What is a learning story and how are they unique? This form of assessment takes a different approach to measuring a child’s learning. It is a strength-based method, focusing on learner identity and humanises what educators bring to writing about children. Kelly Goodsir, managing director at KG Learning goes into detail discussing how storytelling is the best way in learning in early childhood.

The 4D’s are a useful framework when thinking about how we come to learning stories and how to define what you’re trying to say. Kelly explains how it is important to refrain from being quick to assess learning or to make judgments. It is important to sit in the listening, noticing, and observing when it comes to documentation and writing your learning story.

In this video, Kelly Goodsir defines learning dispositions and how learning stories focus on a child’s disposition for learning. She explains how they are fluid and not fixed as well as being highly environment sensitive. As well as providing some tips to focus on that will better help you to write a story that encompasses the holistic way in which children learn.

What makes a good story? A learning story should be looked at through a lens of assessment but also through a lens of relationship. Kelly Goodsir breaks down what should be discussed within a learning story in 4 different parts and how using this framework for writing your story, allows you to include all of your narrative  together in a fluid way.