The four key areas from the elect document of “How Does Learning Happen” Ontario’s pedagogy for the Early years (2014) are:

Belonging – refers to a sense of connection to others, an individual experience of being valued, of forming relationships with others, and making contributions as part of a group, a community, the natural world. Opportunities to explore materials support creativity, problem-solving and mathematical behaviors.

Well-Being – addresses the importance of physical and mental health wellness, it incorporated capacities such as self-care, sense of self, and self-regulation skills.

Engagement – suggests a state of being involved and focused. When Children are able to explore the world around them with their natural curiosity and exuberance, they are fully engaged. Through this type of play and inquiry, they develop skills such as problem-solving, creative thinking, and innovating, which are essential for learning and success in school and beyond.

Expression – or communication (to be heard as well as to listen) may take many different forms. Through their bodies, words, and the use of materials, children develop capacities for increasingly complex communication. Language-rich environments support growing communication skills which are foundations for literacy. These Four-Foundations apply to all children to ensure optimal learning and healthy development.