Curriculum Links

Little Highway Heroes is linked to the Early Years Learning Framework, a key component of the National Quality Standard in early education. Each lesson identifies and teaches key elements within the framework to promote early social and emotional competence and regulation.

Highway Heroes fosters the development of personal and social capabilities – one of the identified general capabilities for 21st century learners within the Australian Curriculum. Globally, there is an acknowledge need for inclusion of Social and Emotional Learning, and the key elements of the Highway Heroes curriculum are applicable across international frameworks as indicated.

Early Years Learning Framework

• Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity
• Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world
• Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing
• Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners
• Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators

Australian Curriculum

• Ethical Understanding
• Intercultural Understanding
• Health and Physical Education
• English

Other Education Initiatives

• Positive Education
• Be You
• Student Welfare
• Pastoral Care
• Anti-Bullying
• National Framework for Values Education
• National Safe Schools framework

International Baccalaureate

• Thinkers
• Communicators
• Principled
• Open Minded
• Caring
• Risk-Takers
• Balanced
• Reflective

Australian Curriculum

In the Australian Curriculum, students develop personal and social capability as they learn to understand themselves and others, and manage their relationships, lives, work and learning more effectively. Personal and social capability involves students in a range of practices including recognising and regulating emotions, developing empathy for others and understanding relationships, establishing and building positive relationships, making responsible decisions, working effectively in teams, handling challenging situations constructively and developing leadership skills.

The key ideas for Personal and Social Capability are organised into four interrelated elements in the learning continuum as shown below:

Self Awareness

Students identify and describe the factors that influence their emotional responses. They develop a realistic sense of their personal abilities, qualities and strengths through knowing what they are feeling in the moment, and having a realistic assessment of their own abilities and a well-grounded sense of self-knowledge and self-confidence. Students reflect on and evaluate their learning, identify personal characteristics that contribute to or limit their effectiveness and learn from successes or failures. In developing and acting with personal and social capability, students:

• recognise emotions
• recognise personal qualities and achievements
• understand themselves as learners
• develop reflective practice

Self Management

Students effectively regulate, manage and monitor their own emotional responses, and persist in completing tasks and overcoming obstacles. They develop organisational skills and identify the resources needed to achieve goals. Students develop the skills to work independently and to show initiative, learn to be conscientious, delay gratification and persevere in the face of setbacks and frustrations. In developing and acting with personal and social capability, students:

• express emotions appropriately
• develop self-discipline and set goals
• work independently and show initiative
• become confident, resilient and adaptable

Social Awareness

Students learn to show respect for and understand others’ perspectives, emotional states and needs. They learn to participate in positive, safe and respectful relationships, defining and accepting individual and group roles and responsibilities. Students gain an understanding of the role of advocacy in contemporary society and build their capacity to critique societal constructs and forms of discrimination, such as racism and sexism. In developing and acting with personal and social capability, students:

• appreciate diverse perspectives
• contribute to civil society
• understand relationships

Social Management

Students learn to negotiate and communicate effectively with others; work in teams, positively contribute to groups and collaboratively make decisions; resolve conflict and reach positive outcomes. They develop the ability to initiate and manage successful personal relationships, and participate in a range of social and communal activities. Social management involves building skills associated with leadership, such as mentoring and role modelling. In developing and acting with personal and social capability, students:

• communicate effectively
• work collaboratively
• make decisions
• negotiate and resolve conflict
• develop leadership skills