Unit rationale, description and aim
The early years are crucial for social and emotional development, necessitating respectful relationships and inclusive environments that promote positive outcomes. This unit encourages pre-service teachers to reflect on their beliefs about young children’s behaviour and consider how individual and environmental factors influence it. Drawing on theory, research, and policy, it promotes a guidance approach to support wellbeing in early childhood settings.
Pre-service teachers will explore practical strategies to design developmentally appropriate, engaging environments and to identify and respond to unmet needs. This approach aims to reduce challenging behaviours and enhance learner support. The importance of strong family partnerships and early childhood sector connections will also be examined as essential to fostering children’s behavioural and emotional development.
Building on knowledge of infant and toddler pedagogy, pre-service teachers will apply behaviour guidance strategies during a 20-day placement with children from birth to two years. This practical experience supports the development of reflective, responsive teaching practices.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.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.
Describe and explain a range of effective and incl...
Learning Outcome 01
Analyse and compare key theories, policies, and Ap...
Learning Outcome 02
Describe and utilise a range of practical strategi...
Learning Outcome 03
Synthesise key theories and relevant policies to d...
Learning Outcome 04
Complete a successful professional experience in a...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
MODULE 1: PERSPECTIVES ON YOUNG CHILDREN’S BEHAVIOUR
- Societal beliefs and assumptions about young children’s behaviour
- Revisiting knowledge of infant and toddler pedagogy
- Theoretical models in understanding young children’s behaviour
- Exploring understandings of young children’s development (through a neuroscience lens):
MODULE 2: FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE YOUNG CHILDREN’S BEHAVIOUR
- Relationships
- Learning environments
- Curriculum, pedagogy and policy
- Preparing for placement
MODULE 3: GUIDING YOUNG CHILDREN’S BEHAVIOUR
- A guidance approach to behaviour
- Creating positive and inclusive learning environments
- Engaging and motivating young children in learning
MODULE 4:PARTNERSHIPS TO SUPPORT YOUNG CHILDREN
- Reflecting on placement experience
- Engaging with families
- Working collaboratively
Assessment strategy and rationale
This unit’s assessment structure has been carefully designed to integrate the professional experience component, with the written workload adjusted to reflect this. A range of assessment methods supports pre-service teachers in progressively demonstrating the unit’s learning outcomes and aligning with graduate attributes and University assessment standards. Education Studies units focus on developing key knowledge, practices, and engagement skills in line with ACECQA criteria and APST Graduate Standards.
The two major assessment tasks are intentionally sequenced to promote growth through feedback. In Task 1, pre-service teachers collaborate in analysing behaviour management theories and the challenges of handling difficult behaviours, culminating in a group presentation. Task 2 requires the application of theory to practice, through designing a context-specific engagement and behaviour management plan. The professional placement reinforces this learning by connecting theory to real-world teaching practice.
To pass the unit, all assessment tasks must be submitted, the learning outcomes achieved, and an overall grade of at least 50% attained. Additionally, pre-service teachers must pass two hurdle requirements: the Professional Experience Placement (PEP) and the Professional Experience Assessment (PEA). A Critical Task—Task 2—is essential for demonstrating mastery of specific Graduate Teacher Standards and must be passed at a minimum of 50%.
Overview of assessments
Hurdle Requirement 1: Preparation for the Profess...
Hurdle Requirement 1: Preparation for the Professional Experience Placement
Prior to commencing the Professional Experience placement, pre-service teachers must ensure that they have completed the series of compulsory online preparation modules in the current calendar year, and their ‘Working with Children check’ is current.
Pass/Fail
Hurdle Requirement 2: Professional Experience&nbs...
Hurdle Requirement 2: Professional Experience Assessment
Pre-service teachers must demonstrate attainment of the relevant Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Graduate within the allocated professional experience context. Refer to the Professional Experience Handbook and Report.
A pass grade for this task will be awarded following:
- the successful completion of 20 professional experience days and,
- submission of a satisfactory Professional Experience Assessment Report
Notes:
- Multiple attempts at this hurdle task are not permitted.
- Professional Experience is a mandated part of Initial Teacher Education courses. Failing this task will result in a fail grade for the unit overall and pre-service teachers will be required to enrol in a future offering of the unit.
Pass/Fail
Assessment Task 1: Analysis and presentation of C...
Assessment Task 1: Analysis and presentation of Challenging Behaviours that are alerting the teacher to unmet needs (May be undertaken in groups)
Based on your readings, observations and/or personal experience, describe an authentic example of challenging learner behaviour (individual, group or class) that is alerting the teacher to an unmet need and that requires teacher intervention. Critically analyse the teacher’s response and the response of the early childhood services. Identify strategies that you would employ to deal effectively with the situation. Justify your choices based on your reading of the literature, relevant polices and one or more relevant theoretical frameworks in this unit.
Present to the tutorial group, employ effective verbal and multi-modal communication. and submit an individual reflection
50%
Assessment Task 2: Rationale and Plan for Engagin...
Assessment Task 2: Rationale and Plan for Engaging Learners
Critical Task
Describe a specific learning setting, such as your placement learner group. Include physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of the learners, as well as their linguistic, cultural, religious and socio-economic backgrounds. Develop a rationale and plan for inclusive strategies for fostering positive learner interaction in the early childhood setting.
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit encompasses direct teaching, reading, assessment preparation, and a professional experience placement. Grounded in a social constructivist approach, it supports pre-service teachers in understanding planning, assessment, and the use of effective pedagogies. Students will refine their teaching strategies through critical reading, lecturer modelling, active participation, rehearsal, and collaborative tutorial discussions. Group-based activities and presentations allow for the development of professional communication and teamwork skills in a safe and supportive environment, helping pre-service teachers build confidence in managing learners before applying these capabilities in classrooms. The unit also emphasises classroom engagement and behaviour management skills by guiding students to create context-specific engagement and management plans. These tasks help cultivate the ability to locate, analyse and synthesise information to support informed teaching decisions. The professional placement is a pivotal element, offering opportunities to learn from experienced practitioners and observe the connection between educational theory and real-life practice. Together, these components prepare pre-service teachers to transition smoothly into classroom settings with competence and confidence.
Representative texts and references
Recommended Text and References
Australian Government Department of Education [AGDE] (2022). Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (V2.0). Australian Government Department of Education for the Ministerial Council.
Porter, L. (2016). Young children’s behaviour: Guidance approaches for early childhood educators (4th ed.). Elsevier.
Recommended References
Degotardi, S., Salamon, A., & Stratigos, T. (2025). Intentional practice with infants and toddlers: Pedagogies for learning, development and wellbeing. Cambridge.
Dolby, R. (2017). The Circle of Security: Roadmap to building supportive relationships. A Research in Practice Title. Early Childhood Australia.
Gonzalez-Mena, J., & Eye, D. (2018). Infants, toddlers, and caregivers: A curriculum of respectful, responsive, relationship-based care and education (11th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education
Howard, J. (2020). Trauma-aware early childhood education and care. Early Childhood Australia.
Maguire-Fong, M. J. (2020). Teaching and learning with infants and toddlers: Where meaning-making begins (2nd Ed.). WestEd.
Mathieson, K. & Raban, B. (2013). Understanding behaviour in the early years: A practical guide to supporting each child’s behaviour in the early years setting. Teaching Solutions.
Nolan, A. & Raban, B. (2024). Theories into practice: Understanding and rethinking our work with young children and the EYLF (Revised Edition). Teaching Solutions
Panthi, N., Thorpe, K., Houen, S., Casey, C. & Staton, S. (2025). The challenges of challenging behaviour: Early childhood educators’ understandings of child behaviour and impact on occupational wellbeing. Teachers and Teaching. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2025.2463018
White, E.J. & Dalli, C. (2017). (Eds.). Under-three-Year Olds in Policy and Practice. Springer.
Whitters, H.G. (2020). Adverse childhood experiences, attachment, and the early years learning environment: Research and inclusive practice. Routledge