Developed as part of the EEF’s work supporting the Department for Education’s Stronger Practice Hubs, the Evidence Store takes a deeper look at priority themes for early years’ learning and development. It explains and illustrates how different evidence-informed approaches can be put into practice with children in early years settings.
The newest theme of the store, launched today, focusses on supporting young children’s executive function and self-regulation. It highlights five approaches that early educators can weave into their practice to support children’s early development in this area:
1. Creating and navigating challenge
2. Teaching self-monitoring and self-awareness
3. Creating a community of collaborative learners
4. Promoting physical activity
5. Promoting talk about learning (Coming soon)
Specific strategies are explained and exemplified within each approach, such as explicitly summarising how children are progressing towards a common goal during group play to support their collaboration skills, or encouraging children to create hypothetical “Imagine if…” scenarios to extend and challenge them.
This update to the Evidence Store is part of the EEF’s increased focus on early years education, in recognition of the crucial role that early provision plays in our education system.
Professor Becky Francis CBE, Chief Executive of the Education Endowment Foundation, said: