Unit rationale, description and aim
Positive early experiences with health and physical education lay the foundations for positive health and physical participation in later life.
In this unit pre–service teachers will explore physical health and nutrition curriculum for children birth to eight years. In addition, pre–service teachers will examine issues of children’s wellbeing in the contexts of prior to school, transition to school, family and community. It will have a particular focus on the issues being faced by Australian Indigenous children, children with disabilities, children who are gifted, and children experiencing marginalisation (e.g., children who are speakers of English as an additional language). The unit will also address relevant legislation, policies and advocacy practices that support learner and family wellbeing, and build partnerships that ensure their meaningful engagement in learning experiences for learners across a range of abilities and diverse backgrounds.
In particular, the Australian educational policy and subsequent curriculum documents (e.g., Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and state frameworks) will be examined in relation to supporting young children’s physical health and wellbeing. The unit will also briefly focus on the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of staff who work within prior to school and school settings as complementary (and contingent to) young children’s wellbeing.
The aim of this unit is to allow pre–service teachers to demonstrate their understandings of the links between the educational context, home and community, and evaluate a range of contextual factors to plan for the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of young children.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Identify the significance of health, wellbeing and...
Learning Outcome 01
Explain the range of influences on children’s well...
Learning Outcome 02
Design play experiences and pedagogical approaches...
Learning Outcome 03
Reflect upon the theoretical perspectives of pre-s...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
- Health and safety issues including hygiene, infection control, allergies, anaphylaxis, and keeping the environment safe for all
- The influence of prior-to-school/school, home and community characteristics and the importance of relationships in supporting the physical, social and emotional health and wellbeing of all young children.
- Professional attributes, roles and responsibilities of the early childhood teacher
- Political, economic, cultural and social factors in relation to children, families and ECEC
- Multiple perspectives on young children’s learning and development in a diverse world
- Teaching/pedagogical practices and play as a teaching and learning tool
- Values and principles underpinning student wellbeing with a focus on the whole person, including Catholic social teaching
- Planning, implementing, evaluating and reporting/sharing healthy eating learning opportunities for young children in the early years making links to the relevant National and State curriculum and policy documents
- Planning, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and reporting/sharing physical activity and education experiences in alignment with the Early Years Learning Framework and State curriculum and policy documents
- A health model of wellness and wellbeing as a framework for exploring the social, cognitive, physical, environmental, emotional and spiritual aspects that support a healthy start to life
- The importance of supporting the physical, social and emotional health and wellbeing of young children for their development and learning
- Approaches to supporting the physical, social and emotional health and wellbeing of young children in prior-to-school and school settings, including a play-based approach to curriculum and safe and supportive environments.
Assessment strategy and rationale
A range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. Such procedures may include, but are not limited to, essays, reports, examinations, student presentations or case studies.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1 Planning Design a range of...
Assessment Task 1
Planning
Design a range of experiences that could be offered to support the physical health of young children, such as, natural outdoor play experiences. The rationale of the experiences should reflect a whole-of-community response, inclusive of the voices of children, that takes account of state and national curriculum and policy documents. Consideration should be given to staff wellbeing and safety in supporting young children’s physical education/activity.
50%
Assessment Task 2 Report Select one significa...
Assessment Task 2
Report
Select one significant contemporary issue concerning the health and emotional wellbeing of young children such as resilience, bullying, child protection and draw on literature and curriculum/policy documents to reflect on ways to support the health and wellbeing of young children. Consider how current knowledge could be applied to practice, policies and procedures by reviewing legislation, policy and processes relevant to meeting the educational needs of all learners, including those from diverse backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torrens Strait Islander learners and those with a disability.
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Students should anticipate undertaking 150 hours of study for this unit. This may involve a combination of face-to-face, online and multi-mode delivery, on a weekly basis across a 12-week semester or in intensive mode. Students should expect to participate in a range of the following: online engagement, lectures, tutorials, seminar presentations and group discussions, both online and face-to-face, self-directed study activities and assessment tasks. Some participation in appropriate educational settings maybe required.
This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the semester. To achieve a passing standard in this unit, students will find it helpful to engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments utilised in this unit, as described in the learning and teaching strategy and the assessment strategy. The learning and teaching and assessment strategies include a range of approaches to support your learning such as reading, reflection, discussion, webinars, podcasts, video etc.
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to:
ACECQA CURRICULUM SPECIFICATIONS
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following specific knowledge:
Representative texts and references
Australian Curriculum https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. Early Years Learning Framework https://www.acecqa.gov.au/acecqa-approved-learning-frameworks-version-2.0-communications-toolkit
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) www.acara.edu.au
Recommended references
Archer, C., & Siraj, I. (2015). Encouraging physical development through movement-play. Sage Publications Ltd.
Brewer, H., & Renck Jalongo, M.(2018). Physical Activity and Health Promotion in the Early Years: Effective Strategies for Early Childhood Educators (Vol. 14, Educating the Young Child). Springer International Publishing.
Braveman, P. (2014). Early childhood experiences shape health and well-being throughout life. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Brakhane-Endres, J., Rockwell, R.E., & Gurden Mense, C. (2014). Food, nutrition and the young child. Pearson.
Boyle, L., & Jenkins, B. (2018). Bodysong: Exploring children's natural world through creative dance. Pademelon Press.
Garvis, S., & Pendergast, D. (Eds.). (2017). Health and wellbeing in childhood (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Goodsir, K. & Theodoropoulos, D. (2016). My family is a team: A story about mental illness. Dandelion Books
MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children (3rd ed.). Pearson Education.
McGlade, H. (2012). Our greatest challenge: Aboriginal children and human rights. Aboriginal Studies Press.
NHMRC (2013). Staying healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services. NHMRC. Online access: https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/attachments/ch55-staying-healthy.pdf
Oberklaid, F. (2004). Health in early childhood settings: From emergencies to the common cold. Pademelon Press.
Roberts, R. (2010). Wellbeing from birth. SAGE Publications.
Rose, J., Gilbert, L., & Richards, V. (2016). Health and well-being in early childhood. SAGE.
Vize, A., & Kurena, T. (2015). Taking care of you: Reducing stress and burnout among teachers and educators. Teaching Solutions.
Westwell, M. (2016). Supporting brain development. Early Childhood Australia.