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.
Leading and engaging in effective assessment practice is a shared responsibility. It empowers teachers and educators to work together, share their knowledge and skills, motivate each other and to act in the best interest of each child.
Assessment strategies that support this Principle include:
- Draw on your professional knowledge, theory and other resources to extend and justify the ideas that are discussed when collaborating with colleagues. Use discussions to examine your own intentions and practice, as well as the approaches of others.
- Collaborate with colleagues and other professionals to share stories and ideas of effective evidence collection and assessment practices. Consider how others’ effective evidence collection and assessment practices can be incorporated into your own practice.
- Recognise that assessment of children’s strengths, progress and needs is continuous and takes time – both to build your own knowledge and skills, and to create the trusting relationships that enable a collaborative approach to gathering and interpreting evidence. Take the time to celebrate your own progress as your assessment practice develops.
- Create time and opportunity for teachers and educators in your service to provide and receive feedback relating to their cultural responsiveness development. This helps to build accountability within teams in relation to reflexivity and cultural responsiveness.
Reflection questions:
- How do you share views and ideas about effective assessment practice with your team? How do you communicate and lead opportunities for improvement?
- How do you draw on each other’s knowledge and skills to strengthen the practice of assessment?
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.
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. (2012). Developmental milestones and the Early Years Learning Framework and the National Quality Standard. https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-02/DevelopmentalMilestonesEYLFandNQS.pdf
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. (2016). Sustainability in children’s education and care. https://www.acecqa.gov.au/latest-news/blog/sustainability-childrens-education-and-care
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. (2019). Documentation – What, why and how. https://www.acecqa.gov.au/latest-news/blog/documentation-what-why-and-how
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. (2020a). Guide to the National Quality Framework. https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/about/guide
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. (2020b). Children with disability in ECEC and school age education. https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-08/ACECQA-DiscussionPaper-DSEConsultation_1.pdf
Australian Government Department of Education. (2022). Belonging, being and becoming: The early years learning framework for Australia V2.0. https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-01/EYLF-2022-V2.0.pdf
Alvernik, K. (2018). Systematic documentation: Structures and tools in a practice of communicative documentation. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 19(1), 72–84. https://doi.org/10.1177/1463949118762147
Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (2018). Programming and planning in early childhood setting (7th ed.). Cengage.
Blaisdell, C., McNair, L., Addison, L., & Davis, J. (2021). ‘Why am I in all of these pictures?’ From learning stories to lived stories: The politics of children’s participation rights in documentation practices. European Early Childhood Research Association Journal, 30(4), 572–585. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2021.2007970
Brebner, C., Attrill. S., Marsh. C., & Coles. L. (2017). Facilitating children’s speech, language and communication development: An exploration of an embedded, service-based professional development program. Child Language Teaching Therapy, 33(3), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265659017702205
Bruno, A., Galuppo, L., & Gilardi, S. (2011). Evaluating the reflexive practices in learning experiences. European Journal of Psychology Education, 26(4), 527-543. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-011-0061-x
Commonwealth of Australia, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. (2021). Keeping our kids safe: Cultural safety and the national principles for child safe organisations. https://www.childsafety.gov.au/resources/keeping-our-kids-safe-cultural-safety-and-national-principles-child-safe-organisations-guide-0
Cowan, K., & Flewitt, K. (2021). Moving from paper-based to digital documentation in early childhood education: Democratic potentials and challenges. International Journal of Early Years Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2021.2013171
Dawson, J., Laccos-Barrett, K., Hammon, C., & Rumbold, A. (2022). Reflexive practice as an approach to improve healthcare delivery for Indigenous people: A systematic critical synthesis and exploration of the cultural safety education literature. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(11), 6691. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19116691
Department of Employment Education and Workplace Relations. (2009). Belonging, being and becoming: The early years learning framework for Australia. https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-02/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf
Department of Employment Education and Workplace Relations. (2010). Educators’ guide to the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/acecqa/files/National-Quality-Framework-Resources-Kit/educators_guide_to_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia_2.pdf
Dockett, S. (2011). Ethical assessment. Every Child, 17(3), 7–8.
Edwards, S., & Nuttall, J. (2009). Introduction. In S. Edwards & J. Nuttall (Eds.), Professional learnings in early childhood settings (pp. 1–8). Sense Publishers.
Elliot, S. (2019, May 1). Education for sustainability. The Spoke. https://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/education-for-sustainability/
Elek, C., Gibberd, A., Gubhaju, L., Lennx, J., Highfold, R., Goldfeld, S., & Eades, S. (2022). An opportunity for our little ones: Findings from an evaluation of an Aboriginal early childhood learning centre in Central Australia. Early childhood Education Journal, 50, 579–591. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-021-01174-5
Epstein, A. (2014). The intentional teacher: Choosing the best strategies for young children’s learning. The National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Flottman, R., Stewart, L., & Tayler, C. (2012). Practice Principle 7: Assessment for learning and development (Evidence Paper). University of Melbourne and Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. https://www.education.vic.gov.au/documents/childhood/providers/edcare/pracassess.pdf
Hallahan, G. (2021, September 15). The assessment bias trap: What the TAGs taught us. TES Magazine. https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/secondary/assessment-bias-trap-what-tags-taught-us
Harrison. L., Bull. R., Wong, S., Elwick, S., & Davis, B. (2019). NSW assessment study: Review of formative assessment practices in early childhood settings. NSW Department of Education. https://education.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/main-education/early-childhood-education/working-in-early-childhood-education/media/documents/formative-assessment/nsw-preschool-assessment-study-review-of-formative-assessment.pdf
Hart Barnett, J., & O’Shaughnessy, K. (2015). Enhancing collaboration between occupational therapists and early childhood educators working with children on the Autism spectrum. Early Childhood Education Journal, 43(6), 467–472. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-015-0689-2
Hedges, H., Cullen, J., & Jordan, B. (2011). Early years curriculum: Funds of knowledge as a conceptual framework for children’s interests. Curriculum Studies, 43(2), 185–205. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2010.511275
Indigenous Allied Health Australia (2019). Cultural responsiveness in active framework. https://iaha.com.au/workforce-support/training-and-development/cultural-responsiveness-in-action-training/
Kennedy, A. (2018, July 10). Reflective practice: Making a commitment to ongoing learning. The Spoke. https://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/reflective-practice-making-commitment-ongoing-learning/
Klaar, S., & Wank, A. (2022). ECE as an educative and multifaceted practice for growth: To assess and evaluate teaching and learning by documenting children’s actions and re-actions. European Early Childhood Research Journal, 30(4), 557–571. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2022.2070649
McMullen, M. (2018). The many benefits of continuity of care for infants, toddlers, families and caregiving staff. Young Children, 73(3),38–39. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/jul2018/benefits-continuity-care
National Association for the Education of Young Children and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education. (2003). Position statement: Early childhood curriculum, assessment and program evaluation. https://www.naeyc.org/sites/default/files/globally-shared/downloads/PDFs/resources/position-statements/pscape.pdf
National Indigenous Australians Agency. (2021). National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander early childhood strategy. https://www.niaa.gov.au/resource-centre/indigenous-affairs/national-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-early-childhood-strategy
Nolan, A., & Raban, B. (2015). Theories into practice: Understanding and rethinking our work with young children and the EYLF. Teaching Solutions.
Waters, C. (2019, October 1). Learn more about learning progressions. ACER Discover. https://www.acer.org/au/discover/article/learn-more-about-learning-progressions
Keywords: educator reflection, educator professional development