Elements and Performance Criteria

The Range Statement explains the scope and context of the unit of competency allowing for differences between workplaces. The scope of variables chosen for training and assessment requirements will depend on the particular work situation.

Thinking skills may include:
Reasoning
Developing understanding and explanations
Critical thinking

Opportunities for children to develop cognitively will vary according to the child's age/abilities -
For babies and infants:
Responses of caregivers are prompt and consistent
Routines to provide sensory experiences are used
Toys that stimulate all the senses are available for touching, looking, listening, smelling and tasting
Opportunities to perceive similarities and differences are provided

For toddlers:
Equipment is provided to explore the concepts of size, shape, number, volume, weight, temperature, time and all senses
Songs, rhymes and stories are provided to aid in the development of memory
There are opportunities to help with household duties and explore built and natural environment

For 3 to 5 year old children:
Time is allowed for children to explore
Opportunities are provided to interact with real people and objects to gain an understanding of themselves, others and the world around them
A variety of materials and resources is provided
Children are alerted to aspects of the environment they may have overlooked
Children's reasoning is responded to respectfully

For 6 to 12 year old children:
Children are assisted to identify the reasons for their opinion/action/feelings
Child is asked to predict likely/possible consequences of actions and events
Child is prompted to consider a variety of perceptions of an event
Hypothesising and experimentation
Opportunities to explore particular interests that emerge
Opportunities to develop and maintain interest areas
Challenging, open ended experiences
Opportunities to develop problem-solving skills will vary according to the age of the child

Understandings may include:
Mathematical understanding
Scientific principles
Social understandings
Geographical awareness
Historical understanding
Mechanical understanding
Potential of computers

Opportunities to develop problem-solving skills will vary according to the age of the child -
For babies and infants:
Opportunities to explore cause and effect are provided

For toddlers:
Equipment such as spades, spoons, buckets and baskets are provided to explore the environment

For 3 to 5 year olds:
Time is made available for children to investigate a topic that interests them, for example, how a syphon works

For 6 to 12 year olds:
Opportunities to develop problem-solving skills in social relationships with their peers
Learning through "failure"/"mistakes"
Conflict resolution strategies are developed

Opportunities to explore their environment will vary according to the age of the child -
For babies and infants:
Observation and exploration

For toddlers:
Introduce them to natural materials from local environment
Introduce them to a range of people in community

For 3 to 5 year olds:
Exploration of local environment through visitors, excursion, bringing experiences to children

For 6 to12 year olds:
Local neighbourhood excursions

Opportunities to explore their local environment directly will differ according to a range of factors such as:
Distance, proximity of new experience
Risks and hazards
Time available

Opportunities to extend children's knowledge of the world may include:
Excursions/incursions
Visits
Maps, posters, music, books, etc.
Walks in the local area
Visitors
Community resources

The world/environment may include:
The natural environment
The social world
The cultural environment
The world of ideas
Human made environment

The Evidence Guide identifies the critical aspects of assessment, and the essential knowledge and skills to be demonstrated to confirm competency in this unit. The Evidence Guide is an integral part of the assessment of competency and it should be read carefully in conjunction with the Range Statement, elements and performance criteria.

Critical aspects of assessment:
Demonstrated ability to provide opportunities for children to think and problem solve, that give due regard to age, development, culture and needs of child/ren
Demonstrate ability to stimulate language development taking into account special language needs. Ability to develop strategies to access specialist language services

Essential knowledge:
Stages of cognitive development
Peer group interactions
Child's family and community context and influences
Organisational standards, policies and procedures

Essential skills:
Planning
Problem solving processes and tools or strategies to facilitate children's problem solving

Resource implications:
Assessment requires access to a range of opportunities defined in the Range Statement. This includes:
a childcare workplace
access to children's services, resources and equipment
access to the local environment

Context of assessment:
This unit is best assessed in the workplace or in a realistic simulated workplace setting under the normal range of workplace conditions, for a range of age groups and over a number of assessment situations.