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About Values, Social and Emotional Competencies and Learning Dispositions
These three aspects set the stage for character building, lifelong learning and living harmoniously with others in a rapidly changing and complex world.
Last updated 16 June 2025
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Values, Social and Emotional Competencies and Learning Dispositions (VSLD)
As an early childhood educator, you play a crucial role in nurturing young children's values, social and emotional competencies, and learning dispositions (VSLD). These are fundamental building blocks that help children connect with others, learn from one another, and contribute to their families and communities.
What are the benefits?
Nurturing VSLD can have a profound impact on children's development. By focusing on these areas, you can help children:
Develop their moral compass
Recognise the difference between right and wrong in various settings
Guide their thoughts, speech, and behavior at school, home, and in the community
Connect better with others across various settings
Understand themselves and build a positive self-image in relation to peers, family, and the community
Enhance performance, motivation, attitude, and participation in class activities
Enjoy learning
Become self-directed learners who find joy in the process of learning
By focusing on these aspects, we can create a supportive environment that nurtures well-rounded and confident individuals.
Values, Social and Emotional Competencies and Learning Dispositions
Values
Recognise the intrinsic worth of all people, appreciating and accepting them for who they are, regardless of where they come from and what they are capable of doing | |
Be dependable, keep promises and accept the consequences for what they say and do | |
Look out for others, understand their needs and show empathy | |
Know that being truthful is the right thing to do |
Social and Emotional Competencies
Knowledge, Skills and Dispositions (KSD): |
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1.1 Identify and talk about aspects of personal identity (e.g., name, age, sex, abilities, likes and dislikes) |
Knowledge, Skills and Dispositions (KSD): |
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2.1 Identify emotions in themselves and others |
COMPETENCY 3: DEVELOP SOCIAL AWARENESS AND SHOW RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY |
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Knowledge, Skills and Dispositions (KSD): |
3.1 Develop an awareness that everyone is unique in terms of their backgrounds, abilities, needs and/or opinions |
COMPETENCY 4: BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS AND SIGNIFICANT ADULTS |
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Knowledge, Skills and Dispositions (KSD): |
4.1 Develop an awareness of the need to show appreciation and care for others |
Knowledge, Skills and Dispositions (KSD): |
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5.1 Learn to make choices on their own or with support |
Learning Dispositions
Keep working at a task to complete it | |
Think about what they have done, seen, heard or felt in their experiences to generate alternative ideas and gain new knowledge | |
Work as a team and learn from all as they recognise that everyone has ideas to contribute | |
Be flexible in their thinking and generate different solutions to solve a problem | |
Express their wonderment and get excited about learning | |
Stay focused and be deeply interested and actively involved in learning |
How can you do it?
Monitoring and assessing children’s learning and development
When observing and assessing children's development of VSLD across various contexts, it's important to keep the following considerations in mind:
Nurturing VSLD takes time
Nurturing these aspects requires time, and their development may not be immediately evident in children's behavior. Monitoring and assessing should be seen as a lifelong journey that begins in the early years.
Maintain a balanced view
Assessments should focus on the overall pattern of behaviors over time, rather than isolated instances of achievement or challenges. Observation and analysis should maintain a balanced view of children.
Some support may be needed at first
Children will strengthen their social skills, confidence, and independence by being entrusted to solve their social difficulties, initially with some support and increasingly without adult assistance.
Adopt a holistic approach
You should adopt a holistic approach to observing children's learning and development, considering factors from their home environment and experiences outside of school. Understanding these influences is crucial in supporting subsequent learning and development.
Consider children’s background
Children's behavior is influenced by their background, including culture, language, and family circumstances. You should consider these factors when observing and assessing social behavior and help children learn from and enjoy the company of their peers.