How can you tell they’ve got it: Planning a Task?

If they’ve got it, you’ll see things like: Before starting a task, describe what they need to do and what order to do it in; Break a larger task into smaller steps without being prompted — e.g. 'First I'll read the question, then I'll draw a diagram'; Gather the materials or information they need before beginning, rather than starting and then stopping to find things. Or just try it together: Before your child starts a bigger task — like writing a story or making something — do they take a moment to think about what they'll do first?

Learning to Learn Ages 6–7

Planning a Task

Your child makes a simple plan before a bigger task. They can say what to do first, like reading the question before drawing.

In curriculum terms

Make a simple plan before starting a task: what do I need to do, and what should I do first?

Ages are typical, not deadlines — follow your child’s pace. How to help at home →

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Before starting a task, describe what they need to do and what order to do it in
Break a larger task into smaller steps without being prompted — e.g. 'First I'll read the question, then I'll draw a diagram'
Gather the materials or information they need before beginning, rather than starting and then stopping to find things

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Try this together

Before your child starts a bigger task — like writing a story or making something — do they take a moment to think about what they'll do first?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

Checking Your Own Workages 5–6Planning before a task grows from the habit of checking back after finishing — both are self-regulatory bookends

Planning a Taskthis skill · ages 6–7

Unlocks

Trying a New Approachages 7–8Switching strategy requires first having made a plan — you can only switch away from something you chose deliberately

Setting Learning Goalsages 10–11The plan-do-review cycle is the mature form of the basic planning habit established at age 6-7

Guided Multi-Step Problem Solvingages 6–7Planning a mathematical approach is the domain-specific application of the universal task-planning habit

Stop, Think, Then Chooseages 7–9PSD decision-making processes transfer directly to Learning-to-Learn planning frameworks

Choosing Form and Tone for Your Audienceages 9–10Identifying audience and purpose before writing is the writing-domain form of the universal planning habit

Controlling variablesages 9–11Planning a scientific enquiry is the domain-specific application of the universal task-planning habit

+ 1 more in Learning to Learn →

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Where this fits in the official school curriculum — our best automated guess, not yet checked by a person.

This skill aligns to ACARA’s General Capabilities rather than a learning-area code.

Nearby on the map

Feeling of not understandingages 6–7 Thinking Before Startingages 6–7 Asking for Helpages 5–6 Checking Your Own Workages 5–6

All Learning to Learn skills →