Listening to Children’s Personal Reflections for Understanding Their Learning Journey

Abstract

AbstractDrawing from the national early years learning framework (Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. (2009). Belonging, being becoming—The early years learning framework for Australia. https://www.education.gov.au/early-years-learning-framework-0). Belonging, being becoming—The early years learning framework for Australia. https://www.education.gov.au/early-years-learning-framework-0), the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework [0–8 years] identifies as one of five key learning outcomes for children is for them to be confident and engaged learners (Department of Education and Training. (2017). Victorian early years learning and development framework. https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/childhood/providers/edcare/veyldframework.pdf). Assessing is a key aspect of teacher practice; to not only assess children’s learning but to inform planning and teaching moving forward. Giving children opportunities to inform adults about their skills and learning is a key principle of assessment in the early years (Clooney et al. in Assessment of children as confident and involved learners in early childhood education and care: Literature review. Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/earlyyears/EYLitReviewLearning.pdf) and listening to the voices of children provides authentic evidence of children’s learning. This chapter presents the findings of a research project, which drew on children’s voices to explore the extent to which they were able to assess their learning and describe themselves as competent learners. In this study, children (aged 6–7 years) photographed a self-chosen piece of work they felt showed successful learning. Using this photograph as a springboard in a follow-up conversational interview, they reflected on their learning, how they learnt and how they viewed themselves as learners. The study found that the children were able to confidently reflect on their own learning and themselves as learners.