being two‐years‐old: supporting the characteristics of

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


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?

8 9


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?

10 11


1312

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?



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



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


Pre-school Learning Alliance 50 Featherstone StreetLondon

EC1Y 8RT

T. 020 7697 2595

F. 020 7700 0319

E. [email protected]

W. www.pre-school.org.uk


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