ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Elements define the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria specify the level of performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Support physical development

1.1 Use daily routines as opportunities to support children to acquire and practise skills

1.2 Assist in selecting and arranging equipment that will develop fine and gross motor skills, and to challenge and encourage choice and spontaneity in physically active play

1.3 Support creation of opportunities to build the emerging physical skills of individual children

1.4 Assist children to take increasing responsibility for their own health and wellbeing

2. Support social development

2.1 Support children to understand and accept responsibility for their own actions appropriate to their level of understanding

2.2 Create opportunities for one-on-one interactions

2.3 Model care, empathy and respect for children, educators and families

2.4 Join in play and social experiences with other children

2.5 Assist and support children when they are having difficulty understanding or communicating with each other

2.6 Model language that children can use to express ideas, negotiate roles and collaborate to achieve goals

2.7 Assist children to develop trusting relationships with educators and other adults

2.8 Encourage children to respect and regard each other’s individual differences

2.9 Offer children play choices and respect children’s choice to watch and observe

3. Support emotional development

3.1 Provide children with a range of strategies to make informed choices about their behaviours appropriate to their level of understanding

3.2 Ensure children experience pride and confidence in their achievements

3.3 Provide acknowledgement and support if a child experiences frustration and encourage children to see mistakes as an opportunity to learn

3.4 Encourage children to express and manage feelings appropriately

3.5 Support children’s efforts, assisting and encouraging as appropriate

3.6 Motivate and encourage children to persevere with challenges

3.7 Share children’s successes with families

4. Support cognitive development

4.1 Intentionally scaffold children’s learning

4.2 Provide children with a range of materials, resources, technologies and experiences to explore and problem-solve to stimulate cognitive development

4.3 Provide experiences that allow children to explore a range of concepts

5. Support communication development

5.1 Value the child’s linguistic heritage and encourage the use and acquisition of home languages

5.2 Select, read and tell developmentally appropriate stories

5.3 Use puppets and other props to stimulate children’s enjoyment of language and literature

5.4 Model and encourage two-way communication by asking questions and listening carefully

5.5 Encourage children to explore symbols, patterns and their relationships to each other

5.6 Draw children’s attention to symbols and patterns in their environment and talk about patterns and relationships, including the relationship between letters and sounds

5.7 Create opportunities for group discussions and exchange of views between children

5.8 Ask and answer questions during the reading and discussion of books or other texts

5.9 Model language and encourage children to express themselves through language in a range of contexts and for a range of purposes

6. Create an environment for holistic learning and development

6.1 Support and initiate inquiry processes, try new ideas and take on challenges

6.2 Provide resources and materials that offer challenge, intrigue and surprise

6.3 Help to promote children’s sense of belonging and connectedness

6.4 Engage children in sustained shared conversations to extend their thinking

6.5 Provide the opportunity for scaffolding learning and development

6.6 Assist children to see their mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow

6.7 Facilitate families’ diverse contributions to the learning community

6.8 Share information with colleagues about child development and wellbeing

The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills) that are essential to performance.

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.