Duration: 3:31
The Early Years Learning Framework Planning Cycle by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority is reproduced under a CC BY 4.0 licence.
Transcript
The Australian Education Research Organisation has released a suite of evidence-based resources, which offer deeper insights into the building blocks of children's learning, development and wellbeing. The Early Childhood Learning Trajectories can be used to support children's learning and development from birth through the years before full-time schooling. They support educators and teachers to plan for what's ahead, deepen analysis of learning, and offer a common language for children's learning and development.
The learning trajectories describe 5 domains:
- Executive functions, which provide the ability to focus, control impulses, prioritise and achieve goals.
- Social and emotional learning, which involves skills such as children distinguishing their own needs from others, identifying and managing emotions, and building and maintaining positive relationships.
- Mathematical thinking, which includes mathematical concepts and processes, and applying them in everyday situations.
- Language and communication, which includes receptive language, expressive language, emergent reading and emergent writing.
- And Physical development, which includes gross motor and fine motor skills, sensory awareness, physical health and self-care.
Each domain includes sub-domains, strands and indicators. Within each sub-domain, there are 3 strands describing the broad capabilities that change over time as children learn and develop. Each strand includes indicators. Indicators describe what you might observe. These indicators help to build an understanding of what comes next and help in planning for that next learning step.
The Early Childhood Learning Trajectories align with the principles, practices and learning outcomes of the Early Years Learning Framework Version 2, and they support the aims of the National Quality Standard. Educators and teachers can use the learning trajectories, alongside the Early Years Learning Framework Version 2 Planning Cycle. The planning cycle describes the process of planning, documenting, responding to, and supporting children's learning, development and wellbeing.
Think of the learning trajectories as a condiment to your planning and assessment practices. In the same way salt or pepper can enhance the flavour of a meal, the learning trajectories enhance and uplift your practice. They're a guide to identifying and extending on a child's abilities, knowledge and understanding.
The learning trajectories are not comprehensive. A child's development is influenced by their family, community, culture and everyday experiences. Professional judgement, critical reflection, further reading and collaboration are still required when using the learning trajectories.
A suite of companion resources is available to support educators, teachers and leaders to learn about the Early Childhood Learning Trajectories and how these can be used in their daily practice. These resources include the user guide and reflection activity and evidence-base report. To learn more about the Early Childhood Learning Trajectories and to access the companion resources, visit the Australian Education Research Organisation's website at edresearch.edu.au.
For more information about AERO's Early Childhood Learning Trajectories, read our Early Childhood Learning Trajectories: User Guide.
Keywords: ECEC, EYLF