Physical, motor, cognitive, language, social, moral, emotional and sexual areas of development,
which are part of the global development process. The areas of development are interconnected to different degrees,
depending on the child’s learning, experience, fields of interest and environment.
Example: In play, children support their areas of development.
en: développement global
cognitive development
noun, adjective
Cognitive development is the lifelong process of growth in mental capacities, including thinking, reasoning, memory, language, and problem-solving.
Example: When Justine sorts objects, she stimulates her cognitive development.
en: développement cognitif
Daily report
noun
Verbal communication, paper document or digital document used to inform the family about the
child’s basic care, play and development.
Example: I handed the Daily report to the parents
en: journal de bord
Daycare
noun
Daycare is a childcare centre where children and babies from three months to school age are cared for in safe and stimulating surroundings.
Example: "we have encountered problems trying to find a daycare willing to accept him"
en: garderie
Democratic mode of intervention
noun, adjective
Method or strategy conducive to the creation of a positive atmosphere and sharing of power between
the child and the adult (e.g. educator, family member) that can be applied with due respect for the
child’s needs, preferences and abilities, especially when making everyday choices or searching for
solutions.
Example: I apply Democratic mode of intervention with my group.
en: intervention démocratique
early learning center
noun
An early learning center (ELC) is a licensed facility for young children (infancy to age five) that combines nurturing, high-quality care with a structured, play-based, and educational curriculum. Focused on cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development, ELCs use trained educators to prepare children for school through stimulating, developmentally appropriate activities.
Example: My child goes to the early learning center
en: centre de la petite enfance
Educational environment
noun
The organized indoor and outdoor premises of the educational childcare establishment and locations
that the early childhood educator may use from time to time with the children (e.g. park).
Example: I have a warm and welcoming educational environment
en: aménagement
Educational quality
noun
Quality based on two categories of elements, some relating to structural quality and others to the
quality of the processes.
Structural quality includes a set of variables with an indirect impact on the quality of processes, such
as the adult-child relationship, group size and staff training, structured by regulation.
The quality of the processes refers to elements that affect the children’s lives. These elements can
be divided into four categories, namely the educators’ interactions with the children, the children’s
own experiences, the layout of the premises and materials, and the educators’ interactions with the
parents.
Example: The educator applies educational quality in their practice
en: qualité éducative
emotional and social development
Noun, adjective
Social and emotional development means how children start to understand who they are, what they are feeling and what to expect when interacting with others. It is the development of being able to: Form and sustain positive relationships. Experience, manage and express emotions
Example: Mathilde and Romane play together and foster their social and emotional development.
en: développement social affectif
family
noun
A group of one or two parents and their child or children living together as a unit.
Example: "friends and family can provide support"
en: famille
Healthy lifestyle habits
noun
A set of habits relating to hygiene, rest, healthy nutrition and active play. These habits help to
maintain the child’s well-being.
Example: The educator teaches healthy lifestyle habits to the children.
en: saine habitude de vie
language development
noun, adjective
Language development in education refers to the process by which children acquire the ability to communicate effectively through spoken, written, and gestural forms.
Example: The baby makes sounds and engages in language development
en: développement langagier
Literacy
noun
Skills that allow children to develop the confidence they need to interact with others in every aspect
of everyday life, through speech, gestures, texts, images, symbols and sounds. Interactions may also
take place via digital media.
Example: Home and School: Research and Practices in Teaching LITERACY with Parents.
en: littératie
numeracy
noun
Skills that allow children to develop the confidence they need to interact with others in every aspect
of everyday life, using reasoning and problem-solving skills and their capacity to understand the
world.
Example: Learning digits and numbers supports children's numeracy.
en: numératie
pedagogy
noun
Pedagogy is simply the method, practice, and theory of teaching, focusing on how educators teach, the strategies they use, and the underlying beliefs and science behind effective learning.
Example: "subject-based pedagogies"
en: pédagogie
Periodic portrait of the child’s development
noun, adjective
A recording tool (paper or digital) completed by the early childhood educator responsible for a group.
The document forms part of the child’s education record and contains a synthesis of observations
regarding the child’s global development (e.g. progress, needs, challenges) and information on the
impacts of educational actions for the child.
Example: The educator did the periodic portrait of the child’s development for the kids in her group
en: portrait périodique de l'enfant
physical development
noun
Physical development is the process of growth and maturation of the body, brain, motor skills, and sensory awareness from birth through adolescence. It involves gaining control over gross motor skills (large muscle movements like running) and fine motor skills (small movements like writing).
Example: I see Lucas developing his physical development
en: développement physique et moteur
Play initiated by the child
noun, adjective
A physical, cognitive or social activity that the child always enjoys and that allows the child to discover
their fields of interest and abilities freely, voluntarily and spontaneously.
Example: At daycare, the children engage a play initiated by the child.
en: jeu libre
Support plan
noun
A reflection through which the educator adapts their educational actions to the needs of the child
and/or group, as a complement to their general planning. The support plan may also be referred to
as an “action plan.” It may be documented or not, depending on the practices of the childcare
establishment.
Example: The educator and the parents create a support plan for the child.
en: plan de soutien
zone of proximal development
noun
The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is the range of tasks a learner cannot yet perform independently but can accomplish with guidance from a "more knowledgeable other" (e.g., teacher, peer). This "sweet spot" for learning bridges the gap between a learner's actual development (independent ability) and potential development.
Example: "educator can help students achieve skills within their zone of proximal development by providing appropriate support and guidance."
