.
Reflexivity: children’s growing awareness of the ways that their experiences, interests and beliefs
shape their understanding.
Scaffold: the educators’ decisions and actions that build on children’s exisitng knowledge and skills toenhance their learning.
Spiritual: refers to a range of human experiences including a sense of awe and wonder, and an
exploration of being and knowing.
Technologies: includes much more than computers and digital technologies used for information,communication and entertainment. Technologies are the diverse range of products that make up thedesigned world. These products extend beyond artefacts designed and developed by people andinclude processes, systems, services and environments.
Texts: things that we read, view and listen to and that we create in order to share meaning. Texts
can be print-based, such as books, magazines and posters or screen-based, for example internet sites
and DVDs. Many texts are multimodal, integrating images, written words and/or sound.
Transitions: the process of moving between home and childhood setting, between a range ofdifferent early childhood settings, or from childhood setting to full-time school.
Wellbeing: Sound wellbeing results from the satisfaction of basic needs - the need for tenderness
and affection; security and clarity; social recognition; to feel competent; physical needs and formeaning in life (adapted from Laevers 1994). It includes happiness and satisfaction, effective social
functioning and the dispositions of optimism, openness, curiosity and resilience.

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