Birth to 5 Matters Characteristics of Effective Learning Resources
This 10-minute film, created by Birth to 5 Matters with Siren films, provides an excellent overview of the Characteristics of Effective Learning and how children might demonstrate them in their play and learning.
In this video Nancy Stewart outlines the importance of the CoEL in early development and learning, and how Bto5M can support educators in understanding and practice.
The video could provide a focus for staff development.
Four examples featuring 6 children from across the EYFS age range, using the Bto5M format of Unique Child, Positive Relationships, Enabling Environments to show what a child doing, interpretation in terms of CoEL, and the facilitating adult role across relationships and environments
Pete Moorhouse discusses curiosity which ‘lies at the heart of children’s learning – it is the spirit of enquiry’.
Reclaiming the Adult Role in Creative and Critical Thinking
Debi Keyte-Hartland breaks the myth of the passive adult — open materials are not enough to support children’s creative and critical thinking
Rationale for Characteristics of Effective Learning, extract from the Tickell Report
Appendix to Dame Clare Tickell’s report, giving the theoretical background for the introduction of Characteristics of Effective Learning as statutory part of the EYFS 2012
Article by Jane Murray,defining agency,discussing importance of young children’s agency for their development and learning, and indicating potential ways to support young children’s agency at policy and practice levels
Reimagining Outdoor Learning:
A practice-led approach to agency and environment
Research-based toolkit for supporting children’s agency in outdoor provision, covering the environment, adult role including cue cards, risk, and the influence of community and culture.
Children’s Agency in Education
This short video from The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Pedagogy (0-11 years) defines agency, and describes research on both its links with learning and factors that impact children’s agency
Executive function – library of resources from Harvard Centre on the Developing Child:
Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence
Executive Function infographic
How early experiences shape executive function
Executive function – Skills for life and learning
Should the Characteristics of Effective of Learning only be prioritised in the Early Years?
Evie Fogarty’s 2-minute video exemplifying how the Characteristics of Effective Learning provide the foundations for all learning whatever the age
Describes how motivation systems are developed and the influences in early childhood, with implications for practice
Video and blog from Janet Lansbury Lansbury on supporting children’s persistence and satisfaction in achievement, through careful and reflective scaffolding
Persistence is important – some messages from research
Two short (slightly updated) extracts citing research on long-term effects of developing persistence in early childhood Helen Moylett (2013) Active Learning, London: MA Education
Getting it Right for Play – The power of play: an evidence base
Report from Play Scotland (2011) on benefits of play, changing patterns of play in communities; includes playwork principles
Learning, Playing and Interacting: good practice in the Early Years Foundation Stage
National Strategies Early Years Guidance on a continuum of play and teaching, with emphasis on how children learn and the adult role, illustrated through case studies
Belonging, Being & Becoming – The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia
Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners . Description of children’s learning dispositions, skills and behaviours and how they can be supported by adults
Leuven scales – Well-being and Involvement in Care Settings. A Process-oriented Self-evaluation Instrument
Manual with detailed description of wellbeing and involvement, the assessment scales, and guidance on setting development
Manual by David Whitebread,supports educators to explore the concepts of self-regulation and the implications for practice
Supporting children’s intrinsic motivation and growth mindset
Guidance on supporting intrinsic motivation including 41 ways to say ‘well done’ by focussing on process rather than products
Scaffolding self-regulated learning
Suggested comments and questions adults can use to support children’s thinking as they plan, monitor and evaluate their activities
Finding and Exploring Young Children’s Fascinations
National Strategies Early Years Guidance: ‘All children will have strengths that can be built on and effective provision for gifted and talented children will be good practice for all.’
Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning – Summary of Recommendations
Education Endowment Foundation Poster listing 7 evidence-based recommendations to support self-regulated learning in schools
Play and Self-regulation in Young Children
David Whitebread’s (2009) Presentation to the EARLI Conference, Amsterdam; Slides from talk covering theory and research on play and links to self-regulation
Working theories: Current understandings and future directions
Helen Hedges (2021) article explores working theories as children’s embodied, communicative, and social efforts to think and develop knowledge. Supports educators to engage with children’s working theories in respectful, reciprocal, and responsive interactions
How metacognitive talk can support learning in in the early years
Blog by Louise Jackson on how metacognitive talk can help young children to think differently about their learning and provide an opportunity for structured reflection and future planning
A Thinking Environment in the Early Years
Support for reflecting on your provision and practice, from Helen Moylett
Deciding what is and isn’t fair
Education Endowment Foundation video — A childminder supports children’s thinking, using discussion to decide who should get to have a piece of cake
Thinking Skills in the Early Years: a Guide for Practitioners
Evidenced guide to features of provision and practice which support children’s thinking skills
Developing young children’s creativity: what can we learn from research?
Sharp, C. (2004) NFER. Defines creativity, considers its development in young children, and the supportive role of play, environments, and creative teachers and teaching
Creativity in Children’s Development
Early Education Journal with articles all exploring the central role of creativity in thinking and learning, and how it can be nurtured
Examining possibility thinking in action in early years settings
Grainger, T., Craft, A. and Burnard, P. (2007) Study identifying and documenting possibility thinking in young children’s learning experiences, and the pedagogy
Bristol Characteristics of Effective Learning document
Bristol City Council (2020) Comprehensive guidance including expansion of Bto5M CoEL to reflect inclusive provision, additional wellbeing strand, practice audits and assessment tools
Teaching self-control: Evidence-based tips
Information for parents on aspects of self-regulation (particularly persistence and impulse control) with tips for supporting children’s development
12 tips to raise a competent child,
Written for parents: How can you help your child develop competence, which is really a mix of confidence, resourcefulness, perseverance, mastery, emotional intelligence and other traits?