What effective teaching looks like
The 3 characteristics of effective teaching and learning in the early years foundation stage (EYFS) are:
| Playing and exploring |
Children:
|
| Active learning | Children:
|
| Creating and thinking critically |
Children:
|
These are set out in paragraph 1.18 of the EYFS statutory framework.
When observing teaching in the EYFS, you should expect to see:
- Teacher-pupil interactions that help to identify learning, develop vocabulary and communication skills and reinforce children's learning
- A range of activities that engage children's interests. Children should choose and be guided towards activities that help them learn across the different areas of development
- Ongoing assessment by adults through observation, questioning and looking at individual outcomes
- Visual and verbal mental aids
- Time and space for imaginative play – indoors and outside
- A well-organised learning environment – see our other article to find out how to evaluate this
- Activities that encourage:
- Children's exploration of the world around them
- Discussion of what children will make before and while making something
- Sustained discussion going beyond what staff and children have noticed
These are based on:
- Suggestions from Tracey Rees, a local authority EYFS specialist
- Pages 14 to 19 of the non-statutory Development Matters guidance
You should base learning on the 7 areas outlined in the statutory framework
The 3 prime areas give a foundation for children's development:
- Communication and language
- Physical development
- Personal, social and emotional development
There are also 4 specific areas, which should strengthen the prime areas:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the world
- Expressive arts and design
You can find these in paragraphs 1.5 and 1.6 of the EYFS statutory framework.
You shouldn't expect to see learning taking place within specific subject areas. Instead, children should be engaged in a range of activities and opportunities covering all the areas for learning and development.
Teachers must also consider the specific needs of the children in their group. You can find this information in paragraph 1.12 of the EYFS statutory framework.
Activities can be:
- Targeted at addressing specific needs
- Adapted so that the curriculum is accessible to all pupils
These adaptations might not be immediately apparent during observations – asking questions such as "why this?" and "why now?" can be helpful so that teachers can explain how they're targeting the learning.
Consider these questions when observing practitioners
Use the following questions suggested by Tracey when observing practitioners. They're based on the 4 overarching principles of the EYFS set out on page 7 of the EYFS statutory framework.
The unique child
-
Are all children being respected and acknowledged as individuals?
- How is the learning addressing children's specific needs (if any)?
Positive relationships
- Are children being helped to build on prior learning by provision of activities, such as a play or a story, at a level that is demanding but still within the children's reach?
- Are adults communicating clearly with children in appropriate ways?
- Do adults reframe children’s explanations to correct any inaccurate language or grammar?
- Do adults describe the children’s actions/learning in appropriate language?
- Is the learning that is happening that day/week building on what has gone before?
- Is the learning that is happening that day/week communicated to parents and carers?
Enabling environments
- Is the environment appropriate for the age group being taught?
- Is the environment appropriately stimulating and does it reflect the learning that is taking place?
- Are there resources available to children to self-select the learning through play?
- Is there a rich environment of continuous provision that the children can self-select and use to move learning forward? Is there differentiation to use at own level?
- Has the teacher ascertained what the children already know? Has the teacher built on this?
- Has the teacher understood the sequencing of learning so that composite skills and knowledge are built on well-mastered component learning?
- Does the planning reflect the children’s interests in order to keep them interested and motivated?
Learning and development
- Are all areas, including the outdoor area, being used? For example, does the outdoor environment have activities/resources to stimulate numeracy?
- Does the practitioner use different learning styles so that the children can interact with the staff and each other? (For example, visual aids, touch, sounds and movements)
- Are staff modelling key vocabulary to the children? Is it displayed so that adults, children and parents/carers can see it in the room?
Download our lesson observation templates
See our article on how to carry out lesson observations for further guidance, and templates to help you record your findings during an observation.