About this resource
Before using this resource, read the Introduction: Assessment for children’s learning. The introduction provides insights into the importance of assessment in quality, evidence-based ECEC practice with cultural responsiveness at its heart.
Effective assessment practice is facilitated when teachers and educators use critical reflection and reflexive practice to ensure cultural responsiveness and the use of culturally responsive practices to create learning environments that are culturally safe.
Assessment strategies that support this Principle include:
- Critically examine any unconscious bias that affects how you support and extend learning for all children. Consider how your assessment and teaching practices, interactions with others and elements of the environment can promote equity and inclusion.
- Promote a deeper understanding of the history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the values and beliefs of families and communities within your service or network. Look for opportunities to co-design assessment practices with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and community leaders.
- Be accountable for becoming culturally responsive to ensure that learning environments are culturally safe, and the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families are privileged in the design of assessment.
- Consider how the perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and community members are recognised and reflected in planning, implementation, assessment and decision making at your service.
- Draw on evidence-based, culturally responsive resources such as the early childhood learning trajectories to assist you in extending each child’s learning in a way that reflects their individual ways of knowing, doing and being, and supports their wellbeing.
Reflection questions:
- Using critical reflection and reflexive practice determine what assumptions you have made about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. How can you challenge bias and promote culturally safe and responsive assessment practice?
- How do you currently invite and embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in your assessment practice? How do you know it is culturally safe, inclusive and respectful?
This practice resource is part of a series of 8 Assessment for children’s learning practice resources:
- Secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships
- Partnerships
- Respect for diversity
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives
- Equity, inclusion and high expectations
- Sustainability
- Critical reflection and ongoing professional learning
- Collaborative leadership and teamwork.
They link to the early childhood learning trajectories suite of resources including the Learning trajectories user guide, Evidence report and the Play-based learning and intentionality practice resources.
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Keywords: educator reflection, educator professional development, First Nations