Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to promote the physical and emotional wellbeing of children in performing arts programs. It covers planning age appropriate activities and programs, interacting and working professionally with children, encouraging healthy lifestyles and monitoring the physical and emotional wellbeing of children within a program.
This unit applies to people instructing children in performing arts environments including dance, theatre, circus, film and television. It also applies to people responsible for teaching movement skills for recreational or remedial purposes.
At this level, instructors may be working independently with children or in a group situation with other teachers or instructors. They are required to use some discretion and judgement and take responsibility for promoting the physical and emotional wellbeing of children within their program/s.
Typical age groups for children are 0 to 4 years, 5 to 10 years, 11 to 14 years and 15 to 18 years.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Plan age appropriate activities for children | 1.1 Identify and research sources of current information relevant to working with children in performing arts 1.2 Interpret program requirements to choose and sequence movement activities suitable for physical skill level, emotional maturity and age 1.3 Select production elements appropriate to age group and program goals 1.4 Review and use available information about individual learner needs, skills and abilities, injuries and learning styles to plan activities |
2. Implement age appropriate activities when instructing children | 2.1 Review and use knowledge of growth stages and anatomy to support safe performance and practice for relevant age group 2.2 Review and use knowledge of repetition and loading, and industry accepted strategies, to avoid and manage injuries for children in relevant age group 2.3 Monitor and review planned activities to ensure ongoing safe skill development of children 2.4 Reflect on professional practice and adjust activities to ensure suitability for relevant age groups 2.5 Identify and use opportunities to update and maintain knowledge of research and developments relevant to own professional practice |
3. Interact and work professionally with children | 3.1 Establish a safe and supportive learning environment that puts children at ease and sets ground rules for inclusiveness, equality and respect 3.2 Use knowledge of cognitive development stages to ensure language and instructions are clear and understood by the relevant age group 3.3 Use non-discriminatory and non-stereotypical language and check that all children can participate in activities 3.4 Provide constructive feedback to children appropriate for the relevant age group 3.5 Use program techniques that reflect due diligence with regard to human contact and touch |
4. Promote healthy lifestyles and wellbeing for children | 4.1 Plan and implement activities that promote the health and emotional wellbeing of children 4.2 Provide age appropriate advice to children and carers about healthy lifestyles, nutrition and wellbeing 4.3 Explain the features of a safe practice environment to children and carers 4.4 Act as a role model for healthy lifestyle and wellbeing in the presence of children and carers |
5. Monitor physical, social and emotional wellbeing of children | 5.1 Identify potential social and emotional issues and recognise indicators that may impact on children in relevant age group 5.2 Identify potential issues and recognise indicators relating to physical health, fitness and wellbeing of children 5.3 Monitor identified physical, social and emotional issues, document areas of concern and discuss with supervisor, parents, carers or other appropriate people according to organisational procedures |
Foundation Skills
FOUNDATION SKILLS This section describes language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills incorporated in the performance criteria that are required for competent performance. | |
Skill | Description |
Learning | Uses self-reflection to identify improvements to professional practice Identifies and uses opportunities to update skills and knowledge |
Reading | Extracts, interprets and organises information from a range of written sources Identifies and evaluates resources and activities |
Writing | Develops, documents and updates plans for program activities in an appropriate format Prepares information about relevant topics using language appropriate for age group Records required information in appropriate formats |
Oral communication | Obtains information by listening and questioning Pays attention to the behaviour of others, interpreting a broad range of verbal and non-verbal signals Presents and sequences information using appropriate words and non-verbal features for audience and context Participates in discussions using language and non-verbal features appropriate to the audience |
Navigate the world of work | Identifies and follows regulations, organisational procedures, ethics and industry guidelines associated with own role Takes responsibility for monitoring children appropriate to own role and program goals |
Interact with others | Applies a range of interpersonal skills to develop relationships with children and adults Selects and uses appropriate practices and protocols to communicate with a range of people Adapts personal communication style to show respect and sensitivity to diversity, disability, culture, gender and ethnic backgrounds |
Get the work done | Adopts a methodical and logical approach to the process of preparing, conducting and reviewing classes Interprets and analyses information to make decisions about appropriate activities and actions Identifies and responds to problems requiring immediate attention |