A new, national early learning framework for children from birth to five years has been developed.
The Early Years Learning Framework has been developed to ensure your child receives quality education programs in their early childhood setting. This is a vital time for them to learn and develop.
The Framework's vision is for all children to experience play-based learning that is engaging and builds success for life.
More detail: Early Years Learning Framework
It is a guide for early childhood educators who work with children from birth to five years. They will use the Framework in partnership with families, children's first and most influential educators, to develop learning programs responsive to children's ideas, interests, strengths and abilities, and recognise that children learn through their play.
The Early Years Learning Framework describes childhood as a time of belonging, being and becoming.
- Belonging is the basis for living a fulfilling life. Children feel they belong because of the relationships they have with their family, community, culture and place.
- Being is about living here and now. Childhood is a special time in life and children need time to just 'be'—time to play, try new things and have fun.
- Becoming is about the learning and development that young children experience. Children start to form their sense of identity from an early age, which shapes the type of adult they will become.
To view Education Directorate policies visit Education Directorate (http://www.det.act.gov.au/)
What is play-based learning?
Play-based learning builds up the skills necessary for formal schooling. It incorporates child-directed, teacher-directed and family-directed approaches to teaching and learning to best ensure it is aimed at the individual child's interests. Whilst on the surface, it may appear that children are 'just playing', the teacher plans and implements the play experiences to encourage social communication, turn taking, and following instructions. Every opportunity is taken by the teacher to extend and model the individual students' learning during play to include and incorporate the five main areas of the Early Years Learning Framework.