Overview

It’s Arts Play: Young Children Belonging, Being and Becoming through the Arts introduces educators to the profound role the Arts play in early childhood education (Birth to Year 3).This third edition is grounded in contemporary research about arts and early childhood education and aligns with the Australian Curriculum: The Arts and the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). It demonstrates how the EYLF’s core themes of Belonging, Being and Becoming are naturally and powerfully realised through arts experiences.This text delivers comprehensive, practical guidance about authentic arts-based learning across dance, drama, media arts, music and visual arts for each age group. It clearly describes activity types, their educational value, the educator’s facilitative role, inclusive education strategies and essential resources.Designed for students pursuing early childhood or primary education qualifications, this text is equally valuable for established educators seeking to enhance their practice.New to this edition:Contemporary theoretical information, including updates to align with the recent versions of EYLF (V2) and the Australian Curriculum (V9.0).Margin notes with useful terminology to help you construct a professional vocabulary.Callouts to the EYLF and Australian Curriculum: The Arts to show you how the content aligns.Practical ‘sparkers’ with ideas to get you started in the learning environment.Pause and reflect opportunities based on 19 case study narratives of children’s learning, linking key concepts to real world experience.Meaningful links to more than 125 children’s books and poems, and a new section showing how to integrate the Arts and English for richer learning.Voices of First Nations Australians throughout the text, offering valuable perspectives on the experience of learning through the arts.Guide to pedagogical practices and assessment to support your practice.Examples of planning documents for observation-based emergent curriculum, curriculum-based purposeful play and Units of Inquiry.

Full Product Details

Author:   Dinham ,  Chalk
Publisher:   Oxford University Press
Imprint:   OUP Australia and New Zealand
Edition:   3rd edition
Weight:   0.001kg
ISBN:  

9780190354664

ISBN 10:   0190354666
Publication Date:   02 December 2025
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

List of FiguresList of TablesList of Pause and Reflect boxesList of SparkersPrefaceAcknowledgmentsPart 1: Children’s Learning through the Arts1 Setting the ContextIntroductionThe policy and curriculum framework for early childhood educationThe Arts in young children’s educationThe Arts Learning Area in the Australian Curriculum2 The Nature of Learning in and through the ArtsIntroductionWays of knowingLiteracy reframed for the 21st centuryThe dimensions of learning in the Arts3 How Arts Experiences Contribute to Children’s DevelopmentIntroductionLaying the foundation for a life of fulfilmentThe development of personal capabilities through the ArtsThe role of the Arts in literacy and numeracy development4 Belonging: How Children Belong through the ArtsIntroductionCo-creating the learning environmentConnecting with the homeChildren connecting with culture Children exploring their relationships with others and the local communityEmpathy: Understanding how someone else feelsChildren in tune with their environment5 Being: How Children Experience Being Themselves through the ArtsIntroductionDimensions of children’s experience of beingCreating the environment for children to develop their sense of self6 Becoming: Ways in which Children Become their Future Selves through the ArtsIntroductionPotential and possibilities: Making meaning of it allThe importance of imaginationTransition and becomingIdentity narratives: Knowing who I am and who I am becomingThe wider world of artistic possibilitiesPart 2: Educating through the Arts7 Learning Experiences in DanceIntroduction to DanceDance fundamentals for the early yearsMovement activitiesChoreographing dance sequencesGuided viewing of dance8 Learning Experiences in DramaIntroduction to DramaDrama fundamentals for the early yearsDramatic play as social role-playingProcess-dramaStory DramaPuppetryGuided active viewing of drama9 Learning Experiences in Media ArtsIntroduction to Media ArtsMedia Arts fundamentals for the early yearsPosters and book covers: Stories in image and textComic strips and graphic novelsPhoto stories and digital storybooksVideo and stop-motion animationGuided review of media artworks10 Learning Experiences in MusicIntroduction to MusicMusic fundamentals for the early yearsListening and exploring soundPercussionSingingComposingGuided active listening to music11 Learning Experiences in Visual ArtsIntroduction to Visual ArtsVisual Arts fundamentals for the early yearsStorytelling and discovery through drawingPainting and using colourMaking constructionsConnecting to and exploring the Visual Arts world12Learning Experiences across the Age GroupsEYLF: Age 0–2269 EYLF: Age 3–4272 Australian Curriculum: Foundation–Year 2Australian Curriculum: Year 3Part 3: The Professional at Work13 Arts PedagogiesIntroductionCreating environments for learning through the ArtsIntentional teachingListening, purposeful dialogue and reflectingIncorporating the CLIMER elements14 Monitoring, Documenting and Assessing Arts LearningIntroductionMonitoring learning and documenting observationsInterpreting observations and identifying learning outcomesUsing observations effectively for planningSharing narratives of learningAssessment of curriculum content and achievement standards15 Planning for Arts LearningIntroductionObservation-based planning: An emergent curriculum for ages 0–4Planning for curriculum-based purposeful arts play: Arts learningArts curriculum-based planning: Foundation–Year 3GlossaryIndex

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