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Child Development & Early Education vocabulary · Behaviour and Guidance

Behaviour

Meaning in child development & early education, with examples

/bɪˈheɪvjə/nounCore term

In child development & early education, behaviour means: The way a child acts and reacts, especially in everyday situations with other people; in childcare it is often discussed in terms of what the child is trying to communicate.

In Turkish: davranış

How it is used

Usually uncountable: his behaviour, good behaviour. Settings have a behaviour policy and talk about managing, supporting or understanding behaviour. Many practitioners now prefer 'behaviour support' to 'behaviour management'.

Example sentences

  1. All behaviour is communication, so we ask what the child needs.

  2. We noticed a change in her behaviour after her baby brother was born.

Common collocations

  • behaviour policy
  • positive behaviour
  • manage behaviour
  • behaviour support
  • behaviour plan
  • challenging behaviourBehaviour that is difficult for adults to manage or that may harm the child, other people or property, such as biting, hitting or frequent long outbursts.
  • positive reinforcementEncouraging a behaviour to happen again by following it with something pleasant, such as praise, a smile or a sticker.
  • boundariesClear and consistent limits that adults set for children about what is and is not acceptable, so that children feel safe and know what to expect.
  • tantrumA sudden outburst of crying, shouting, kicking or throwing oneself on the floor, common in toddlers who cannot yet express or control strong feelings.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Behaviour and Guidance

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