How can you tell they’ve got it: Thinking Before Starting?

If they’ve got it, you’ll see things like: prior knowledge activation research; Ausubel meaningful learning. Or just try it together: When your child is about to learn something new — say a new topic in science or a new type of word problem — do they first think about what they already know?

Learning to Learn Ages 6–7

Thinking Before Starting

Your child stops before a new topic and thinks about what they already know about it.

In curriculum terms

Before starting something new, stop and think: what do I already know about this topic?

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.

prior knowledge activation research
Ausubel meaningful learning

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Try this together

When your child is about to learn something new — say a new topic in science or a new type of word problem — do they first think about what they already know?

Where this sits on the map

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

Builds on

Persisting When It's Hardages 5–6Activating prior knowledge requires the foundational habit of persistent engagement with new material

Thinking Before Startingthis skill · ages 6–7

Unlocks

Connecting New & Old Ideasages 7–8Making connections between new and old ideas requires the habit of activating prior knowledge first

Teaching It Backages 7–8Explaining in your own words requires connecting new learning to existing knowledge already held in mind

Connecting reading to experienceages 5–7Linking reading to own experiences is the English-domain application of the universal prior-knowledge activation habit

Evidence from the Pastages 6–7Understanding that knowledge of the past comes from surviving evidence builds on the habit of activating prior knowledge — what do I already know, and where did that knowledge come from?

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 Planning a Taskages 6–7 Asking for Helpages 5–6 Checking Your Own Workages 5–6

All Learning to Learn skills →