Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Prerequisites
Nil
Incompatible
EDFD474 Supporting Young Childrens Social Competence
Unit rationale, description and aim
A curriculum focus on the development of the whole child including social and emotional competence is central to ensuring citizens of the future who are capable of contributing to their communities.
In this unit, pre–service re–service teachers develop the capacity to promote positive social and emotional competence in young children. This provides protective factors for children and families who may experience complex social and emotional issues throughout their lifetimes and improves life outcomes for children, families, and the broader community. Knowledge and skills for engaging diverse families and communities in the learning process will be identified, with particular attention given to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. Consideration is given to sociocultural understandings enabling effective transitions for children across learning contexts, from home to early childhood settings, and to formal schooling.
This unit examines young children’s developing social and emotional competence and strategies for supporting and guiding learning. Pre–service educators will examine crucial aspects of competency in emotional literacy, empathy, resilience, friendship, communication, and interpersonal problem–solving skills. Links are made between the development of social and emotional competence and a child’s long–term well–being. Students examine methods of responding to young children’s behaviour to develop effective strategies for guiding young children’s behaviour in group settings, and alongside families. Specific reference will be made to addressing significant behaviours that require individual attention and support by both the early years setting and the family.
The aim of this unit is to build pre–service teacher’s professional knowledge, value and skills in assisting in developing young learner’s’ social and emotional competence and their long–term wellbeing in early childhood contexts.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| LO1 | Explain of a range of theoretical perspectives to support the development of social and emotional competence in young children (APST 4.4; ACECQA A3, C3) | GC1 |
| LO2 | Demonstrate an informed understanding of the meaning and significance of sociocultural contexts, and the impact diverse context may have on education experiences in early childhood education and care and primary school contexts, and the implications for teaching strategies and reflect on assumptions and practices in response to definitions and understandings of challenging behaviours (APST 1.3, 4.3; ACECQA A6, A7, C3, C5, D1, D2, D5, E1, E2) | GC4 |
| LO3 | Apply a critical awareness of educational contexts, policies and forces shaping education in Australia into utilising knowledge of child protection, protective behaviours and ethical practice when supporting young children’s social and emotional competence (APST 4.4, 7.2; ACECQA A1, A5, A6, A7, E3) | GC1 |
| LO4 | Formulate knowledge and skills to engage diverse families and communities in partnerships that support learning and teaching processes, with particular attention given to supporting effective and authentic transitions for children as they move across and within learning contexts, and an understanding of the range of factors which impact on the development of young children’s social competence when planning learning opportunities and collaborating with families and external/community expertise, including transitions and continuity (APST 3.7, 4.1, 4.4, 5.5, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4; ACECQA A3, A7, A8, C5, D1, D2, D3, D4, D5) | GC6 |
| LO5 | Implement a range of teaching strategies to assist children’s decision making in their behaviour, making links to the relevant National and State curriculum documents (APST 4.1, 4.2; ACECQA A3, B1, B2, B6, C1, E1, E3, E4, E5) | GC2 |
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to:
1.3 Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds. |
3.7 Describe a broad range of strategies for involving parents/carers in the educative process. |
4.1 Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities. |
4.2 Demonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions. |
4.3 Demonstrate knowledge of practical approaches to manage challenging behaviour. |
4.4 Describe strategies that support students’ well-being and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements. |
5.5 Demonstrate understanding of a range of strategies for reporting to students and parents/carers and the purpose of keeping accurate and reliable records of student achievement. |
7.2 Understand the relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies and processes required for teachers according to school stage. |
7.3 Understand strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers. |
7.4 Understand the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice. |
ACECQA CURRICULUM SPECIFICATIONS
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed their ability to:
A. Child development and care A1 Learning, development and care A3 Social and emotional development A5 Early intervention A6 Diversity, difference and inclusivity A7 Learners with special needs / additional needs A8 Transitions and continuity of learning (including transition to school) |
B. Education and curriculum studies: B1 Early Years Learning Framework B2 The Australian curriculum B6 Social and environmental education |
C. Teaching pedagogies C1 Alternative pedagogies and curriculum approaches C3 Guiding behaviour / engaging young learners C5 Children with diverse needs and backgrounds |
D. Family and community contexts: D1 Developing family and community partnerships D2 Multicultural education D3 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives D4 Socially inclusive practice D5 Culture, diversity and inclusion |
E. History and philosophy of early childhood: E1 Historical and comparative perspectives E2 Contemporary theories and practice E3 Ethics and professional practice. |
Content
Topics will include:
- Frameworks for analysing educational contexts using philosophical and sociological discourse
- ECEC Philosophical, historical and contemporary perspectives and theories (e.g. Bronfenbrenner, Comenius, Locke, Rousseau, Pestalozzi, Froebel, Montessori, Steiner, Isaacs, Dewey, High Scope, Reggio Emilia)
- Professional attributes, roles and responsibilities of the early childhood teacher
- Political, economic, cultural and social factors in relation to children, families and ECEC
- Multiple perspectives on young children’s learning and development in a diverse world
- Ecologies of childhood: past, present and future perspectives
- The changing nature of Australian families
- Philosophical and socio-cultural impacts on curriculum (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives)
- Social class, gender, race and ethnicity (including perspectives which influence Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners)
- Current research informed contemporary perspectives relevant to social competence - attachment, temperament, self-concept, self-regulation, pro-social behaviours, atypical development and behaviours, social and emotional literacy
- Neuroscience, cultural and family studies research, pertaining to social competence
- National and international issues, policy directions and developments making links to the relevant national and state curriculum documents
- Child protection and protective behaviours
- Ethical and professional issues
- Including young children as children as participants and/or decisions-makers in matters concerning their social and emotional competence
- Designing, implementing and evaluating learning experiences
- Transitions across contexts, including home to early childhood settings and early childhood settings to formal school
- Diversity and equity principles - gender, culture, language, ability, and socio-economic status.
- Including young children as participants and/or decisions-makers in matters concerning their social and emotional competence
- Implications for pedagogy and professional practice.
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Students should anticipate undertaking 150 hours of study for this unit, including engaging with the online materials, workshop/tutorial attendance (where applicable), readings, discussion forums and assignment preparation. The unit delivery will consist of a digital core with the expectation of students working with these materials for a minimum of two hours or equivalent each week. In addition, a two-hour workshop/tutorial may be held once every two weeks (i.e., 4 times a semester or equivalent) in online mode, or the equivalent in intensive mode. There will be an opportunity for the content to be applied in the professional experience program and students will draw on the ethical, theoretical and practical considerations of this unit for their professional practice.
This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the semester. To achieve a passing standard in this unit, students will find it helpful to engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments utilised in this unit, as described in the learning and teaching strategy and the assessment strategy. The learning and teaching and assessment strategies include a range of approaches to support your learning such as reading, reflection, discussion, webinars, podcasts, video etc.
Assessment strategy and rationale
A range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. Such procedures may include, but are not limited to, essays, reports, examinations, student presentations or case studies.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1 Learning investigations
| 50% | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Assessment Task 2 Observe, Plan, Implement and Evaluate Use group and individual observation to identify issues of concern and develop, implement and evaluate individual (2) and collaborative learning plans (2). Where possible efforts should be made to include a range of individual contexts (e.g. Indigenous children, children with disabilities, children who are gifted and/or children who have English as an additional language). | 50% | LO3, LO4, LO5 |
Representative texts and references
Required text(s)
Australian Curriculum https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. Early Years Learning Framework https://www.acecqa.gov.au/acecqa-approved-learning-frameworks-version-2.0-communications-toolkit
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) www.acara.edu.au
Recommended references
Fleer, M. (2018). Child development in educational settings. Cambridge University Press.
Fleer, M. (2018). Intentional teaching of cultural competence in play-based settings: a cultural-historical view. A Research in Practice Series Title. Early Childhood Australia.
Grace, R., Hodge, K., & McMahon, C. (Eds) (2017). Children, families and communities (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Gonzalez Mena J. (2017). Child, family, and community: Family-centered early care education (7th ed.). Merrill Publishing Company.
Kaiser, B., & Rasminsky, J. (2017). Challenging behaviour in young children: Understanding, preventing, and responding effectively (4th ed). Pearson.
Kostelnik, M. J. (2018). Guiding children's social development and learning (9th ed.). Cengage.
Linke, P. (2018). Helping children with difficult things. A research in practice. Early Childhood Australia.
LoBue, V., Pérez-Edgar, K., & Buss, K. (Eds). (2019). Handbook of emotional development. Springer International
Morris, A., & Williamson, A. (2018). Building early social and emotional relationships with infants and toddlers integrating research and practice. Springer International
Porter, L. (2016). Young children’s behaviour: Practical approaches for caregivers and teachers. Elsevier.