Assessment for learning

Overview

Assessment in the early years is designed to discover what children know, understand and can do. (Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF), p. 13). Assessment for learning and development is one of the eight VEYLDF practice principles.

The National Quality Standard 1.3 Assessment and Planning explains the importance of each child’s learning and development. Assessing children's learning requires observation, analysing learning, documentation, planning, implementation and reflection.

Jump to questions for reflective discussion

VEYLDF Practice Principle Guide: Assessment for Learning and Development (PDF, 2MB)(opens in a new window)

Children learn from birth. Each stage in their learning and development has an impact on what comes next. Teachers and educators assess children’s learning using the five learning outcomes from the VEYLDF. This helps them to understand where children are at, and what their needs currently are. It also helps them to meet children's future needs.

Teachers and educators get to know how each child learns in their Three-Year-Old Kindergarten program over time. They observe the similarities and differences that co-exist in different groups of children. It is important to notice these similarities and differences. Look for changes in children’s learning and development in the assessment process.

Assessment and documentation are important in the communication between teachers and families. Teachers and educators should use their expert knowledge of child development to talk with each child's family about the child's progress. Teachers and educators should include the family's views on their child’s development in their assessment.

Teachers and educators assess children’s learning for many reasons. Primarily, they assess children in order to understand each child’s developing knowledge, understanding, skills and capabilities.

Effective assessment for learning practices support early childhood professionals to identify and understand:

• what each child knows and can do (including strengths, interests, attitudes and dispositions) each child’s attachment patterns and relationships
• how to support their transitions (including between rooms and services)
• how each child is progressing developmentally
• each child’s physical health and emotional wellbeing
• how to help children to master developing skills
• how to extend each child’s developmental and learning needs
• which children may benefit from access to additional supports and services
• if the planned experiences for a child or group of children were effective (Harley, 2006).

Early childhood professionals engaging in effective assessment practices should ensure that:

• They are authentic practices. Teachers and educators assess children’s learning and development in places where children regularly learn, socialise and play.
• They are ethical practices. Teachers and educators assess children in ways which honour their diversity of culture, gender, and abilities.
• They are ongoing. Assessment practices are intentional, dynamic and occur over time.
• They identify and celebrate children’s progress.
• They are diverse. Teachers and educators know that there are a range of ways to assess children’s learning. They assess children's learning in a range of ways, choosing the best approach for each child at each point in time.

Assessment documentation – making children’s learning visible

Making learning visible helps to recognise the capabilities of children who attend Three-Year-Old Kindergarten. It is important for teachers and educators to talk with families about their child’s progress. This helps strengthen the connections between the kindergarten service and family.

Effective assessment practices include the points of view of children and their families. This supports a child’s learning and development. It also helps to find opportunities to celebrate children's successes.

Teachers and educators can keep records of children’s thinking and ideas. These records show children’s progress against the VEYLDF learning and development outcomes. This also encourages teachers and educators to reflect on their practice.

Questions to reflect on as part of this analysis include:

• What is the child learning? How are they learning and how do I know?
• What do I know about what the child can do, what they need help with, and what are they ready to learn? How do I know what they are ready for?
• What do I know now about this child’s strengths, culture, learning and development?
• Are there any gaps in the learning? Are there things I expected to see that are not evident yet?

There are a range of ways in which teachers and educators can keep records of children’s learning. Examples include keeping a record of:

• children's work
• photographs, plans and drafts of play and work in progress
• audio/video recordings of children and teachers and educators in action
• comments and interviews with children
• child observations.

The key to assessment for learning is the collection of meaningful documentation. Teachers and educators can then reflect on this when planning the next stages of children’s learning.

Assessing learning

Assessment should be strengths-based and reflect a whole-of-child approach. It should show high expectations for the learning of every child attending a Three-Year-Old Kindergarten.

This will include a focus on children’s:

• knowledge
• acquired and emerging skills
• attitudes and dispositions
• next stage of learning
• continuity of learning.

The VEYLDF’s early years planning cycle invites early childhood professionals to collect evidence of children’s learning. Professionals should do this over time and use this information as part of the assessment process.

The VEYLDF learning and development outcomes provide a common language and focus for teachers and educators to notice evidence-based concepts that advance children’s learning and development.

Connections to the VEYLDF

The VEYLDF encourages teachers and educators to use a range of assessment tools and keep progress records of children’s learning. This should be part of regular practice when assessing children’s progress against the five learning and development outcomes in the VEYLDF: identity, community, wellbeing, learning and communication.

Assessments can include discipline-specific assessments such as health and language assessments. Teachers and educators can use these more specific assessments when working with colleagues from other early childhood professions.

The VEYLDF’s early years planning cycle(opens in a new window) guides teachers and educators to collect evidence of children's learning. They use this evidence to judge, plan and act. They also use it in their assessment of children's learning.

Questions for reflective discussion

To support assessment for learning, consider the following questions.

• How would you describe your current approach to assessment?
• How will you track and assess children’s progress, using the VEYLDF learning outcomes?
• How do the learning outcomes in the VEYLDF, help guide assessment for learning at your kindergarten?
• What assessment processes do you currently feel confident using and why? Which forms of assessment would you like to know more about, strengthen or change, and why?
• How can teachers and educators strengthen their partnerships with families? How can this help strengthen your approach to assessment?

Having watched the video above, consider the following questions:

• Are colleagues in your service meeting to discuss their observations and records?
• Are your assessment practices creating a clear understanding of each child’s learning, including their knowledge, understandings, skills, and capabilities?

Connection to the box of educational resources

A box of educational resources was provided to all services funded to deliver Three-Year-Old Kindergarten in 2022. It included resources to support teachers and educational leaders. This will help in assessment for learning.

Some resources included in the box are also freely available online and these links are listed below.

Resources included in the box

Birth and beyond – meaningful practice for babies and toddlers

This resource supports teachers and educators to understand the learning needs of three-year olds. It will help teachers and educators to transfer this knowledge into teaching programs. This resource will help teachers and educators to understand children's stages of learning development. For example, what learning has occurred before the children start Three-Year-Old Kindergarten.

Order a copy of the Birth and Beyond resource: Wims Online(opens in a new window)

Child development – the developing child, communicating skilfully and nurturing competent learners

This resource focuses on three key areas: the developing child, the child as a skilful communicator, and the child as a competent learner.

Order a copy of the child development resource: Wims Online(opens in a new window)

Health and wellbeing – growing and developing physical and emotional wellbeing

This guide explains the three strands of development: growing and developing, physical wellbeing and emotional wellbeing. Read an introduction to children’s development and their physical wellbeing on page 17. The resource describes physical development, sensory processing, sleep, rest and a healthy diet.

Order a copy of the health and wellbeing resource: Wims Online(opens in a new window)

Resources available online

See the VCAA Assessment of children as confident and capable learners literature review(opens in a new window). It helps to identify progress towards VEYLDF Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners.

Other resources

• DET, Early ABLES(opens in a new window)
• DET, Individual learning plans for children in out-of-home care (pdf - 1.19mb)(opens in a new window)
• DET, VEYLDF Practice Principle Guide Assessment for Learning and Development (pdf - 2.12mb)(opens in a new window)
• ACECQA, Guidelines for documenting children’s learning(opens in a new window)
• Monitoring and assessing children's learning(opens in a new window)
• Planning for and documenting children’s learning(opens in a new window)
• Think, Feel, Act: Lessons from research about young children(opens in a new window)
• VCAA, Early Years Planning Cycle for the VEYLDF(opens in a new window)

References

Harley, E. (2006). Assessment in the early years. Birth to 8 years. Assessment in the Early Years Newsletter, 1, 1-4.