The focus of this response paper is The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) Professional Standard 1: “Know your students and how they learn” with specific focus on elaboration 1.5 “Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities” (AITSL, 2014). As Locke’s philosophy (cited in Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016) suggests ‘children are not ‘Tabula rasa’ they bring family and community ways of being, belonging and becoming to their early childhood settings’ (DEEWR, 2009).
Educational Services Australia (ESA) 2015) states “Differentiating teaching and learning requires knowledge of each student’s background , experiences, and interests, readiness and learning needs” (ESA, 2015). Knowing your students are the key to differentiating teaching, what they know and can do, what they need to learn next, how best to teach them and monitor their progress (ESA, 2015). Differentiation informs pedagogical practices, learning and assessment using qualitative and quantitative data to inform teaching and learning by having clear, shared learning intentions (ESA, 2015). Educators use this knowledge to plan and implement curriculum, teaching strategies, learning experiences and assessments that provide multiple pathways for learning, for every student (ESA, 2015). Through the knowledge, educators gather a complex process of strategies to differentiate content, using mixed abilities and skills, varying the speed and delivery of instruction in response to immediate and reflective feedback provide targeted learning experiences (ESA, 2015). DEEWR, (2009) states“ learning outcome 2: children are connected with and contribute to their world”, as children develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities along with understanding the reciprocal rights and responsibilities necessary for active community participation, children also learn to respond to diversity with respect (DEEWR, 2009). …show more content…
One challenge identified when meeting AITSL Standard 1.5 involves the diversity of individual language skills and abilities in the pre prep cohort. Language abilities and communication skills can have a broad spectrum. Therefore, to be able to plan to differentiate and meet MCEEYA, (2008) Goal 1: that Australian schooling promotes equity and excellence, educators need be aware that Literacy is a dynamic social practice, which is used in different ways for different purposes (Fellows and Oakley, 2014).
ACARA, (cited in Fellows and Oakley, 2014) states ‘the elaboration of literacy is primarily concerned with using language for a variety of purposes, therefore, as educators we need to promote Piaget’s, ‘emergent perspectives’ and communicate with parents the vital importance of early Literacy experiences in the home, that are essential to the ongoing Literacy process (Fellows & Oakley, 2014). The Australian Curriculum is shaped by the proposition that each student can learn and that every student’s needs are important …show more content…
Role playing games are one way educators can respond to emergent oral language needs of learners.
When young children participate in informal situations, for example play-based experiences which involve the imaginative use of spoken language and interacting with others content descriptors (CDs) (ACELY1646 and ACELY 1784) they are using language in a socio-cultural way, by building bridges between home and school literacies ( Fellows and Oakley, 2014). The socio-cultural perspective is clearly playing an important role in apprising Australian Curriculum documents and the Early Years Learning Framework (Fellows & Oakley, 2014). By educators providing opportunities to replicate the rhythms and sound patterns in stories, rhymes, songs and poems from a range of cultures the young children are meeting (ACELT