Joint Attention
The ability to coordinate attention with another person toward an object or event of shared interest
What the research says
Referenced across 1 developmental framework: te_whariki
Full quotes, source languages, and document links coming soon as we finish the source-evidence indexing pass.
Before this (4)
Required (1)
- Social ReferencingMin: emergingMust be able to read others' emotional cues and intentions
Helpful
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Character (3)
How it's taught
Build relationships (ngā hononga) through responsive interactions. Follow child's lead and interests. Use cultural practices of shared attention (e.g., whakapapa storytelling, group activities). Support mana tangata (contribution) by valuing child's attempts to share attention.
Materials: Interesting objects from nature and culture, books, shared activities, group experiences
What mastery looks like
Attention is self-directed only
- Does not follow adult's gaze or point
- Does not attempt to direct adult attention
- Focuses on objects in isolation
Beginning to coordinate attention with others
- Follows adult's gaze to objects (6-9 months)
- Looks back and forth between object and person
- Shows objects to adults
- Responds to pointing by looking
Actively initiates and maintains shared attention
- Points to direct adult attention (9-12 months)
- Alternates gaze between object and person
- Brings objects to share with others
- Follows complex pointing and gaze direction
- Engages in simple back-and-forth exchanges around objects
Sophisticated coordination of attention in social learning
- Initiates joint attention frequently
- Maintains shared focus during activities
- Uses joint attention for social learning
- Coordinates attention with multiple people
- Engages in collaborative play requiring shared focus
Seamless integration of joint attention in all social learning
- Automatically coordinates attention in group settings
- Uses joint attention to negotiate and collaborate
- Monitors and adjusts to others' attention states
- Supports others' attention through pointing and naming
- Engages in complex collaborative projects
Activities for this (12)
Rules of Play — Learning How Things Work
Parent and toddler play a structured game where the agent guides observation of the child's understanding of basic rules and norms — like taking turns, following simple instructions, and understanding 'gentle' versus 'rough.' Uses everyday play situations to assess social cognition.
Feelings Faces
Parent names emotions using facial expressions, pictures, or a mirror. The agent coaches the parent to observe the toddler's ability to recognise, name, and connect emotions to experiences — building early emotional literacy and contemplative self-awareness.
Two Together — Putting Words Side by Side
Parent plays a picture book or object exploration game that naturally elicits two-word combinations. Agent guides parent to notice and celebrate when their toddler puts two words together, and to model two-word phrases during play.
Tiny Treasure Hunt — Picking Up Little Things
Parent sets up small safe objects for toddler to pick up using a pincer grasp (thumb and finger). Agent guides parent to observe grasp refinement, hand preference, and concentration during a playful treasure-finding game.
Let's Pretend — Imagination Station
Parent and toddler play a pretend scenario — feeding a stuffed animal, driving a toy car to the store, or making dinner in a play kitchen. Agent guides parent to observe the complexity of pretend play, social role-taking, and narrative building.
Body part naming with gentle touch
Parent names body parts as they gently touch them — nose, toes, belly, ears. Toddler often starts to name back. Mixes touch, gaze, and language exposure. Agent coaches the parent to keep it playful and responsive to the child's own touches.
Co-construction play
Parent and toddler build something together with blocks, cushions, stacking toys, or household items. Agent coaches the parent to follow the child's lead and add rather than correct. Observations track turn-taking, shared focus, and tolerance-of-demolition (the child's and the parent's).
Hide and find a favourite object
Parent hides a favourite object of the child's in easy places and invites the child to find it. Age-appropriate object permanence and joint problem-solving. Agent coaches the parent to scaffold rather than reveal, with visible delight at discovery.
Interactive reading — follow the toddler
Parent and toddler share a picture book, with the toddler setting the pace. Agent coaches the parent to follow the child's pointing, naming, and page-turning rather than 'reading it properly.' Observations track toddler initiation and parent responsiveness to bids for co-attention.
Narrated nature walk
Parent takes toddler on a short walk outside — garden, park, street — and follows the child's interest, naming what the child stops to examine. Agent coaches the parent to walk at toddler pace and treat the walk as the child's expedition, not a destination.
Treasure Box Helper
A playful activity where your child practices asking for help with a tricky treasure box, building confidence in seeking assistance when needed.
Clap-Along Celebration
A joyful activity where parent and child practice expressing excitement through clapping and movement using everyday objects.
Formal assessments
No matching assessment items indexed yet.
Standardised assessment view
1 instrument measure this construct. The construct page shows how each one approaches it and at what age range.
View as assessment construct →