The Four Frames of the Kindergarten Program and Child Development

The Four Frames of the 

Kindergarten Program

As mentioned in our previous post, Why Play?, the Kindergarten Program outlines four frames of learning to help structure student learning and assessment. Each frame is specifically aligned with the way students naturally learn and develop. The four frames are a reflection of how play and inquiry lead to student learning and development. As a refresher, the four frames of learning are listed below: 

• Self-Regulation and Well-Being. This focuses on children's learning and development relating to respect, care for self and others, emotional regulation and mental/physical well-being. 
  
  
• Problem-Solving and Innovating. This focuses on children's learning and development relating to hands-on-learning driven by natural curiosity, and building/creating in the environment that surrounds them.
  
  
• Belonging and Contributing. This focuses on children's learning and development relating to growing a positive self-image, sharing feelings and thoughts, building strong social skills and relationships, showing care respect for self, others and the environment, and understanding their connection to the community and the ways in which we all contribute. 
  
  
• Demonstrating Literacy and Numeracy Skills. This focuses on children's learning and development relating to communicating thoughts and feelings using words/symbols/representation, building literacy and numeracy behaviours, actively engaging in their learning and developing a love of learning.  

Working within the four frames are the four foundational conditions. These provide children with the conditions necessary to flourish and develop throughout their time in Kindergarten. These are conditions that students seek naturally. The four foundational conditions are:

• Well-Being
  
  
• Engagement
  
  
• Belonging
  
  
• Expression 

The four frames of learning stem from the four foundational conditions, and are geared towards student development and learning. Within the Kindergarten program, the overall expectations listed directly correlate with the four frames of learning. Any given overall expectation is aligned with a specific frame "that encompasses the aspects of learning and development to which that expectation most closely relates" (KGP, 2016, p. 14). Some expectations may align with more than one frame, depending on the characteristics of learning and development. 

What students learn in all four frames aids them in developing the skillset and attitude necessary in becoming well-rounded, engaged, and active citizens of our class communities, school community, and community as a whole.

References: 

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2016). The Kindergarten Program 2016. Retrieved from https://www.ontario.ca/document/kindergarten-program-2016