E.L.E.C.T. Early Learning For Every Child Today D. B, M.C, M.D, E.F, Gurpreet Riyat & A.R. By:

What is E.L.E.C.T? It is a framework! E.L.E.C.T. describes how young children learn and develop, and provides a guide for curriculum in Ontario’s early childhood settings. What are some of Ontario’s early childhood settings?

E.L.E.C.T. is intended to COMPLEMENT, NOT REPLACE the Ontario Day Nurseries Act, Ontario Early Years Center guidelines, and the Kindergarten Program!

Purpose of E.L.E.C.T. Early Learning for Every Child Today is a guide to support curriculum and pedagogy in Ontario’s early childhood settings. It is a living document! What does this mean?

Statement of Principles 1. Early child development sets the foundation for lifelong learning, behaviour and health. 2. Partnerships with families and communities strengthen the ability of early childhood settings to meet the needs of young children. 3. Respect for diversity, equity and inclusion are prerequisites for honouring children’s rights, optimal development and learning. 4. A planned curriculum supports early learning. 5. Play is a means to early learning that capitalizes on children’s natural curiosity and exuberance. 6. Knowledgeable, responsive early childhood professionals are essential.

4 Age Groups Within Each Domain: More About E.L.E.C.T! 5 Domains: Social Emotional Communication, language and literacy Cognitive Physical 4 Age Groups Within Each Domain: Infant (birth – 24 months) Toddler (14 months – 3 years) Preschool Kindergarten (2.5 – 6 years) School-age (5 – 8 years)

Social Development refers to a child's ability to build and maintain relationships

Skills Within the Social Domain Infants: Imitation Toddler: Parallel play

Skills Within the Social Domain (con’t) Preschool Kindergarten: Making friends School-age: Conflict resolution and social problem

Emotional Development refers to children’s emotional well-being

Skills Within the Emotional Domain Infants: Expression of emotion, self regulation and emotional regulation, sense of self, empathy, agency Toddlers: Expression of feelings, self regulation, behaviour regulation, attention regulation, empathy, sense of self, autonomy, identity formation

Skills Within the Emotional Domain (con’t) Preschool Kindergarten: Self-concept, identity formation, self-esteem, recognizing and expressing emotions, regulation of attention/emotions/behav iours, positive attitude towards learning School-age: Self-concept, identity formation, self-esteem, recognizing and expressing emotions, regulating emotions/behaviours, positive attitude towards learning

Communication, Language & Literacy Development refers to the essential key for learning, for communicating and building relationships with others, and for enabling children to make sense of the world around them

Skills Within the Communication Domain Infants: Non-verbal communication skills (referencing, joint attention, gestures) Receptive language skills Expressive language skills (signaling, one word, vocabulary) Toddlers: Receptive language Expressive language (words, sentences, vocabulary, questions, conversation)

Skills Within the Communication Domain (con’t) Preschool Kindergarten: Using verbal and non- verbal communication, using English and the child’s home language, vocabulary, conversing with peers and adults, listening to others, enjoying literacy School-age: Using verbal and non- verbal communication, vocabulary, conversing with peers and adults, phonological awareness and phonics, knowledge of print

Cognitive Development refers to the construction of thought processes, in which children build upon what they already know and what they discover around them (Kail & Barnfield, 2009)

Skills Within the Cognitive Domain Infants: Attention regulation, imitation, object permanence Toddlers: Memory, symbolic thought representation and root skills of literacy, spatial exploration

Skills Within the Cognitive Domain (con’t) Preschool Kindergarten: Questioning, classifying, identifying patterns School-age: Completing number operations, games with rules, temporal relations

Physical Development refers to how a child grows and develops physically (fine motor & gross motor)

Skills Within the Physical Domain Infants: Gross motor: reaching and holding, holding head up, cruising, walking, coordination Fine motor: coordinator, pincer grasp, holding using tools Toddlers: Gross motor: balance, jumping, walking and running, riding toys Fine motor: dressing, eating, pincer grasp

Skills Within the Physical Domain (con’t) Preschool Kindergarten: Gross motor: hopping and galloping, throwing, movement and expression Fine motor: dressing, tool use, drawing School-age: Gross motor: running, jumping, throwing, catching, kicking

Into Practice ELECT is, and should be, incorporated into many different settings: Home Child Care, Ontario Early Year Centres, Preschool Community Child Care Centres, Nursery School Programs, Workplace Child Care Centres, Full Day Kindergarten, Parenting Centres, Aboriginal Head Start. Pages 69-74 give scenarios of how ELECT is put into practice at each of these settings.

Guidelines of Practice Chart starting on page 75 that states each principle again and examples of how it is put into practice. Principle and Understanding of Development An example of Practice 1. Early child development sets the foundation for lifelong learning, behaviour and health. Support self-regulation because these skills lead to physical, social, emotional, behavioural, and cognitive competence. 2. Partnerships with families and communities strengthen the ability of early childhood settings to meet the needs of young children. Amplify families’ involvement in their children’s early learning and development. 3. Respect for diversity, equity and inclusion are prerequisites for honouring children’s rights, optimal development and learning. Set up a learning environment with books, print materials and other artifacts in French, English, Aboriginal and other home languages that respect and… reflect diversity in unbiased ways.

Principle and Understanding of Development An example of Practice 4. A planned curriculum supports early learning. Base curriculum planning and implementation on: -Knowledge of children and their development -children’s prior knowledge, individual needs, and interests 5. Play is a means to early learning that capitalizes on children’s natural curiosity and exuberance. Create indoor and outdoor learning environments in distinctive areas for different types of play and participation. 6. Knowledgeable, responsive early childhood professionals are essential. Integrate theoretical frameworks, scientific findings, and their own daily experiences to guide their interactions with young children and their families.

Name That Domain! Interactive Component… Put Your Thinking Caps On!

How to Play… You will be given a few examples of indications of various skills within the domains covered in E.L.E.C.T. Your job is to name that domain! BONUS – State what age group the specific example is from 

Name That Domain! You are babysitting a child and during lunch they state, “pizza is something you eat.”

Name That Domain! You are working at a child care centre and you observe two children playing side by side, both exploring the sensory bin.

Name That Domain! You are at a restaurant and witness a mother place her child’s toy under a napkin. The child proceeds to search for the hidden toy.

Name That Domain! You are on duty during Daily Physical Activity, and you observe a child throwing a small ball against the wall of the building. The child often catches the ball as it bounces back to them.

How many pages are in the framework, BONUS QUESTION How many pages are in the framework, Early Learning For Every Child Today?