Janine Kelly | ECA National Conference Speaker

Presenting at the Early Childhood Australia National Conference was not the end of the journey. It became another stepping stone in continuing to explore how children communicate, learn and connect.

Beyond the presentation, this work continued through collaboration with educators and leaders, supporting reflective practice, strengthening pedagogy and exploring how theory becomes meaningful in everyday early childhood environments.

Through professional learning and service support, I continue to work alongside teams to move beyond simply asking, “What do we do?” and begin exploring:

“What is the child showing us, and how can we respond with connection?”.

It began through years of sitting alongside children, observing their play, listening to their stories and recognising the many ways they communicate their thinking.

Long before I had the words and research to explain it, I was embedding practices that valued children’s voices through storytelling, technology, creativity and multiliteracies. Over time, as I continued exploring theory, schemas and child development, the pieces began to connect.

The practices I had carried throughout my career started weaving together with research, reflection and a deeper understanding of how children make meaning of their world.

My presentation at the Early Childhood Australia National Conference became a moment to share this journey — bringing together practice, theory and the belief that children are always communicating.

From this continued reflection, The Connected Child: Exploring Schemas, Multiliteracies, and Digital Play in Early Learning came to life.

At the heart of the book is a simple invitation for educators:

Slow down. Look deeper. See the child behind the behaviour, the story within the play, and the connection that guides learning.