Characteristics of Effective Learning

Researchers (EYFS) found that effective learning has three parts. These parts show how learners engage and behave while learning. They also support success across all development areas.

The framework helps teachers understand *how* learners learn, not only *what* they learn. The term means a clear process for turning evidence into a classroom decision, not just a label.

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Three interconnected characteristics: Playing and exploring, active learning, and creating and thinking critically work together to support deep, meaningful learning.

Process over content: These characteristics focus on how children approach learning, making them transferable across subjects and contexts.

Observable behaviours: Each characteristic manifests through specific behaviours that practitioners can identify and support in their planning and interactions.

Foundation for lifelong learning: The dispositions developed through these characteristics support learning throughout education and beyond.

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Learning characteristics shape how learners think throughout education. When teachers nurture these traits, they often see clear changes. Learners become more willing to take risks and ask questions.

They also persevere, even when topics are tough. This shift helps them become active learners; Dweck (2006) links persistence to beliefs about learning, while Claxton (2002) and Hattie (2008) connect it to wider learner habits.

Teachers can build these traits into lesson plans. Instead of only teaching content, they can consider how each learner learns best. Open resources support exploration.

Guided dialogue keeps tasks within the learner's zone of proximal development, meaning the right level of support, as proposed by Vygotsky (1978). Learners test theories and reflect on thinking (Piaget, 1936). These methods shift classroom roles and make learners partners.

Targeted professional development helps teachers spot learning approaches. This understanding helps educators support learners better (Vygotsky, 1978). They can value different styles and make inclusive spaces where every learner can thrive (Bandura, 1977; Dweck, 2006).

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The Three Learning Characteristics

The Characteristics of Effective Learning were added to the revised EYFS in 2012. The 2021 reforms kept the three characteristics but placed them under the statutory wording characteristics of effective teaching and learning. Reporting on them became an optional short comment in the EYFS Profile, rather than a required judgement (Department for Education, 2021). Downing (2021) argues that this rewording risked turning a rich learning-disposition framework into a narrower tick list, so teachers should keep the focus on how learners respond to challenge.

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Playing and Exploring

This characteristic captures children's natural drive to investigate and experience the world around them. Children who are playing and exploring show willingness to have a go, engage with new experiences, and use their senses to learn about materials and objects.

Three key aspects define this characteristic:

Children actively explore their environment and use their senses (Gopnik et al., 2001). Learners ask questions and show interests (Chouinard, 2007). They respond to new things with curiosity, not fear (Bowlby, 1969).

Playing with what they know: Children bring their existing knowledge and experiences into their play, representing their understanding through various media. They recreate experiences, take on roles, and make connections between things they have experienced.

Being willing to have a go: Children approach new activities and experiences with confidence. They are willing to try things without fear of failure. They start activities, look for challenge, and show resilience when things do not work at first.

Play-based learning links to effective learning. Research shows that learners learn best when they use materials actively, rather than passively (Wood & Attfield, 2005; Moyles, 2015). This active engagement builds knowledge (Piaget, 1967; Vygotsky, 1978).

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Active Learning

Researchers have observed learners deeply engaged when actively learning. These learners show involvement, keep going, and feel pleased with success (Laevers, 1997; Pascal & Bertram, 2012). Engagement is key for active learning to occur (Katz & Chard, 2000).

Three aspects characterise active learning:

Being involved and concentrating: Children notice details and keep focus, even when there are distractions. They show deep involvement in activities. They become absorbed in what they are doing, return to activities over time, and show sustained thinking.

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Researchers suggest supporting learners' persistence (Ericsson et al., 1993). When learners struggle, they use varied strategies (Dweck, 2006). They build resilience, handle frustration, and aim to reach goals (Duckworth et al., 2007).

They feel successful (Eccles et al., 1983). Learners show satisfaction when they reach goals and celebrate success. These accomplishments build confidence and positive learning identities (Bandura, 1977). Learners then see themselves as capable (Dweck, 2006).

Researcher names (dates) show that motivation matters. Intrinsic engagement means learners want to take part for their own reasons. This helps them understand subjects better, as they use both thinking and feelings to put effort into learning.

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Creating and Thinking Critically

This characteristic encompasses the thinking processes that enable children to make connections, develop ideas, and solve problems. Children who are creating and thinking critically develop their own ideas, make links between concepts, and choose how to approach tasks.

Three aspects define this characteristic:

Having their own ideas: Children generate new ideas, find effective ways to do things, and think of possibilities beyond the obvious. They engage in imaginative play, create novel solutions, and express original thoughts.

Making links: Children notice patterns, connect new experiences to previous learning, and predict outcomes based on what they know. They categorise, sequence, and understand cause and effect relationships.

Choosing ways to do things: Children plan approaches, make decisions about methods, and review their strategies. They show Metacognitive awareness, adjusting their approaches based on Feedback.

Critical thinking helps learners judge information carefully (Ennis, 1993). Research shows that it supports reasoned judgements (Lipman, 2003). These independent thinking skills also support learner development (Paul & Elder, 2008).

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Observing Learning Characteristics

Understanding these behaviours helps teachers see how each learner approaches their work. It shows where learners may need extra support (Pianta et al., 2012; Rimm-Kaufman et al., 2015). This recognition lets you plan effectively and address learner needs (Hamre, 2014; Jennings & Greenberg, 2009).

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Indicators of playing and exploring

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Indicators of active learning

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Indicators of creating and thinking critically

This deeper understanding allows teachers to provide more targeted and effective support (Pianta et al., 2008). By observing learning processes, teachers understand how learners tackle problems (Vygotsky, 1978). They can also see how learners react to difficulty and use knowledge in new situations (Rogoff, 2003).

Document key moments when learners show their strengths. A learner trying different maths strategies shows resilience (Carr, 2001). Brief observation notes record context, actions, and learning traits. Photo annotations and learning stories build detailed learning accounts (Clark, 2004; Moss, 2006).

Observation schedules help teachers focus on each learner in different settings. Many teachers use rotating focus groups for targeted observation. This makes the process easier to manage.

Playgrounds and group work show real learning behaviours (Elias & Haynes, 2008). Learners feel less restricted in these areas (Sylva et al, 2004). This allows natural learning styles to emerge, according to Moyles (2010).

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Supporting Children's Learning Through Practise

To support these characteristics well, teachers need to plan with care. This means thinking about the learning space, the resources and the adult interactions. Use it as a starting point for professional discussion: identify the learner's current need, record evidence from more than one lesson, and agree the next classroom adjustment with the SENCO or family.

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Creating enabling environments

Physical spaces can invite or restrict learning. Resources should be accessible, varied and open so learners can investigate, build and represent ideas. Watch for false ceilings: a writing area with only worksheets, or a construction area with too few loose parts, can make children look less capable than they are.

Consider:

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Planning interactions

Adult interaction shapes how learners engage (Siraj-Blatchford et al, 2002). Think about how your responses can encourage thinking (Sylva et al, 2004). Shared thinking is a powerful part of learning (Pramling Samuelsson & Fleer, 2009).

Effective interactions:

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Allowing time

These characteristics need time to grow. Learners need time for unhurried investigation through play (Bruce, 2021). Active learning needs learners to stay engaged (Carr, 2017). Critical thinking needs time for ideas to develop (James & Pollard, 2011).

Busy timetables and sudden changes can make it harder for learners to stay involved. Where possible, plan longer activities without interruption (Hughes, 2011). Let learners finish meaningful tasks before moving on, especially during problem-solving or imaginative play.

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Learning Characteristics Across Age Groups

The EYFS framework names these characteristics for early years, but the learning behaviours continue into Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The risk is a Year 1 cliff edge: continuous provision stops, adult-led tasks expand, and learners who still need talk, movement and choice can look inattentive rather than under-supported.

Leaders can plan a transition curriculum that keeps the same learning behaviours while increasing subject precision. In phonics, for example, Year 1 learners can practise a taught grapheme, choose objects that contain the sound, sort them, and explain the rule. The teacher still uses explicit modelling, but the task keeps playing and exploring, active learning, and creating and thinking critically in view.

The Education Endowment Foundation (2023) reports that early years self-regulation strategies show promise, but the evidence base is still limited. Use short routines, visual plans and paired talk first. These supports help learners hold their attention before you ask them to work alone for longer.

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Teachers can use developmental knowledge to target learning more closely. Active Learning looks different at different ages. Reception learners handle objects to grasp maths.

Year 5 learners may show Active Learning through research (Piaget, 1936; Vygotsky, 1978). The underlying drive stays the same (Bruner, 1966), though the way learners show it changes.

Scaffolding learning suits different ages. Early years teachers can use open questions in play to boost critical thinking. Primary teachers can help learners reflect, consider ideas, and explain their thoughts (Vygotsky, 1978; Wood et al, 1976).

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Professional development helps teachers spot different learner traits. Training in observation also helps them see why learners may lose interest. Important behaviour can show that a learner needs movement, exploration or a clearer challenge. Teachers can then guide exploration instead of stopping it.

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Assessing Learning Characteristics Effectively

Assess learning through repeated observation, not final products alone. Carr (2001) showed that learning stories can capture learner attitudes, collaboration and persistence. Use photos, short notes and work samples that show the process, such as a learner changing a bridge design after it collapses. For related guidance, see early years creative play.

Observation is useful, but it is never fully neutral. A quiet autistic learner who sorts shells again and again may be testing pattern, order and predictability. They may not be disengaged. Milton's (2012) double empathy account warns us not to read all play through a neurotypical lens.

Moderation matters because rubrics can reward what is easy to see. This might be confidence, compliance or talk, rather than cognitive engagement, which means real thinking. Staff should agree examples of playing and exploring, active learning, and creating and thinking critically. They should then compare notes across adults before using evidence for reports (Black & Wiliam, 1998).

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Creating an Implementation Action Plan

School change works best when it is narrow and observable. Start by focusing on one or two learning characteristics, such as active learning or creating and thinking critically. Give teachers and learners time to adapt before adding more, so classroom routines stay stable.

Action plans work best in six-week cycles. First, teachers observe current practice and assess what is happening. This gives a clear starting point.

Next, staff plan professional development and work together on lessons. In week one, they observe learner behaviours. In weeks two and three, they try formative assessment routines drawn from Wiliam (2011), so evidence, rather than assumptions, guides choices.

Researchers like Vygotsky (1978) see documentation and reflection as key. Weekly reviews let teachers tweak their approaches using learner results. Track what works and what needs changes to build resources. Regular teamwork with colleagues boosts success and helps problem-solving.

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Overcoming Common Implementation Challenges

Teachers face barriers to building strong learner habits, such as time and workload. Wiliam's formative assessment work helps teachers see these habits as part of responsive teaching, not an extra programme. Building learner habits should save time by making attention, persistence and reflection more visible.

Dweck's mindset work helps explain learner and colleague resistance. Critical thinking can be hard if learners expect passive lessons. Start small: use a two-minute reflection, then ask learners to explain the strategy they used during problem-solving.

Teachers must collaborate and plan professional development for lasting impact. Learning communities allow colleagues to share successes and challenges in your school. Use observation and learner feedback to evidence better results (Wiliam, 2011). This shows leaders that focusing on learning skills boosts progress (Hattie, 2009).

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Cultivating Lifelong Learning Through Characteristics

By understanding and actively supporting the Characteristics of Effective Learning, educators can nurture children's intrinsic motivation, curiosity, and capacity for critical thought. These are not simply early years goals; they are the cornerstones of lifelong learning, enabling individuals to adapt, innovate, and thrive in an ever-changing world. Embracing these characteristics means prioritising how children learn, not just what they learn, helping them to become confident, engaged, and successful learners throughout their lives.

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The characteristics of effective teaching and learning help teachers see how learners approach tasks. They cover playing and exploring, active learning, and creating and thinking critically. Use them when you design spaces where learners build knowledge, practise skills and develop the attitudes they need to succeed.

We must shift focus to *how* learners learn, not just *what* they know. Celebrate learning alongside results; let learners reflect on their thinking. Value mistakes as learning chances, creating a positive classroom. "Learning journals" can document thinking; "investigation areas" encourage exploration. Reflection circles let learners share problem-solving (Johnston, 2012).

Develop confident, resilient, and creative learners, (Craft, 2002). This groundwork bolsters future learning and later success, (Dweck, 2006). Teachers build those traits, improving both grades and life skills, (Claxton, 2002). Nurturing them provides tools learners need to shape their world,.

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Professional Development Resources for Teachers

* **Claxton, G. (2002). *Building learning power: Helping young people become better learners*.** Bristol: BTL Publishing. This book explores the idea of building learners' capacity to learn, focusing on dispositions such as resilience, resourcefulness, and reflectiveness, aligning closely with the Characteristics of Effective Learning. * **Dweck, C. S. (2006). *Mindset: The new psychology of success*.** New York: Random House. Dweck's work on growth mindset highlights the importance of believing in one's ability to learn and improve, a important element in developing active learning and critical thinking. * **Katz, L. G., & Chard, S. C. (2000). *Engaging children's minds: The project approach*.** Stamford, CT: Ablex Publishing. This resource provides practical guidance on implementing project-based learning, which naturally supports children's exploration, active engagement, and critical Thinking skills. * **Pound, L. (2006). *How children learn: From Montessori to Vygotsky, educational theories and approaches made easy*.** London: Step Forwards Publishing. This book offers an accessible overview of various educational theories, providing context for understanding the principles underlying the Characteristics of Effective Learning.

Understanding learning needs means studying theory and research (Bransford et al., 2000). Networks, like social media, help teachers share ideas. Action research lets teachers improve their practice (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1993). Documenting these projects builds knowledge (Kemmis & McTaggart, 1988).

Use observation tools to monitor how learners show learning traits (Claxton, 2002). Discuss videos with colleagues; see interactions boosting learning (Hattie, 2009). Peer coaching provides secure opportunities to test new methods. Keep practice informed by reading journals and research (Coe et al., 2014).

Working with theory helps teachers grow, as research shows (Kennedy, 2014). Conferences and research projects help teachers understand learners. Further qualifications also deepen understanding of learning across age groups (Cordingley et al., 2015).

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Supporting the Characteristics in the Classroom

For effective teaching, plan lessons that meet learners' needs. Notice each learner's style (Piaget, 1936). Practitioners can then create engaging learning environments that connect learners with the curriculum (Vygotsky, 1978).

Create a classroom that invites learners to explore. Offer resources they can reach and use, so they can choose independently. A creative area with materials helps learners develop skills, echoing Montessori's (1912) emphasis on prepared environments and purposeful choice.

Rotate resources often to keep interest high. (Fisher, 2014; Dweck, 2006).

Observation helps teachers support learners well. Note what learners achieve and how they approach tasks.

For example, a learner may return to a puzzle, showing persistence (Piaget, 1936). You may also record how a learner changes a block structure after it falls, showing critical thinking (Vygotsky, 1978). These observations guide your support (Bruner, 1966; Wood, 1988).

Your interactions with children directly influence their learning characteristics. Instead of immediately solving problems for children, use open-ended questions that encourage thinking: "What might happen if...?" or "How could we find out?" When a child struggles with a task, acknowledge their effort before offering minimal support, perhaps suggesting they observe a peer's approach or providing a subtle hint that maintains the challenge.

Planning should give children chances to make choices, take risks, and learn from mistakes. Set up investigations where the answer is not fixed, such as testing which materials float or sink. These tasks support all three characteristics as children try ideas, keep going when surprised, and build their own theories about why things happen.

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Characteristics of Effective Learning in the EYFS Framework

The EYFS statutory framework asks practitioners to look at how children learn, as well as what they learn. In current Development Matters guidance, the three characteristics are playing and exploring, active learning, and creating and thinking critically (Department for Education, 2021). Birth To 5 Matters, West Sussex County Council and Ambition Institute use the same broad pattern of engagement, motivation and thinking.

Do not confuse this framework with generic lists such as the 5 C's of effective teaching or the 5 principles of effective learning. Those lists describe wider teaching qualities. CoEL is narrower: it helps teachers observe how a learner investigates, persists, links ideas and chooses strategies during real classroom activity.

Use learning observations in daily assessment, for example, noting persistence when a learner balances blocks or changes a bridge after it collapses. If learners avoid challenge, break the task down and provide a prompt, model or worked example. Record what changed after your support, not just whether the learner completed the task.

The EYFS Profile supports transition into Year 1. Teachers may choose to add a short commentary on the three characteristics so the Year 1 teacher can see how the learner approaches new tasks, not just which early learning goals are secure.

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Playing and Exploring: Practical Strategies for Teachers

Playing and exploring is the foundation for how young children engage with their world. It includes finding out, exploring, and being willing to 'have a go'. This characteristic builds on children's natural curiosity and their wish to investigate through all their senses. It also lays important groundwork for Deeper learning.

Play shows three key actions: learners find out, use what they know and try new things. This does not mean leaving novices to discover everything alone. Cognitive load research warns that minimal guidance can overload learners who do not yet have secure knowledge (Kirschner et al., 2006). In the water tray, model the words float, sink and predict first, then let learners test funnels, lids and tubes so exploration has enough structure to produce thinking.

Supporting risk-taking and resilience requires thoughtful adult responses. When a child hesitates at a new activity, rather than immediately showing them how, try commenting on what you notice: "I can see you're looking at the balancing beam. Some children like to hold my hand first." This acknowledges their uncertainty whilst keeping the decision in their hands, building confidence alongside skill.

Open-ended resources play a very important role. Research by Nicholson et al. (2018) shows that loose parts play increases creative thinking and problem-solving.

Stock your setting with materials that have many uses. Cardboard tubes, fabric pieces and natural materials invite richer exploration than single-purpose toys. Record these explorations through photographs and observations, with a focus on the process rather than the end product. This evidence helps you plan next steps that build on children's current interests whilst gently extending their thinking.

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