Children's working theories: The neglected sibling of Te Whāriki's learning outcomes

Te Whāriki has two learning outcomes: dispositions and working theories. The concept of dispositions has been developed much more fully, while working theories has tended to be the “neglected sibling”. This article aims to flesh out the concept of working theories, drawing on a range of sociocultural theories. It provides a work-in-progress definition and examples from a recent research project.