Program details
- Priority area: Communication, wellbeing (social and emotional)
- Primary audience: Educators
- Delivery mode: Resources (books, kits, manuals), group training
- Strength of evidence: Considered a valid assessment tool
- AEDC sub-domains:
- Language and cognitive development – basic literacy
- Language and cognitive development – interest in literacy/numeracy and memory
- Language and cognitive development – advanced literacy
- Communication skills and general knowledge
- Emotional maturity – anxious and fearful behaviour
- Emotional maturity – aggressive behaviour
- Emotional maturity – hyperactivity and inattentive behaviour
- Social competence – responsibility and respect
- Item cost: Low (<$200 per person/item)
Program description
The ECERS-R aims to evaluate quality of provision for children aged 2.5 to 5 in centre-based settings. ECERS-R contains a wide range of statements or 'indicators' with which to evaluate the quality of the early years environment in its broadest sense. These indicators 'stack up' like building blocks to celebrate strengths and provide signposts to improvement. They also provide a rigorous means of measuring quality – and improvement in quality – over time.
ECERS-R evaluates 7 broad dimensions of quality:
- space and furnishings (for example, room layout and accessibility of resources)
- personal care routines (for example, welfare requirements such as health, and safety and provision for sleeping)
- language and reasoning (for example, supporting children's communication, language and literacy development and critical thinking)
- activities (for example, provision of an exciting and accessible learning environment, and resources to support specific types of play)
- interaction (for example, supervision, and support for social interactions)
- program structure (for example, opportunities for children to access their own curriculum, and planning schedules/routines to meet children's needs)
- provision for parents/carers and staff (for example, partnership with parents/carers, and staff training and development).
Detailed cost
Manuals cost about $55 (including GST), purchased online.
Implementation considerations
- Target population: early childhood educators.
- Staffing: services should consider the cost of backfill when determining the cost of accessing this resource. Services may also consider engaging a coach to support enhanced implementation.
- Factors to consider: ECERS-R can be used in combination with the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale - Extension (ECERS-E). Services should consider how staff may be able to share the practice knowledge they obtain from this resource with others at the service. This will ensure that improved approaches to practice or innovative ideas can be implemented across the service as a whole.
VEYLDF alignment
Item uses these practice principles
- Reflective practice
- High expectations for every child
- Respectful relationships and responsive engagement
- Equity and diversity
- Integrated teaching and learning approaches
Item responds to these sub-outcomes
- Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes
- Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media
- Children engage with a range of texts and get meaning from these texts
- Children begin to understand how symbols and pattern systems work
- Children use information and communication technologies to access information, investigate ideas and represent their thinking
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