Early Years Learning Framework - EYLF

[Lorina]

Hi Everyone,

I'm sure most of you are trying to get your heads around the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF/Framework) that the Australian Government has just introduced (depending on what state in Aus you're in). There is so much of information to understand as well as trying to implement this into your early childhood setting.

I have written an article called "Understanding Early Years Learning Framework". This article helps you to understand EYLF. It provides you with a simple explanation of the key concepts within the Early Years Learning Framework – Belonging, Being & Becoming, Principles, Practices and Learning Outcomes. It also provide tips on implementing the EYLF within your early childhood setting and much more..Click here to read.

If you have any suggestions / comments or would like to share your own curriculum style, share your thoughts or ideas on the Early Years Learning Framework with other fellow child care professionals, please share them with us! I would love to hear what you think...

[marj]

Hi LA
Just wondering if you could help me out again!
for my assignment I have to choose a play experience that focuses on numbers and classification concepts in an outdoor environmen. The experience must demonstrate the use of the learning outcomes, principles and practicess of the early years learning framework (EYLF). I was thinking about doing a paper plane activity and to get the children to use differnet units of measurments eg: rulers, meter sticks, tape measures to measure the distances of their planes when they fly them outdoors. Not sure if I'm on the right track. Could you explain how this experience if any demonstrates the learning outcomes, principles, and practices of EYLF.
Thanks
Marj

[Lorina]

Hi Marj,

How's it going?

The paper plane experience you came up with is a great idea! You're definitely on the right track...Here is how the EYLF fits into it...

Learning Outcome:

4 - Children are confident and involved learners.
4.2 - Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesizing, researching and investigating.

Through this learning outcome children will:

-create and use representations to organize, record and communicate mathematical ideas and concepts.

-manipulate objects and experiment with trial and error and motion

-use reflective thinking to consider why things happen and what can be learnt from these experiences.

Practice: Intentional Teaching.

Principle: Secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships.

Happy to help and have a great weekend !

Cheers ,
L.A

[darmodina]

Hi LA,
Firtsly, i was thankful for the well detailed information of EYLF curriculum & Documentation provided by your web site, that i gradually implemented in my centre. My room is in the Preschool premises and i have only Preschoolers & Pre-Transition children, aged 3- 1/2 to 5 years old. My team work together to swap our old program to the new curriculum. I used templates of your curriculum,
refelctions of our day & child direct obs. We did very well. I feel really confident and happy that i'm slowly in the right track. I showed it to ourAssistant Principal of Early Childhood, whom i under with, she was pleased to see that i put step forward to explore the new challenges ahead. Last week i attended a workshop about EYLF documentation & planning here in Darwin. I shown my finished sample of Curriculum and Child Direct Obs to the facilitator, and she commented that i did so much work especially the child direct obs. I attached photos before and after happening of child on the spot experiences. Photos can tell a lot of words, as i believe. After the workshop, i was confused if i'm in the right track. I don't know if i still continue using the templates?? I really feel comfortable using the templated you provided for the last 4 weeks since i join as member in your web site and print out the free sample. Please give me your advise about this matter. Next week i'll scan the sample of my design curriculum and child direct obs with parent"s suggestions written on it after they read my obs for their child with photos.

Thank you
Daisy

[Lorina]

Hello Daisy,

Thank you so much for your feedback and comments regarding the "EYLF Curriculum and Documentation" article I have written. It brings me great joy in knowing that you have found the templates useful and are currently implementing them within your early childhood setting.

In my opinion if you are happy and confident with the templates then you can continue using them. They say there is no right or wrong way so if you are comfortable with the templates by all means carry on. With the child directed observations if you want to cut down the writing and add photos instead, you can do so. In the section where you write the observation, just add photos instead and then continue writing the “Reflection of Learning” and “Extended Learning Opportunities” underneath.

I will be attending an “EYLF Curriculum Planning” workshop within the next month, where I can verify the templates I created. I will keep you updated once I attend the workshop and find out more info.

Thank you once again for updating me on how you are finding the templates I created and it’s great to hear that you are putting them to good use! Sounds like you are doing a wonderful job too!!

Also please tell your friends about our site...it will help us spread the word.

Hope you’re having a great weekend,

Cheers ,
L.A

[darmodina]

Hi LA,
Thanks for your verification. Our school owns a child care centre from 6 months old to 5 years old children, a couple of minutes walk from our school site. I gave a short meetings with the Level 4 educators working in the centre, who are the group leaders in each room (baby, junior preschool & preschool) about my new curriculum. I shared to them the template i am using, and they were so pleased to start their EYLF new curriculum and etc. I also shared this site to my friend in other centre, a director, hope she will try to join in.
Honestly speaking, before i join your site, i met many educacators here in Darwin, showing me their work, but i got a terrible headache and felt sick after an hour meeting, and got lost of averything i seen and heard about the EYLF. I was blessed to find your site that i comprehended every example i read about your new curriculum.
Thank you for your advise to use only photos instead of so much writing, and just some little jot down of the scenarios. I and my colleagues discussed to minimise the writing too.

Again, thank you so much, i feel better now.

Daisy

[Lorina]

Hey Everyone,

Just to let you know that I recently went to an EYLF workshop and I found out some more information about the EYLF Programming which you may find useful.

I've updated my forum topic "EYLF Programming AND Planning Documentation". So click here to view this topic.

If you have any further questions or comments in regards to the EYLF can I please suggest you post them in the above forum.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Cheers ,
L.A

[sloy]

Hi L.A
Just have a few questions regarding the curriculum plan templates. I am aware I can create my own but do like the one you have developed. However I always struggle with finding experiences that relate to the sensory play heading as my children are 3 - 5 year olds. Can you give me some examples of activities that relate to this heading please. Also under what heading or where do I incorporate the intentional teaching discussions or activities that relate to ie developing responsibility for our belongings; developing respect for materials and resources; developing respect for differences among people; improving skills in teamwork, participation, contribution; listening to others etc etc.
I have a very challenging group of children in a very challenging centre - (there are not many resources on hand to incorporate into the daily curriculum which is difficult when you are following children's interests and there is also no computer in the classroom). I have only been at the centre for 2 weeks ( after not being in the teaching field for over 10 years!!) Do you have any suggestions??
regards Sam

[Lorina]

Hi Sam,

How are you? Thank you for your feedback regarding the curriculum plan I have developed. I am more than happy to answer the questions you have .

However I always struggle with finding experiences that relate to the sensory play heading as my children are 3 - 5 year olds. Can you give me some examples of activities that relate to this heading please

Some of us think of sensory experiences as just sand and water play but it's any experiences that you can come up with that children can use their senses to explore! You can use a trough for these experiences or set up a sensory table. Typically a trough is ideal to avoid a huge mess however depending what sensory experience you set up you can even use mud trays/ buckets etc.. Some ideas can include:

Shaving Cream With Drops of Food Coloring

Coloured Rice With Play Pots and Pans

Bird Seed with Kitchen Utensils

Mud with Animal Figurines, Leaves, Sticks etc..

Dried Beans With Pipes and Cars

Ice With Food Colouring, Toy Boats etc.

Soapy Water With Dolls (Children can bath dolls).

Cooked Noodles, Add food colouring, chopsticks, forks, bowls, spoons, egg beaters, weights etc..

Rocks with bottle brushers, water, magnify glass, sponges etc..

Goop (corn flour and water mixed together).

Bubbles (add bubble blowers for children to blow bubbles).

Play Dough (add glitter or smelling scents).

Potting mix with shovels, plant buckets, gardeners gloves, watering cans, flower seeds, pretend/real flowers.

I understand it can be tough to come up with a sensory experience but just build upon what the children are interested in. For e.g. if some of the children are showing interest in dinosaurs ..in the sensory area you could add dinosaur figurines to mud, add cardboard boxes for the children to build with as well as natural elements such as leaves, sticks, grass etc..

Also under what heading or where do I incorporate the intentional teaching discussions or activities that relate to ie developing responsibility for our belongings; developing respect for materials and resources; developing respect for differences among people; improving skills in teamwork, participation, contribution; listening to others etc etc. 

Intentional teaching can be placed under any of the headings depending on the experience planned. For e.g. if you wanted to teach the children about shapes it can be added under Exploratory Play, Creative Play or Manipulative Play (depending on the experience you set up). If you want to have a group discussion about a particular topic I would normally put in under Exploratory Play. The examples you have given in your question can be put under any of the headings as long as you have the desired Learning Outcome next to each of the experiences. For e.g.

1. developing responsibility for our belongings - experience can be "Put Bedding Away After Rest" - under "Exploratory Play"- Learning Outcome 1.1

2. developing respect for materials and resources - experience can be "Encouraging Children To Place Lids On Textas" - under "Creative Play" - Learning Outcome 2.1

3. developing respect for differences among people; - experience can be "Adding Multicultural Dolls In Home Corner" - under "Dramatic Play" - Learning Outcome - 2.2

4. improving skills in teamwork, participation, contribution; listening to others - experience can be "Tunnel Ball Game" - under "Manipulative Play" - Learning Outcome: 3.1

As long as the Learning Outcome is shown on the curriculum plan next to each of the experiences there is no right or wrong for which heading the experiences fall under.

I completely understand how challenging it can be trying to implement children's interest when your centre hasn't got many resources. It's frustrating and sometimes you feel that the children are so bored of the experiences you set up because they are so used to playing with the Resources. Try and mix it up a little… incorporate Resources together and set it up so it's interesting for the children. Like adding cars, blocks and people figurines on a table instead of always in block corner. If you notice a child's interest and you don't have the Resources available to implement it then and there… do it the following day. However with preschoolers when an interest emerges you can have a group discussion, play games, paint a picture, help children to write a story on their particular interest.

I really hope that through this you get a better understanding of how to implement the EYLF into your early childhood setting… I am more than happy to answer any more queries you may have. At the moment it's all about trial and error. Give yourself some time to settle in and adjust to your new centre…

Let me know how it all goes,

Cheers ,
L.A

[sloy]

Hi l.a thanks for all the help with the programming ideas. Would you please be able to expand on the input icons as not too sure what the difference is with child interest and child input? Sometimes a few seem to be suitable for the activity planned. Thanks

[Lorina]

Hey Sam,

Glad I can help !

In regards to the input icons all they are there for is to let others know where the activity you planned came from. Think about it this way... Where did the activity idea come from? Who initiated it? There should always be a reason why you put an activity onto your curriculum plan and using the input icons are part of validating the reason (along with adding the learning outcomes).

When referring to a child interest it's related to what a child is interested in (typically a theme). Such as zoo animals, trains, planes, ocean animals etc that you are able to extend upon... as for child input it could be an activity or a piece of equipment that a child has specifically asked for. For e.g. if you had play dough and shape cutters out as part of an activity and a child asks for scissors to use during play dough play then "Adding Scissors to Play dough" will be inputed as child input on your curriculum plan.

I hope this clears your confusion,

Cheers ,
L.A

[Lorina]

Hi All,

I have received a lot of feedback from you guys regarding the Input Keys on the EYLF Daily Curriculum. At the moment I'm working on how to make the Input Keys a lot easier and more simpler to use. I'll also be adding 2 new input keys (outdoor play and spontaneous experiences). I let you all know once I have these ready.

Also in the meantime I have created a poll in the topic "EYLF Programming & Planning Documentation". This is so I can find out if you are using a daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly curriculum plan at your centre. This will also give me an idea on if I need to provide you with anymore EYLF Curriculum Plan Format samples. The poll will remain active for the next 1 month and can be found on page 1 in the above topic.

So can I kindly ask that you take a quick second to vote on this poll! I really appreciate it…Please note that you need to be logged in to vote!

Click here to vote

Thanks Everyone!

Cheers ,
L.A