EYLF Outcome 2 - Children Are Connected With And Contribute To Their World V2.0

The following lists the sub-outcomes, examples of evidence when children achieve each sub-outcome and how educators can promote and help children to achieve EYLF Outcome 2 - Children Are Connected With And Contribute To Their World V2.0.

Children connect and interact with others in many sophisticated and varied ways over time. Young children express their interest in interacting with or engaging with people by smiling, moving, imitating, gesturing, and making noises. Children learn more sophisticated ways to interact and communicate with others as they get older.

Children behave well when teachers foster circumstances where they can all have relationships with others that are mutually pleasurable, loving, and respectful. Children learn to live in interdependence when they take part in ordinary activities, occasions, and experiences together and are given the chance to participate in decision-making.

Learning Outcome 2 - Children Are Connected With And Contribute To Their World

Children develop a sense of connectedness to groups and communities and an understanding of their reciprocal rights and responsibilities as active and informed citizens

This is evident when children, for example:

identify themselves as being part of family and community groups
begin to recognise there is a diversity of cultures, traditions and family structures
begin to recognise that they have a right to belong and contribute to many communities
cooperate with others and negotiate roles and relationships in play episodes and group experiences
take action to include and assist children in participating in social groups
broaden their understanding of the world in which they live
express an opinion
contribute to decision-making and action-taking in matters that affect them
build on their own social experiences to explore other ways of being
participate in reciprocal relationships
gradually learn to ‘read’ the feelings and behaviours of others and respond appropriately
demonstrate a sense of belonging and comfort in their environments
are playful and respond positively to others, reaching out for company and friendship
advocate for their own rights with the adults that care for them
begin to understand and use sustainable practices in their settings and communities across all dimensions of sustainability
become aware and use the 7Rs of sustainability: reduce, reuse, recycle, respect, repair, reflect and refuse as part of economic and environmental sustainability
engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and diverse cultural community members to explore their own and others’ connections to the community
use digital technologies, with assistance, to explore solutions or assistance to community issues.

Educators promote this learning for all children when they, for example:

promote a sense of community within the early childhood setting
build connections between the early childhood setting and the local community
create opportunities for open and authentic partnerships with all families, communities and organisations, including with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations
and those from culturally diverse backgrounds
provide opportunities for children to investigate ideas, complex concepts and ethical issues that are relevant to their lives and their local communities
the model language that children can use to express ideas, negotiate roles and collaborate to achieve goals
support and build children’s skills to participate and contribute to group play and projects
invite grandparents and ‘grand-friends’ to assist in planned experiences such as storytelling, and to engage in play
plan opportunities for children to participate in meaningful ways in group discussions and shared decision-making about rules and expectations
investigate and explore cultures, traditions and heritages to broaden children’s understanding of the world
model practices that create a culture of inclusion and social justice within the setting and community
challenge children to explore the natural and constructed environments
investigate the dependence between people, animals, plants, lands and waters
build partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations that are genuine and sustainable
build children’s awareness of the 7Rs of sustainability: reduce, reuse, recycle, respect, repair, reflect and refuse as part of economic and environmental sustainability
use digital technologies and the internet with children to explore solutions or assistance to community issues.

Children respond to diversity with respect

This is evident when children, for example:

show respect for others
show interest in and explore the diversity of cultures, heritage, backgrounds, traditions and families
become aware that diversity presents opportunities for choices and new understandings
become aware of connections, similarities and differences between people
explore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’s kinships systems, their relationships, and the connections that they have built with their own community
listen to others’ ideas and respect different ways of being and doing
practise inclusive ways of being with others and achieving coexistence
notice and react in positive ways to similarities and differences among people
become aware of their own and other children’s linguistic and cultural events, e.g. Diwali, Easter, Harmony Day, Chuseok, NAIDOC, Sorry Business
participate in or celebrate community and sporting events such as the Paralympic Games
investigate other cultures around them.

Educators promote this learning for all children when they, for example:

reflect on their own responses to diversity
plan experiences and provide resources that broaden children’s perspectives and encourage appreciation of diversity, including disability, family diversity, cultural and linguistic diversity
expose children to different languages and dialects and encourage appreciation of linguistic diversity
encourage children to listen to others and to respect diverse perspectives
demonstrate positive responses to diversity in their own behaviour and in conversations with children
engage in interactions with children that promote respect for diversity and value distinctiveness
ensure representations of diversity authentically reflect local community experience, e.g. displays and resources
explore the culture, language, heritage, backgrounds and traditions of each child within the context of their family and community
explore with children their ideas about diversity
ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resources are genuine and appropriate
provide experiences connecting children with the community and environment beyond the early childhood setting with appropriate adjustments to ensure the participation by all children with additional needs/disability
use creative forms of expression to explore diversity and emotions
use digital technologies to find answers to questions and document discoveries.

Children become aware of fairness

This is evident when children, for example:

appreciate the connections among people
begin to understand expectations, setting rules and the rights of others
become aware of ways in which people are included or excluded from physical and social environments
understand what it means to be treated fairly and to treat others fairly
develop the ability to recognise unfairness and bias and the capacity to act with compassion and kindness
make choices and problem-solve to meet their needs in particular contexts
consider and think critically about fair and unfair behaviour
understand and evaluate ways in which texts construct identities and create stereotypes
appreciate and respect different ways of knowing, being and doing
investigate the cultural and linguistic diversity represented in their community through a range of creative expressions
participate in the negotiation of decisions affecting them
engage with concepts of citizenship, social justice and equity, e.g. taking action to help communities in distress following fires, floods and drought
show empathy for those unfairly treated.

Educators promote this learning for all children when they, for example:

notice and listen carefully to children’s concerns and explore diverse perspectives on issues of inclusion and exclusion and fair and unfair behaviour
provide materials, texts and resources that are inclusive of gender, ability, ethnicity, culture, language and family diversity
provide equitable opportunities for children, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and children who have diverse capabilities, to contribute positively to their world
analyse and discuss with children the ways in which texts may construct a limited range of identities and reinforce stereotypes
draw children’s attention to issues of fairness in the early childhood setting and community
build cultural partnerships in their environment
seek guidance from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and community members about local processes and protocols, history and culture
provide materials, texts and resources that provide opportunities to analyse and challenge unfairness
provide clear, accessible information for families and communities about the service’s policies including child safety and wellbeing, Code of Conduct, record-keeping practices, and complaints and investigation processes.

Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment

This is evident when children, for example:

use play to investigate and explore nature and the natural environment
recognise they are part of ecosystems and care for local biodiversity
participate with others to identify and address environmental challenges and problems, and contribute to group ideas and plans
demonstrate an increasing knowledge of, and respect, for natural and constructed environments
care for the Country and connect with animals, plants, lands and waterways
learn and use Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander names for the land, local plants and animals
express their views about important topics and work together to problem solve and enact solutions within their communities
explore, infer, predict and hypothesise in order to develop an increased understanding of the interdependence between land, people, plants and animals
develop an awareness of the impact of human activity on environments and the interdependence of living things, e.g. marine debris and potential impact on marine life
explore the basic needs of living things and how to protect them
connect through language and culture with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Country
observe and describe elements of weather and changes in weather and climate
begin to use local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander names for seasons, e.g. Noongar summer seasons – Birak – First summer (December–January); Bunuru – Second summer (February–March); Djeran – Autumn (April–May); Makurur – Winter (June–July); Djilba – First spring (August–September); Kambarang – Second spring (October–November).

Educators promote this learning for all children when they, for example:

provide children with access to a range of natural materials in their environment
model respect, care and appreciation for the natural environment
find ways of enabling children to care for and learn from the land
consider the nature of children’s connectedness to the land and demonstrate respect for community protocols
share information and provide children with access to resources about the environment and the impact of human activities on the environments
embed social, economic and environmental sustainability in daily routines and practices, e.g. inclusion, sharing of resources and reducing waste
support children to build relationships with each other based on peace, equality and human rights
look for examples of interdependence in the environment and discuss the ways the life and health of living things are interconnected
share information and examples of how the local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people cared for and sustained the land
visibly and verbally acknowledge the connection of language and culture to Country and Traditional Owners
provide experiences for children to care for the Country and connect with animals, plants, lands and waterways in the local community
provide children with access to their local outdoor spaces, e.g. local bush, coast, desert etc
investigate with children environmental challenges and explore solutions to problems using digital technologies and the internet
provide opportunities for children to learn about the interconnected dimensions of sustainability, e.g. recycling bottles and donating funds to local charities and community groups.