Author Identifier (ORCID)
Abstract
This practical guide presents a high‑impact approach to understanding and monitoring young children’s learner engagement through the integrated use of Dialogic Drawing, LIVE Threads, the Children’s Learner Engagement Monitor, and the Children’s Learner Engagement Planner. These tools were developed using evidence from research with early childhood teachers in response to calls from school leaders and educators for practical, evidence‑informed strategies that strengthen learner engagement. The research underpinning the Children’s Learner Engagement Monitor, funded by AISWA as part of the Preschool Reform Agreement (Australian Government, Department of Education, 2022), addresses four key goals: enabling teachers to gain critical knowledge about children’s engagement as they transition into school and over time; generating data to inform context‑ and child‑specific engagement plans; supporting whole‑school monitoring and continuous improvement alongside performance measures such as the Preschool Outcome Measures (2023); and upholding the National Quality Standard and EYLF 2.0 principles. The impetus for this work stems from growing concern about declining learner engagement, a trend evident nationally and internationally, and increasingly urgent as engagement in Australia falls below the OECD average (OECD, 2023). Because engagement is foundational to children’s learning trajectories and long‑term success, monitoring it is essential to inclusive and equitable practice. The Children’s Learner Engagement Monitor provides a practical solution for identifying early signs of disengagement and designing responsive, transformative learning experiences. Developed by teachers for teachers in collaboration with Edith Cowan University, this research shows the value of the Qualities of Engagement for recognising the complexity and variability of engagement across diverse children and changing circumstances. Findings highlight the viability of Dialogic Drawing, the relational benefits of monitoring, the usefulness of the co‑designed tools, and the positive impact on teachers’ planning, insight, and confidence in fostering strong learner engagement.
Document Type
Report
Date of Publication
2025
Type of File
Publisher
Edith Cowan University
School
School of Education / Children, Families and Communities Research Group
Funders
Association of Independent Schools, Western Australia (AISWA); ECU Ref: G1007945_SUB/113387
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.
Comments
Ruscoe, A., & Lavina, L. (2025). Monitoring Children’s Learner Engagement: The Early Years. A practical guide to in school and learning High Impact Strategies that build strong learner engagement. Edith Cowan University. https://doi.org/10.25958/8ftd-1f03