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Differentiated learning – how does it work?
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Apr 03, 2025
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Differentiated learning in an early childhood education and care (ECEC) context refers to the way that educators and other professionals tailor their teaching approaches to meet the individual needs, interests, and abilities of each child.
Since children develop at different rates and have unique learning styles, educators provide a variety of activities, materials, and support to help every child succeed.For some children this might mean using visual aids, for others it may be a focus on ‘hands-on’ activities, while for some it might mean adjusting the difficulty of a task. Whatever the adjustment, the goal of differentiation is to create an inclusive environment where all children can learn in ways that work best for them.
For early childhood education and care (ECEC) provider ECMS, differentiated learning is a part of the every day, something which is prioritised by professionals right across the network.
ECMS Practice Coach Rosemary Monagle gives an example:
“A child was taking all the pieces out of puzzles and leaving them,” she said.
“Rather than becoming frustrated, or redirecting, we reflected, realising he may not have known yet how to put them back.”
Using a modelling strategy, she explained, “I showed him how to put in one piece to start with. Then I put in the rest and named them just to support his continued exploration. Hopefully next time he can put in one piece and then next time, possibly two pieces.”
Differentiation, she continued, is about “meeting children where they are, assessing what they know now and what they’re ready to learn next, with or without my support.”
Facilitate and challenge
It’s important to facilitate children leading their own learning, but the challenge for educators is to recognise when children need support to take the next step. This might mean scaffolded learning: recognising that in this moment, it’s ok not to finish an experience, or role modelling: actually doing something with children or for them to support their learning.
Here, ECMS Head of Pedagogy Emma Forsyth said, is a moment of connection with the principles of the Early Years Learning Framework, which outlines that children don’t all need to be at a defined place in their learning.
“Differentiation means we take a different approach depending on what’s needed, in the context of place,” she said.
“What do children know, and what are they ready to learn next?” Recognising this and adapting our approach is critical inclusion at work.”
“We understand Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development - the difference between what a learner can do without help and what they can do with support and encouragement from a teacher or educator. These essential teacher judgements mean that the varied trajectories children are on can be nurtured no matter the circumstances.”
Seeing past the obvious
For ECMS Practice Coach (Social Work) Jemima Christie, It's vital that educators recognise where children are, and seek to “see past the obvious.”
To illustrate her point she used an example of a child in a three-year-old setting who wasn’t connecting with the experiences at kindergarten because they weren’t developmentally appropriate for him at that moment in time.
“Developmentally, this child was sitting at about 18 months,” she said.
“So the teaching team explored experiences that focused on cause and effect. It was about providing varied opportunities rather than the expectation that a child just needs to adapt to the environment.”
Families, too, need support, and for some, they may not yet be at a stage of accepting that their child may need additional support.
“We try to get there in the end and help them in ways that meet them where they are,” Ms Christie added.
Just as educators work in small steps with a child’s learning, so it is with family’s acceptance.
“I think that sometimes it's just about planting the seed,” she continued.
“Even if you get to the end of the year and the family still aren't quite there, you’ve had the conversation so that maybe next year they're open to what different supports may look like.”
Collaborative relationships with families and caregivers, other educators and Maternal Child Health professionals facilitate the sharing of information. In relationship, the more a teaching team knows about a child’s development, the better they can plan for welcoming the whole family.
The last word
Ms Forsyth was quick to point out the importance of differentiated learning opportunities for ALL children, not only those who have a diagnosis, or children who have experienced trauma.
“We're talking about every single child who may need something a little different to enter into learning,” she said.
Research tells us that the earlier the intervention occurs in terms of a child's age, the better the lifelong outcome.
Ms Monagle shared a story about a six-month-old child who was non-verbal and needed support. She began an incremental process of interactive games and through building a nurturing relationship, the child initiated contact with her.
“Sometimes it’s small tweaks to your curriculum and other times it’s large-scale modifications, but there’s always joy to be had in the moments of discovery.”
Learn more about ECMS here.
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