Characteristics of Learning
Playing and Exploring
|
Active Learning |
Creating and thinking critically |
Finding out and exploring · What areas / activities are they drawn to? · Do they prefer to work in a group / alone? · Do they initiate activities themselves or join in an existing one with a group? · Do they think aloud describing what they do? |
Being involved and concentrating · Do the children keep focused on a self-initiated activity for a long period of time? · Are they concentrating and involved in the activity without being distracted? · Do they show care with what they’re doing? · Do they demonstrate concentration through silence or thinking aloud? |
Having their own ideas · Do they try something different rather than follow what someone else has done? · Do they address a problem with a strategy? · Retaining independence – not asking for support even if it takes longer to achieve the outcome |
Using what they know in their play · In play do they draw on experiences from home / outside school? · Do they act out situations in the role play area? · Are they confident in finding tools, materials and resources they need for a particular project or idea?
|
Keeping on trying · Do children show persistence – not giving up even if it means starting again? · Do they ask for help / support if they need it? · Do they discuss solutions for challenges with peers / adults or work things through themselves? |
Using what they already know to learn new things · Do they understand patterns and predictability of events? · Talks about / explains how their process links to a previous experience · Do they draw upon knowledge or experiences not immediately related to their activity? |
Being willing to have a go · Levels of persistence – do they give up at first hurdle or keep trying? · Are they eager to try new ideas or do they stay with what they are familiar with? · Are they able to talk about / review what they’ve done if things haven’t worked? · Do they work best with continual support or prefer to get on with activities themselves?
|
Enjoying achieving what they set out to do · Is there a sense of satisfaction and pride when they have completed an activity; do they want to show / tell people? · Do they relish challenges and continually try to make things better? · Do they evaluate themselves and try different things as a result? · Are they ‘intrinsically motivated’- achieving things for themselves as opposed to adult praise? |
Choosing ways to do things and finding new ways · Are they confident in using a ‘trial; and error’ approach and talking about why some things do / don’t work · Choosing different ways of approaching activities and adapting if it doesn’t work |