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CHCPR509A: Document, interpret and use information about children

Gather and document detailed information about the child

2 Diploma of Children’s Services: CHCPR509A: Reader LO 9391 © NSW DET 2010

Contents

Gather information and observations according to a child’s emerging skills 4

Targeted information gathering 4

Gather detailed information about children and document using a variety of appropriate methods 5

Refine your recording skills 5

Valid observations 5

Appropriate methods of gathering information 7

Ensure information and observations collected are valid, representative, significant and relevant 27

The cycle of observation 27

Make series of observations to address all aspects of development over a period of time and in a variety of situations

29

Asking questions using developmental areas 29

Consult colleagues, families and others in a sensitive manner 36

Parents as a source of information 36

Diploma of Children’s Services: CHCPR509A: Reader LO 9391 3© NSW DET 2010

Gather information and observations according to a child’s emerging skills

Targeted information gatheringWhen we gather information about children we should always be ready to be surprised by what we learn about them. Sometimes, however, we have specific things we want to find out or questions about the child that need answering.

In situations like this, we will gather information most effectively when we know:

• what we want to learn next about the child/ren we are observing• which information-gathering methods will help us do this most

successfully.

Let’s look first at the range of possibilities in information gathering.

Hint: if you are having difficulties, get out your QIAS Quality Practices Guide and look at Quality Area Principle 3.2.: Each child’s learning is documented and used in planning the program. This will start you off with many practical information-gathering ideas.

Activity 1

Activity 2


Gather detailed information about children and document using a variety of appropriate methods

Refine your recording skillsYou already know about the importance of ensuring that you document information about children that is:

• clear and accurate• free of assumptions and judgements• positive and optimistic• specific and descriptive• avoiding bias and stereotypes.

In this learning topic we will further refine your recording skills. We will look at the need for detailed and significant information in observations and the importance of making observations valid and professional.

Activity 3

Valid observationsThe term ‘valid observations’ means something very specific to children’s services professionals. It means ensuring that the methods we use to gain information about children are those best suited to their purpose. We need to decide what we want to find out before we begin observing and we need to know how we will analyse this information to plan appropriately.

In other words, it is useless to collect files full of isolated, meaningless notes about children if no-one looks critically at the ongoing story they tell. They should be used to build our knowledge of individuals and groups of children and to guide the planning of experiences to enrich their lives.

Activity 4


Activity 5

Professional, representative, relevant and valid observationsTo ensure that our observations are professional, representative, relevant and valid it is important to:

• decide what we want to find out before we begin observing children• choose the correct observation method and information-gathering

strategies to give us valid information about the child or children• choose typical routines, play situations, experiences and activities to

observe for the child/ren• always observe children in a natural setting, never putting them in a

‘testing’ situation• allow different observers to gather information on each child to avoid

observer bias and to give multiple perspectives on each child• observe children over a period of time and in a variety of situations

before coming to any conclusions.

Significant behaviourIt is really important that you become skilled in deciding what sort of behaviours are significant. Observing and recording significant events, experiences and behaviours will give you the most ‘meat’ to interpret from your recording. This can be difficult, especially for the inexperienced observer.

Significant behaviour can be summarised as any or a combination of the following. It is events and behaviours that:

• throw light on a child’s individuality, thinking or perspectives• identify the level of skill/s reached• identify milestone/s reached• show a marked departure from expected behaviour• identify a particular expertise or strength• identify a particular interest• highlight a need for practice, experience or assistance.

It is easy to end up with a great many observation records that provide little insight into the child. However, deciding on what to observe, what is significant and the most appropriate method for accurate recording will lead to you having the best chance of gathering authentic material and making useful interpretations of this material.


Appropriate methods of gathering informationIn this learning topic we will build on your knowledge of the range of methods for gathering and documenting information about children. We’ll look at distinctive features of the methods and an example of each. You may have tried them already but if you have not then you will need to practise each one until you feel confident.

There are a variety of formal techniques for recording observations in children’s services. Some of these include:

• narrative forms such as anecdotes and running records• chart forms such as checklists and rating scales• jottings• sampling methods such as 'time and event samples'• language samples• surveys• time and motion studies• sociograms.

You are already familiar with anecdotes, running records, checklist and rating scales. If you have difficulty recalling these methods, or if you feel you need more practice in using them, look up these methods in Martin (2004), Nilsen (2001) or Beaty (2002) from the Reference list at the end of this topic.

Let’s go on now to look at some more observation methods commonly used in children’s services.

JottingsJottings are very short anecdotes of significant events, behaviours or conversations. A jotting can be as short as a couple of sentences and is usually not longer than a paragraph. Many carers use jottings because they are a quick and easy way to record the essence of significant events and behaviours. Jottings are similar to anecdotal records except that they are much briefer and often describe a specific behaviour rather than a sequence of events.

Jottings can be recorded directly after the behaviour has been observed or later from memory. They can form the basis for a more detailed anecdotal record if required.

Jottings may be recorded in a log book, diary, note pad, individual book or simply on sheets of paper. At the end of the day or week, the information is usually transferred to individual files or folders. Some carers record jottings on small post-


it notes then transfer a number of them onto a page in the child’s file or portfolio. A set of jottings builds up a picture of a child’s development and interests.

The observer usually writes a short comment or interpretation to accompany a set of jottings. Below is one example of a set of jottings with interpretation:

12.7.09: Rebecca (11 months) lies in her cot after waking up. P bends over her but she does not smile. H, her regular caregiver, comes over and Rebecca immediately starts to smile.

13.7.09: Rebecca is sitting on the mat playing with nesting cups. Toni (12 m) crawls to the rug and tries to take a cup from Rebecca’s hand. She squeals, holds on tight to the cup, looking around the room at the adults.

16.7.09: Rebecca enters the nursery with her mother. She hides her head in her mother’s shoulder and holds tightly to her shoulder. H comes over to her mother smiling. The two women talk in a friendly manner for two or three minutes. H then says 'time for Mummy to go', holds out her arms for Rebecca, who leans over and reaches out for H, smiling in return.

Comment/Interpretation: Rebecca is experiencing separation anxiety and stranger anxiety which is typical for infants at this age. It shows her growing awareness of others and her ability to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people. She is also showing her attachment to her mother and her primary caregiver—H in these jottings.

There are other formats that are used to record jottings and carers usually develop a format that suits them and their service. Jottings are probably the most commonly used observation method by children’s services staff because they are relatively quick and easy and provide a lot of information about the individual child’s skills and interests.

When you practise making jottings think about:

• what strategies you use to ensure that your jottings are professional, representative, relevant and valid

• what new perspectives you now have on the child/ren you observed.

We will go on now to look at some sampling methods, which are often considered to be the ‘problem buster’ methods. We usually turn to sampling methods when we want to know how often or under which circumstances particular behaviours occur.


Time samplingTime sampling records the frequency of a behaviour. The behaviour recorded must be overt (observable)and frequent (at least once every 15 minutes) to be suitable for sampling. For example, talking, hitting or crying are behaviours that a carer might want to sample for selected children because they can be clearly seen and counted. Problem-solving skills are not suitable for time sampling because it is not always clear to the observer and cannot be counted.

Time sampling involves identifying specified behaviours of an individual or group and recording the presence or absence of this behaviour during short term intervals of uniform length. You need to prepare ahead of time, determining what specific behaviour you want to look for, what the time interval will be and how to record the presence or absence of the behaviour.

A case study—CameronCameron (four years two months) has recently begun to use physically aggressive behaviours in his interactions with the other children. You are aware that it would be easy to fall into the trap of simply starting to see Cameron as an aggressive boy. You might decide to use time sampling to discover exactly how often and when Cameron’s inappropriate behaviour occurs. In this way you will discover information not only about the frequency of the behaviour but possibly what triggers might be motivating his behaviour.

Your first task would be to specifically define the inappropriate behaviour. In this case the list is:

• hitting• pushing• kicking• holding children against their will• taking another child’s toy.

Other methods, such as narrative methods, would be used to come up with an accurate list of targeted behaviours. You would then need to decide what time intervals to use. In this case the carer wanted to sample the child’s behaviour for five-minute intervals during the first half-hour of the morning for a week. She knew from prior observations that this seemed to be a difficult time for him.

There are several different ways to record the targeted behaviour. You could record ‘1’ after the interval if the behaviour occurs and ‘0’ if it does not. This is called 'duration recording' and indicates the presence or absence of the behaviour.


An alternative is to use check marks or tally marks if you want to know how many times the behaviour occurred, rather than just its presence or absence. This is called 'event recording' and shows the frequency of the behaviour.

You might also want to know exactly which behaviours are occurring and when. You could give the identified behaviours a code to make it easier for you to record them quickly. For example:

h=hitting

k=kicking

t=taking

hd=holding

p=pushing

Here are samples of what your recording could look like:

Time intervals (5 minutes each/ 9.00–9.30 am)

Duration recording (presence or absence)

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 1 1 0 0 0

Event recording (frequency)

1 2 3 4 5 6

1111 111 1 0 0 0

Event recording (presence or absence)

1 2 3 4 5 6

h, p h, p, t h 0 0 0

So you would now have information about the frequency of Cameron’s inappropriate behaviours, at what time in the morning they are most likely to occur and exactly which behaviours he is using.

Think about why this information would be helpful to you.

Time sampling is a useful method to observe children because it:

• is quicker than narrative methods to record• is more objective and controlled because the behaviour is specified

and limited


• allows an observer to collect data on a number of children or a number of behaviours at once

• provides useful information on intervals and frequencies of behaviour• provides quantitative (measurable) results useful for statistical

analysis.• Some of the disadvantages of time sampling are that it:• is not an open method and so you may miss much more important

behaviour that is not part of the targeted behaviour• doesn’t describe the behaviour, its causes or results• takes the behaviour out of the context in which it happens• is limited to observable behaviours which occur frequently• focuses on one type of behaviour (in many cases an inappropriate

behaviour) and this may give a biased view of the child.

Again, you need to remember the importance of selecting the most suitable observation method to provide you with the relevant information you are seeking and, of course, to use a variety of methods to get a balanced, holistic picture of the child.

When you have practiced doing a time sample, think about whether your method for deciding on the targeted behaviour is valid. Why was it valid? After completing time samples, what do you know about the child or subject that you could not find out from using narrative methods?

Event samplingEvent sampling is also an observation method designed to study a preselected behaviour, especially behaviours of concern. It offers information about the conditions under which the preselected behaviour occurs. It is usually necessary to find out what triggers a particular behaviour in order to develop strategies to deal with it.

While time sampling is often used if time intervals or the time of day are an important factor, if the behaviour occurs at odd times, infrequently or for unknown reasons then event sampling is the more appropriate method.

The observer must first define the event or ‘unit of behaviour’. Then, the setting in which it is most likely to occur must be determined. The observer then waits for it to occur and records it at the time or from memory.

Recording can be done in several ways, depending on the purpose for the observation. If the observer is studying causes or results for certain behaviours then the so-called ‘ABC analysis’ is especially useful, and this is the format we will look at. It is a narrative description of the entire event, breaking it down into three parts:


1 A = antecedent event2 B = behaviour3 C = consequent event.

Each time the event occurs it is recorded.

To gain even more from the event sample it is valuable to identify the purpose of the observation, the targeted behaviour and an observational question on the top of the form. Here is an example:

Name: Damian Setting: indoor play

Age: 3 ½ years Present: Drew and Peter

Date: 23 March 2005

Purpose of observation: To find out more about Damian’s aggressive acts

Targeted behaviour: Kicking, striking out at peers or teacher with feet with enough force to make children cry.

Observational question: What happens immediately before and after Damian kicks others?

Time Antecedent event (A)

Behaviour (B) Consequent event (C)

8.15 am Damian playing alone with train set, Drew comes in, picks up a train on the track Damian has built

Damian looks at Drew and frowns, stands, pushes at Drew, Drew pushes back, Damian kicks Drew on the leg

Drew cries and runs to tell the carer

10.02 am In the playground Damian is waiting in line for a turn on the swing

Damian kicks Peter hard on the leg

Peter cries, the carer comes and takes Damian away by the arm to talk to him

If subsequent observations of Damian show the same sort of sequence as in the event sampling, the observer could interpret this to mean that Damian does not initiate the kicking but rather responds to interference in his activities in this inappropriate and harmful manner. Intervention strategies then would be based on this information.

The advantages for using event sampling include:

• keeping the event or behaviour of concern intact, making analysis easier


• being especially useful in examining infrequent or rarely occurring behaviours.

There are several disadvantages as well, depending on the purpose of the observation. Event sampling:

• takes the event out of context and thus may leave out other aspects of the situation that are important to the interpretation

• is a closed method that looks only for the specified behaviour and potentially ignores other important behaviour

• misses the richness of detail that anecdotes or running records provide.

When you have practised doing an event sample, think about whether you learnt more about it from the antecedent event (possible triggers) or from the consequent event (possible rewards of consequences). Why do you think this is so in this instance?

SurveysSurveys are mostly used to gather information on attitudes, interests and opinions. You can conduct an impromptu group survey by asking children to indicate their choice by telling you or by raising their hands. You can conduct a written survey—children with the skills to read independently are usually able to complete a written survey. Written surveys are most useful when you are working with children from five to twelve years.

Oral surveysInformation can also be gathered from the children themselves by asking open questions, especially about their interests and preferences. With younger children we gather most of this information by observing them at play and in routines, and once they can talk we do it during our conversations with them.

The results of these surveys are a legitimate part of your information gathering about the child. As a part of the accreditation system in OOSH, children can be surveyed to find out their opinions and views of their carers and their OOSH service. You can look at surveys designed for children on the accreditation website at www.ncac.gov.au. Follow the links to Information for Children.

Here is a survey form designed for school-aged children attending an OOSH care program. Sometimes the children fill it out for themselves, sometimes the carer likes to interview them and sometimes the older children interview the younger school-aged children who cannot read or write yet.


Survey form designed for school-aged children attending an OOSH

Many services now survey the parents about their children’s routines, interests and preferences so that they can provide care for them that takes account of the child’s home experiences.


Parent survey of their child’s routines, interests and preferences

Some centres use surveys like this as the opening page in a child’s Portfolio.

Time and motion studiesTime and motion studies focus on children’s movements in particular areas. They throw light on how many activities the child is involved in over a given period of time and how long they stay at those activities. They give an indication of the child’s interests and perhaps of their concentration span.

The simplest way to design a time and motion study suitable for young children is to make a sketch of the playroom and the outdoor area, then to chart the child’s movements over a short period of time and on several different occasions.


Sketch of the playroom: 1 Blocks, 2 Tables, 3 Easels, 4 Wet area, 5 Home corner, 6 Books, 7 Puzzles

It is often found that children under three years move from one area to another many more times than older children. Have a look at the difference between Rohan’s chart of movements at 18 months and Kymberley’s at four years:

Chart of Rohan’s (18 months) movements recorded over seven minutes

Chart of Kymberley’s (four years) movements recorded over seven minutes

SociogramsA sociogram is a diagram of social relationships in a group of children. It often focuses on children’s perceptions of acceptance and/or popularity within their peer group. Children in an organised group may be asked to name the child who is their ‘best friend’ or ‘person they do not play with’.


Results depend on the phrasing of the question and may be influenced by what the child thinks the adult wishes to hear. Information gathered from the group is pieced together and represented diagrammatically. Popular children and those who are solitary or isolated can be seen quickly in the diagram, and some unexpected connections may come to light, leading the carer to observe social relationships and interactions more closely.

Over a period of time the sociogram will change as relationships shift and change. It may be interesting to use a sociogram at designated times during the year to assess the dynamics of the group. Children must be old enough to understand the question posed, be able to give a clear answer and be of sufficient maturity to have formed social relationships within the group. The interactions or friendships of younger children tend to be transitory because the children are not yet able to communicate, appreciate the perspectives of others or form social attachments with peers. For these children, a sociogram would reveal little.

Here is an example of a sociogram:

Sample of a sociogram

This example shows information collected from a group of five year olds (seven boys, eight girls). The children were asked: ‘Who are your two best friends?’ The sociogram may indicate whether some of the children are isolated.

Activity 6

Activity 7


Language samplesLanguage samples are transcripts of children’s use of language alone or in conversation for analysis. They record and closely examine the receptive and expressive language of children. This can be done in several different ways.

If your purpose is to gain specific information about a child’s use of spoken language it is useful to collect samples of their talk and conversational skills for analysis. You can do this by making a written record of all the language used by a child in an interaction. You would record their speech and the speech of others involved in the interaction as accurately as possible, making sure you represent their speech patterns and articulation as closely as possible.

A great aid to this is to use audio taping or video taping so that you can more easily include relevant information such as voice quality, tone and non-verbal features of the child’s language. This is discussed in the next section.

Many observers use a language checklist to analyse a language transcript. This allows the observer to note the presence of identified language use and behaviours.

Following is a language sample of Olivia (two years and five months) chatting to her father while drawing at home. She is covering the page with letter-like formations as she pretends to ‘write’ a story about people she knows. I have recorded words as she pronounces them. The words in brackets indicate the correct pronunciation of the word.


Language sample

Child’s name: Olivia Setting: at home

Child’s age: 2 years 5 months Time: 10.05 am – 10.07 am

Date: 27 February

Olivia: Yeah, dis (this) one is hard for me Daddy.

Mark (her father): What are you writing about?

Olivia: I’m writing bout (about) you!

Mark: Are you?

Olivia: And me and Livvie and Mummy and Simon and Adrian and … and … and … and … Wiyem (William)and Annie and Leigh.

Mark: Gee that’s a big story you’re making.

Olivia: Yeah.

Mark: And what are you going to say in the story?

Olivia: I’m just say someding (something). Dis you and dat me and dats Mummy and dats you and Wiyam and Annie and Leigh.

Mark: What’s William doing?

Olivia: Wiyam he’s playing wif (with) he’s toys and I playing wif my toys.

Mark: And what about Simon, what’s he doing?

Olivia: He playing wif he’s toys.

Mark: And what’s Annie doing?

Olivia: Doing her work, job, at school. Wif Simon. Wif … wif … wif … Wiyam. He’s big boy. And more paper Daddy.

Mark: Where is it?

Olivia: (Pointing to the shelf nearby) Dere (there).

There is a lot of useful information in this language sample about Olivia’s receptive and expressive language. Let’s look at a possible interpretation of the sample.


Oliva is using extensive sentences of between one and sixteen words in length in this language sample. She is using conjunctions effectively (especially ‘and’) to extend her sentences. She has some difficulty pronouncing some sounds, particularly ‘th’ and the ’ll’ sound in the middle of ‘William’. Olivia’s vocabulary includes descriptive words such as ‘hard’ and ‘big’ and compound words such as ‘something’. She sometimes repeats words several times ‘(and … and … and … ’), appearing to gain time to form her thoughts for the rest of the sentence. Olivia is able to engage in conversational turn-taking and shows ‘topic maintenance’, which are quite mature elements for her age. While much of her language is grammatically correct, she substitutes ‘he’s’ for ‘his’ at times, which could be due to mishearing others using the correct form.

Olivia’s receptive language is appropriate for her age, as she is able to answer her father’s questions appropriately. Her expressive language is progressing well and the errors she makes in grammar and pronunciation are typical for her age and should diminish with opportunities to listen to and converse with others providing good modelling.

Language samples are useful to:

• find out more about children’s receptive language abilities• assess the development of their vocabulary• see how well they are able to articulate (pronounce sounds)• assess their ability to use semantic and syntactic conventions• see how they use language with a variety of people and in a variety of

situations• gain information about their interests• find out to whom they talk.

When you have gained more confidence in writing down direct speech, try recording the language of a child while they are conversing with someone else.

You may need permission from parents to make recordings of children and you will need to inform them how they will be stored and disposed of.

Here is an example of a group of children talking about the Boxing Day Tsunami 2004 and their reactions and decisions about the media coverage of this tragic event.

The tsunami

In a small group established at their own accords, Peter, Phillip, Alex, William, Angus, Ethan and Angeline began to pour out their hearts concern.

Peter: You know on the news I saw the waves came, they were too big this time, big like up to my roof, and it killed all the people. They died.


Angeline: I saw it on the news and the police are looking for the people.

Ethan: I saw on the news that toys are sinking. I need to get some toys for the kids.

Peter: So they can have toys and clothes and money cause the waves sinked all the money.

William: And the people they floated away on the wave.

Peter: We need to give them money so they can buy things again.

It was then decided amongst the group to establish a box to put money in so it could be sent over to the tsunami victims. The children decided that their families should give. These children later made a collection box for the centre foyer.

Interpretations of this language sample will give us insight to the children’s perception of the event which resulted in practical action.

Use of photographs, video recordings and audio recordings Digital and film cameras, video recorders and audiotapes are great aids in recording information about children. Since digital cameras and computers have become more affordable, many more centres are gathering information about children based around still photographs.

PhotographsInstead of writing longer narrative descriptions, the observer can first capture the moment in photos and may later write brief notes about what happened.

Still photos of children can be taken in a sequence to illustrate a series of events or the development of an experience as it occurs. It is useful to record a process or behaviour from beginning to end if it is to tell the complete story to the viewer. You can also use photographs to capture children’s constructions, moulding and dramatic play.


Maelin painting Maelin painting

Maelin painting Maelin’s finished painting

Carer’s brief notes:

1 Maelin selects a brush from the black paint pot with her right hand2 She carefully paints a black stripe, then selects a brush from the white

paint pot and paints a white strip3 She continues to carefully paint a red, green and pink stripe4 Maelin stands back and looks at the finished painting.

You will need permission from parents to take photos of children and you will need to inform them where they will be displayed and how they will be stored and disposed of.

VideosVideo recordings can work well for this purpose too. For projects that grow and change over time or situations that involve a lot of activity, videotape could be the best form of documentation. This method allows you to record children’s language as well as their non-verbal communication. You can also add a voice-over if you want to comment on the action as you film, or edit the film so that only the most revealing parts remain. A video recording of the progress of a project undertaken by children over some time can provide a wonderful resource for sharing with families, parent meetings and with the children themselves.


Audio recordingsAudio recordings are particularly good for language analysis. It is often a challenge to make an audiotape of children’s conversation that is clear and understandable. There can be too much background noise and the children may move out of range. There are cassette recorders that are specifically designed to capture human voices as clearly as possible. These make a good resource for this type of observation.

Another use of audiotapes is for the observer to speak softly into the microphone instead of writing down their observations. This has the advantage of providing an opportunity to record a great deal of rich detail very quickly. The recording could later be edited and transcribed to a running record with more detail than is usually possible.

Photographs, videotapes and audiotapes can be very useful to share when you discuss aspects of the child’s behaviour with staff, parents or with the child. You can add written support material to record the comments of those who are viewing the photos or videos.

Just a final note: it is possible that some families may not want to have photos or videos of their child either taken or displayed. Most centres will have a policy concerning this aspect. Usually families will be asked to sign a written consent granting permission for their child to be photographed or videotaped. As a student you would certainly be expected to consult with staff and families about this matter before undertaking any observations of this kind.

Activity 8

Work samplesWork samples are examples of children’s drawings, paintings, computer drawings and writing. They are also photographs of results of their construction in the block area, moulding with clay or dough and building in the sandpit and so on.

Work samples are often collected for children’s developmental records and included as a part of their Portfolio as they are a practical way to demonstrate the child’s skills, creativity and learning.


Here are some samples.

Child’s drawing of mother, father brother and sister

Commentary: Melanie (4 years old) drew a picture of her family. She pointed to the largest figure and said “That’s my mummy” She pointed to the other figures naming them “Daddy, my brother and me”.

Child’s drawing of a running dinosaur with feet that looks like wheels

Commentary: Adam (4 years 4 months) has become very involved in a project about dinosaurs. He frequently consults books about dinosaurs. He said “This is a racing deinonychus, a speeding dinosaur”.


Child’s drawing of a spider with one large figure and two smaller figures

Commentary: Amy (3 years 2 months) drew carefully for five minutes. She told the caregiver it was a drawing of a “big hairy lion spider”. She then carefully drew the 2 small figures on the right.

Child’s scribble drawing

Commentary: Lewis (1 year 10 months) carefully drew with the orange and green textras. He used a palman grip and scribbled vigorously and babbled as he drew.


Child’s drawing of a man on a surfboard

Commentary: Sam (3 years 5 months) is very interested in surfing and has been looking through surfing magazines. He said “This is a man on his surfboard”.

A small amount of commentary can be used effectively with work samples. For example, you can record what was happening at the table just before a child did a particular drawing (if this influenced the drawing), what they said about their own painting or the song they sang while building with Lego. You could usefully record the group discussions and problem solving that lead up to a group project. The commentary should lead to a fuller understanding of the children’s thinking, feelings or creativity as they went about producing the work sample.

You must always ask children’s permission to collect their work samples as they are highly personal items and children have put a lot of themselves into them. You should explain honestly why you need them. Sometimes children do not want to hand them over and want to take them home or put them on the wall. In these instances you can ask them for their permission to photocopy or scan them for your records.

If you wish to know more about any of the above formal observation methods, you can read more in many of the textbooks listed in the Additional resources. Some of the most useful texts on this subject are Martin (2004), Beaty (2002) and Nilsen (2001).


Ensure information and observations collected are valid, representative, significant and relevant

The cycle of observation The process involved in planning may be represented as a cycle that looks like this:

The cycle of observation

Gather information from others Multiple perspectives on a child’s development are always fuller and more accurate than one person’s views. Whenever possible we should gather information about a child involving as many relevant people as possible.

Activity 9


ConfidentialityAll of these people need to be approached in a sensitive manner and we need to be mindful of asking for information that may breach confidentiality. For example, parents should only be asked about things that help you to understand the child and their care better. You need to be mindful of their privacy.

Specialists or therapists may be bound by confidentiality and may not be able to discuss the child’s progress and reactions to therapy without the parent’s permission.

On the other hand, it is important to only discuss the child with those who need to know on a professional basis. The parents of course must always be fully informed but other carers in the centre who do not work directly with the child should not be part to your discussions about the child and their development.


Make series of observations to address all aspects of development over a period of time and in a variety of situations

Asking questions using developmental areasWhen we have gathered a considerable amount of significant information about children from observations, and interpreted this information, we can look closely at the child’s development in all domains.

The NSW Curriculum Framework offers some words of caution about this process:

Viewing children as capable and resourceful requires recognition that there are many different ways to demonstrate capabilities and resourcefulness. Some children do it socially and interpersonally, that is they are very good at interacting and communicating with others. Some children are very well coordinated physically, very skilled at using their bodies. Some children are verbally very expressive. Some children show great ability with thinking and problem solving. Some children are excellent drawers and painters. One of the challenges is to identify the strengths of each child and nurture them. (p 24)

With these words in mind we can begin to answer questions about the child in each developmental area, looking for evidence of their strengths and capabilities.

Using the NSW Curriculum Framework terminology, we can ask guiding questions in each area to learn more about the child (making adjustments for the child’s age and stage of development).


The physically active child

Look for evidence of participation in physical activities

In this area you look for evidence of the child’s growing awareness, use and control of their own body, their enjoyment and self-expression through body movement and their growing awareness of healthy living habits.

Does the child:

• appear healthy, active, growing• gain control over their body and movements and move in a

coordinated way• practice and refine new skills• engage in physically active play• enjoy physical activity and movement• develop physical skills that support autonomy• show a reasonable level of fitness for age• use fine motor skills to enjoy a variety of tasks and experiences• participate and enjoy a range of gross motor skills like crawling,

walking, running, throwing, hopping, jumping, skipping, etc • participate in physical activities with confidence; hesitantly; with

assistance; with pleasure• show understandings about healthy living habits?


Self-care and self-help

Look for evidence of self-care and self-help

Closely related to the physical and feeling areas, this section looks at the child’s growing ability and willingness to care for themselves and to indicate to others when they need or want assistance. Does the child:

• show interest in doing things for self• start to care for self—in what ways• communicate requests for assistance when needed or desired• make choices and indicate preferences• care for own possessions• demonstrate pride in own developing independence• take responsibility for self-care according to ability?

The social child

Look for evidence of child’s ability to relate to others and interpret behaviour of others

In this area we look at the child’s ability to relate to others and to interpret the behaviour of others. These skills help a child to function as a member of a family, a group and a community. The child demonstrates these abilities as they form attachments, friendships, working relationships and loving relationships in life.


How does the child:

• separate from parents; react to new situations and people• relate to adults and other children; initiate interactions• defend own possessions, share, take turns, wait• stand up for themselves; for others• engage in prosocial behaviour; show empathy and compassion• show some control over own behaviour• engage in social play—solitary, onlooker, parallel, associative,

cooperative, competitive• deal with frustration; negotiate conflicts; compromise• show awareness of the impact of own behaviour on others• show cultural values• react positively to difference in others• operate in small or large groups; lead or follow• develop friendships and attachments?

The feeling child

Look for evidence of child’s ability to express feelings

In this area you will be looking at the child’s emotional life – their growing ability to interpret, express and describe their own feelings and to understand the emotional life of others. As they do this they will also be developing a picture of themselves and acceptance of their own individual characteristics.

Does the child:

• show an awareness and acceptance of own emotions and feelings• express feelings and emotions clearly• express feelings in socially acceptable, non-harmful ways• read the feelings of others; show empathy and understanding of

others• tolerate and enjoy change and new situations• have any specific fears• communicate their needs• concentrate when interested and stay on task• spend time alone happily at times


• demonstrate affection and attachments• show developing self-concept and self-esteem• show awareness of their own individual strengths and characteristics• show awareness of and be comfortable with their own differences• show a particular temperament, personality or disposition• have concerns—what are they• react to obstacles, difficulties and setbacks—in what manner?

The communicating child

Look for evidence of ability to express themselves

Here you will be examining the childrens’ ability to express themselves and to understand what others are communicating. Look for signs of the child’s enjoyment of language and literature and their ability to use and interpret literature to affirm their own experiences.

Does the child:

• understand others; follow directions• listen attentively when interested• communicate in their home language; communicate in English• initiate conversations and exchanges• use communication techniques for stage of language development, eg

cooing, babbling, single words, telegraphic speech, wide vocabulary, increasingly complex sentence structures

• create new phrases and sentences effectively• use language effectively to negotiate relationships, express own

opinions and feelings• play with language; retell stories and anecdotes• take turns in conversation• communicate with adults, peers and younger children• engage in humour• enjoy literature• like to talk and communicate—about what?


The thinking child

Look for evidence of curiosity and exploration of the world

This area looks at the child’s changing thinking skills as they grow and their curiosity and exploration of the world.

Does the child:

• explore objects and the environment• show interest and curiosity about the world• demonstrate creative thinking—in what ways• show developing memory skills• take an active approach to learning and problem solving• demonstrate changing thinking skills• imitate and engage in pretend and/or dramatic play• demonstrate logical thinking• develop hypotheses and make predictions; come up with new ideas

and meanings• ask questions to find out more; use others to support learning• reflect on new learning• focus on tasks of interest; stay on task for periods of time• show awareness of own memory and thinking processes• show enthusiasm for learning• persevere or try alternative strategies with difficult problem-solving

tasks• have preferred learning styles• have interests, hobbies and passions—what are they?

The creative child

Look at the ways children creatively express themselves


Here you will be looking for ways in which the child expresses themself through creative arts such as painting, movement, dramatic play and so on. You will also be looking for situations where the child invents their own solutions to problems and comes up with their own original ideas, designs and hypotheses—evidence of their creative thinking.

Does the child:

• imagine• express self and ideas through the creative arts and a range of media• find new solutions; come up with original solutions• recognise that there are often a number of possible solutions• play spontaneously, freely and with concentration• enjoy inventing and finding solutions• enjoy collaborating with others to invent and find solutions?

The spiritual and moral child

Look for evidence of an appreciation of beauty in nature and their environment

This area looks at the child’s enjoyment and appreciation of beauty and the child’s developing internal sense of fairness, values and codes of behaviour. Does the child:

• appreciate beauty in nature and their environment• take pleasure in music, literature, drama, art and so on• show a developing internal sense of fairness and justice• show a growing concern for others and the natural world• demonstrate a growing sense of responsibility towards self, others

and the community?


Consult colleagues, families and others in a sensitive manner

Parents as a source of informationParents are a wonderful source of information about their children.

It is important to remember that as carers of children for a part of each day or a part of each week we can never have a complete picture of a child. It is parents that we rely on to fill many of the gaps in our knowledge and understanding of children. Parents can provide information about the child in a variety of contexts: how the child is with other relatives, in new and strange social situations and in their own home. They can often explain influences on a child's behaviour, or motivations or fears that carers cannot guess at.

We only have a complete picture of the child when we add the perspective of the family and the child in their own home.

Activity 10


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