Key Competencies

Juliet Twist of the New Zealand Council for Educational Research responds to a question from Juliet Pendleton of Pt Chevalier School: "Given that the move towards purpose-based teaching for writing seems to mean a heavier reliance on ‘just in time’ teaching, will children still make steady progress towards achieving National Standards?

Two teachers research the documentation, continuity and complexity of key competencies in their combined new entrant, Year 1 and Year 2 classroom. They wanted to find ways to make the continuity visible without losing the complex interconnection of three aspects: key competencies, subjects and topics of interest. They saw the value of analysing case studies, and began to describe them as co-constructed pathways of learning. This article sets out the case study for one of the children, Kaleb, analysing the learning using four dimensions of strength.