Characteristics of Effective Learning

Characteristics of Effective Learning are about how children learn rather than what children are learning.

Playing and Exploring Playing and exploring • Showing curiosity about objects, events and people • Using senses to explore the world around them • Engaging in open-ended activity • Showing particular interests

Playing with what they know • Pretending objects are things from their experience • Representing their experiences in play • Taking on a role in their play • Acting out experiences with other people

Being willing to ‘have a go’ • Initiating activities • Seeking challenge • Showing a ‘can do’ attitude • Taking a risk, engaging in new experiences, and learning by trial and error

Active Learning Being involved and concentrating • Maintaining focus on their activity for a period of time • Showing high levels of energy, fascination • Not easily distracted • Paying attention to details

Keeping on trying • Persisting with activity when challenges occur • Showing a belief that more effort or a different approach will pay off • Bouncing back after difficulties

Having their own ideas • Thinking of ideas • Finding ways to solve problems • Finding new ways to do things

Making links • Does the child make links and notice patterns in their experience?

• Does the child make predictions? What examples can you give?

• How does the child test out their ideas?

• Does the child develop ideas of grouping, sequencing, cause and effect?

Enjoying achieving what they set out to do • Showing satisfaction in meeting their own goals • Being proud of how they accomplished something – not just the end result • Enjoying meeting challenges for their own sake rather than external rewards or praise

Creating and Thinking Critically Choosing ways to do things • Does the child plan, make decisions and about how to do something, solve a problem to reach a goal?

Can you think of any examples that support this?

• Does the child check how well their activity or what they are doing is going? How do you know this?

• Does the child change strategy if needed? Or does the child always do what he/she knows?

• Does the child review how well their approach worked? With support or on their own?

High Attaining Playing and Exploring Alice is a curious child who loves to explore and find out for herself.

Alice has a good imagination and uses her previous knowledge and experiences in her play.

Alice is independent and will only ask for help if she has tried her best and things haven’t worked out.

Alice has an excellent level of persistence and resilience.

Alice tends to take a lead in initiating activities with her friends.

Alice particularly enjoys playing with her friends in the role play area.

Alice has a good imagination and uses her previous knowledge and experiences in her play.

Alice has tremendous confidence in her own ability.

Active Learning Alice is keen to learn and build on what she already knows.

Alice demonstrates real curiosity and is very eager to learn.

Alice welcomes challenges and will persevere, seeing tasks through to a conclusion.

Alice is keen to have a go at challenges set by the teacher and tends to prefer to overcome challenges independently.

Alice can concentrate for extensive periods of time.

Alice’s level of focus is phenomenal and she isn’t put off by setbacks, rather enjoying the challenge of over-coming them.

Alice has an excellent level of concentration and will persevere even when she is finding a task difficult.

Alice is able to ask for help if necessary, but also persists at activities she finds more challenging.

Alice will work hard to overcome problems independently before seeking adult help.

Alice enjoys being set a challenging task by an adult.

Alice shows satisfaction when meeting her own goals and when solving problems set by an adult, particularly those in the area of literacy and numeracy.

Alice likes to succeed and will always try her best.

Creating and Thinking Critically Alice can explain why things happen and how things work.

Alice is an independent member of the class and will only ask for help if she has tried her best and things haven’t worked.

Alice is very curious and keen to find out about the world around her.

Alice is a creative child who enjoys coming up with new ways of tackling activities.

Alice demonstrates real curiosity and is very eager to learn. Alice applies herself diligently to both openended, self-selected and adult-directed activities.

Alice draws on her own knowledge to help her solve problems and will make sound predictions based on what she has learned. For example….. (add example here).

Alice thrives on extending her knowledge by applying it to different situations and will often relate what she has been learning to her experiences outside of school.

Alice is confident to adopt a trial and error approach to her work and will listen to new ideas expressed by others.

Alice draws on her own knowledge and love of stories and will initiate activities with her friends.

Alice shows great independence in creating and trying something new.

Alice is rightfully proud of her achievements and will seek every possible opportunity to talk about them

Alice takes a great deal of pride in her work and enjoys sharing her journey with others.

Alice is very methodical and mature in her approach to activities and really thrives on being set a challenge.

Alice concentrates on activities that interest her, particularly in the area of art, and displays a sense of pride when she has achieved something she set out to do. Alice particularly enjoys literacy activities and will spend a lot of her time writing independently with her friends.

Alice enjoys meeting her own goals and demonstrates great pride in her work.

with other adults or during whole class talking sessions.

Alice adapts her work as she goes along and will ask an adult if she needs something she may not have access to.

Alice draws upon her own knowledge or previous experiences to learn new things and will make valid contributions when analysing stories at carpet time.

Alice has a very vivid imagination and will use this in her play and artistic creations.

Medium Attaining Playing and Exploring Alice is a naturally inquisitive child who enjoys a range of activities, particularly drawing and writing.

Alice is keen to try new ideas and eager to learn. Alice is confident to select the resources and materials she needs.

Alice enjoys some elements of openended activities.

Alice particularly enjoys the outdoors where she can run and play chasing games with her friends.

Alice will often have her own ideas, particularly with outdoor gross motor activities such as cycling and ball games.

Active Learning Alice will ask for help and reassurance when necessary but will often see challenges through.

Alice sometimes enjoys new experiences but at times seeks assistance.

Alice’s level of concentration is good but can often become distracted by others around her.

Alice will usually persevere and see challenges through but will also easily change her mind and give up if she chooses.

Alice is keen to please and will participate in adult led activities.

Alice particularly enjoys literacy activities and will spend a lot of her time drawing, writing and in the role play area.

Creating and Thinking Critically Alice is becoming more resilient and less disheartened when things do not go her way.

Alice is creative in her approach to tasks and enjoys coming up with new ways of approaching activities.

Alice adapts her work as she goes along and will ask an adult if she needs something she may not have access to.

Alice draws upon her own knowledge or previous experiences to learn new things.

Alice is very curious and will ask a lot of ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions to extend her understanding.

Alice enjoys a range of activities but particularly enjoys discovering nature and the environment outside.

Alice has a good level of concentration. Alice will listen attentively and will persist at challenges she finds difficult.

Alice enjoys receiving praise for her efforts but will equally do things for herself.

Low Attaining Playing and Exploring Marie is drawn to the role play area of the classroom and she particularly enjoys dressing up, dancing and mark making.

Marie is happiest when playing with friends and she sometimes likes to have adult support when exploring unfamiliar activities.

Alice’s level of concentration is improving but she sometimes struggles when working independently.

When exploring something new, Alice often needs reassurance but her confidence is growing.

Recently, with adult support, Alice is becoming more adventurous with trying new things.

Alice particularly enjoys the arts and crafts area.

Alice tends to prefer to play with a few close friends.

Active Learning Alice is able to select her own resources when working independently.

Alice tries hard at everything she does and has become more confident at asking peers and adults for help when she is unsure rather than giving up.

Alice enjoys accomplishing the challenges she sets herself, particularly with writing her name and other words.

Alice likes to receive praise for her efforts and achievements.

Alice’s confidence has improved and this has helped her to use her language to express her needs and wishes.

Since Alice has learned how to write her name, her confidence has grown tremendously and she now enjoys drawing and painting whereas before, she was reluctant to make marks.

Alice is increasingly enjoying working with an adult and her ability to follow instructions has improved tremendously.

Creating and Thinking Critically Alice works better with the support of an adult for guidance.

Alice is beginning to make connections between what we have been learning about in class to her independent play.

Alice is starting to draw on prior knowledge and achievements when undertaking new activities and this has helped improve her confidence and independence.

Alice is more confident when sticking to activities with which she is familiar and needs some encouragement to try new things.

Alice’s concentration span is improving but she quickly becomes disheartened when she comes across difficulties.

Alice’s confidence has improved and this has helped her to use her language to express her needs and wishes.

Alice uses a trial and error approach to learning through play, particularly when she wishes to create something using the blocks, sand or water. For example, there was one time when…. (put example here).

Alice enjoys being outside where she can develop her gross motor skills in, for example, bike riding.

Alice enjoys a wide range of activities but she is particularly draw to the sensory areas of the classroom, such as sand and water.

As the year has progressed, Alice has become more and more adventurous and less repetitive with her play.

Alice likes to follow the ideas of others and is beginning to encourage others to follow her own ideas.

Alice tends to prefer to switch between activities rather than seeing one challenge through to completion.

Alice is proud of her achievements but can easily be disheartened when things do not go her way.