being two‐years‐old: supporting the characteristics of
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Being two‐years‐old:supporting theCharacteristics ofeffective learning
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This set of skills and knowledge includes:
An understanding of the developmental norms of two-year-olds
Recognition that all children are individual and develop at
different rates
How the Characteristics of effective learning support children’s
learning and development
The importance of planning and facilitating an enabling
environment, inclusive play opportunities and first-hand
experiences tailored to the individual needs of the children
A consistent and well-informed approach to managing behaviour
An understanding of the needs of children with disabilities and
special educational needs, and the ability and commitment to
meet those needs
An understanding of the importance of emotional well-being
based on secure attachment
Effective partnership with parents
Effective communication with other professionals
Robust and up-to-date, safeguarding and child protection
knowledge and understanding
This is not an exhaustive list so you may have skills and knowledge
you can include here from your own experiences of working with
two-year-olds.
An introduction
Being two-years-old is an exciting and challenging time for children
and the adults who care for them. As children become more
independent and explore their world further, they develop and
strengthen their learning. Early Years Practitioners can support this
development by providing good quality experiences, based on their
individual interests, needs, and stage of development, underpinned
by the Characteristics of effective learning* and the prime areas of
learning and development within the Early Years Foundation Stage.
For some, it may be the first experience of care and education
outside the home. Children bring a vast array of experiences already
encountered from the diverse home backgrounds in which they live.
Their family make-up, religious practices and life opportunities
contribute to who they are as an individual.
It has long been recognised by policy makers and professionals that
the quality of the early years’ experience has a huge influence on
children’s lifelong outcomes and their engagement with learning,
which will last a lifetime.
Expansion of the two-year-old offer
From September 2014, the number of funded places for two-year-
olds increases again, with approximately 40 percent of children being
able to access free early education. The significant increase in two-
year-olds accessing our settings means that practitioners need to use
their knowledge and understanding of the needs of these children to
best support their development.
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Guidance and support
This guidance aims to encourage you to reflect on the way you
provide learning opportunities for two-year-olds, and give examples of
activities which enable the Characteristics of effective learning.
You can review the opportunities you provide by asking yourself:
How do I respond to children’s interests?
Do I provide appropriate challenge?
Do I follow a child’s lead and take on a supporting role when they
are engaged in an activity?
Are adult-led activities informed by the individual child’s
Characteristics of effective learning?
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*What does Characteristics of effective learning mean?
“Characteristics of effective learning processes, not outcomes“
Children are born ready, able and eager to learn. They actively reach
out to interact with other people and in the world around them.
Development is not an automatic process, however. It depends on
each unique child having opportunities to interact in positive
relationships and enabling environments”.
Development Matters in the
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
Early Education, DfE, 2012
Observation, Assessment and Planning - an approach to teachingand learning, an Alliance publication, also provides useful additional
guidance and support on the Characteristics of effective learning.
You can order Alliance publications here,
www.pre-school.org.uk/shop
or simply call 0300 330 0996.
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What are the Characteristics of effective learning?
There are three key Characteristics of effective learning, each with
three identifiable qualities as shown in the table below:•
Reflecting on the Characteristics of effective learning
Use these questions to prompt your thinking about the knowledge
you already have about your child and the way they learn.
Think about the observations that you have made that support your
knowledge, and how this is recorded in your key child’s learning journey.
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Key considerations
The characteristics are NOT outcomes like the learning and
development goals
They are NOT something to be achieved
Characteristics are the ways children learn as self-regulated
learners. Every child is different and will display a range of
characteristics
Reference to the ‘Characteristics’ help us spot identify how a
child learns so we can better plan for their future learning,
including:
- What makes him/her tick?
- How does he/she approach their learning?
- Does he/she concentrate on particular tasks or activities?
- What are his/her interests?
- When does he/she pay attention?
- Can he/she link different learning together from nursery
and home?
Practitioners should note how children learn in order to set up
appropriate opportunities because by following their interests,
children are motivated to learn
Playing and
exploring -
engagement
Active learning -
motivation
Creating and thinking
critically -
thinking
• Finding out and
exploring
• Playing with what
theyknow
• Being willing to
‘have a go’
• Being involved and
concentrating
• Keep trying
• Enjoying achieving
what they set out
to do
• Having their own
ideas
• Making links
• Choosing ways to
do things
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Playing and exploring - engagement
Finding out and exploring:
- Does your key child show curiosity about objects, events
and people? In what way?
- Does your key child use their senses to explore the world
around them?
- Is one sense used more than another?
- Does your key child engage in open-ended activities?
How? Which?
- Does your key child show particular interests? What are
they? How do you extend their learning?
- Do you provide uninterrupted time to allow your key child
to explore their interests fully?
Playing with what they know:
- Does your key child pretend objects are things from their
experience (symbolic play)? What examples can you give?
- How does your key child represent their experiences in
their play?
- Does your key child take on a role in their play? Any
particular role?
- Does your key child act out experiences with others
(children or adults)?
Being willing to have a go:
- Does your key child initiate activities/experiences? What
kind of activities/experiences?
- How does your key child seek challenges?
- Does your key child show a ‘can do’ attitude? How? What
example do you have?
- Does your key child take risks, engage in new experiences
and learn by trial and error?
Active learning - motivation
Being involved and concentrating:
- Does your key child maintain focus on their activity for a
period of time?
- Is this at any activity or always at a particular activity or
area of your setting?
- Does your key child show high levels of interest? In what
way/s?
- Does your key child concentrate despite distractions? Any
examples?
- Does your key child pay attention to details?
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Keeping on trying:
- Does your key child show persistence with an activity when
faced with challenges?
- How does your key child demonstrate aspects of problem
solving?
- Does your key child bounce back after facing challenges?
Enjoying achieving what they set out to do:
- Is he/she proud of their accomplishments, not just the end
result?
- Does your key child enjoy meeting challenges for their own
sake rather than for rewards or praise?
Creating and thinking critically
Thinking
Having their own ideas:
- Does your key child think of ideas? Any examples?
- How does your key child find ways to solve problems?
- Does your key child find new ways of doing things?
Making links:
- Does your key child make links and notice patterns in their
play?
- Does your key child make predictions? What examples
can you give?
- How does your key child test out their ideas?
- Does your key child develop ideas of grouping,
sequencing, cause and effect?
Choosing ways to do things:
- Does your key child plan, make decisions about how to do
something, or solve a problem to reach a goal? Can you
think of any examples that support this?
- Does your key child check how well their activity or what
they are doing is going? How do you know this?
- Does your key child change strategy if needed? Or does
your key child always do what he/she knows?
- Does your key child review how well their approach
worked? With support or on their own?
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Play and exploring -
engagement
• Find out and explore
• Using what they know in their play
• Being willing to have a go
Active learning -
motivation
• Being involved
• Keeping on trying
• Enjoying achieving what they set out to
do
Creativity and thinking critically -
thinking
• Having their own ideas
• Making links
• Choosing ways to do things
Have you observed these characteristics and recorded them as appropriate inyour key child’s learning journey? To consider:
Consider…
• Variety of investigations
• Spontaneity and variation - is this original,
copied, repeated or borrowed behaviour?
• Is the activity adult-led, or initiated?
• Does your key child share and extend the
experience?
• Is the activity repeated, or an extension of
previous learning?
• Is learning generalised or transferred?
• Do we allow uninterrupted time for
exploration?
Links with Prime areas (PSED C&L
PD) Refer to Unique Child
Evidence…
• Turn-taking and/or imitation
• Child’s range of actions and
movements
• Increasing, extending and
changing responses
• Are actions led, prompted, copied
or spontaneous?
• Behaviour actions body language
gestures facial expressions…
Consider…
• Self-chosen or directed activity?
• How your child communicates & experiences
• Is encouragement and interventions
needed?
• Is there a level of interest linked with
provision and resources?
• Do environmental factors including level of
adult involvement, time of day or wellbeing
have an impact?
• Is it a repeated activity or single track focus?
Links with Prime areas (PSED C&L
PD) Refer to Unique Child
Evidence…
• Tries different approaches
• Is attention flexible or rigid?
• Communicates satisfaction in
different ways
• Is enthusiasm demonstrated
across a range of activities?
Consider…
• Can your key child generalise or transfer
learning?
• What communication methods and tools
are required?
• How does your key child behave in a
variety of contexts?
• Range of information - partnership and
sharing information
Links with Prime areas (PSED C&L
PD) Refer to Unique Child
Evidence…
• ‘Stopping or pausing’ actions
• New, repeating or altered
behaviours
• Communicating and sharing ideas
• Action with a purpose
With thanks to the Pre-school Learning Alliance Northampton CC
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Pre-school Learning Alliance 50 Featherstone StreetLondon
EC1Y 8RT
T. 020 7697 2595
F. 020 7700 0319
E. info@pre-school.org.uk
W. www.pre-school.org.uk
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