* Do children have opportunities to 'behave as a writer/reader' in meaningful ways, or is the development of literacy skills defined by set activities and outcomes?
* Do books in the setting reinforce gender stereotypes or challenge preconceptions and present alternative viewpoints of the world? Have you built up a library of books and videos that are popular with the children and provide stimuli for discussing gender roles?
* Do you provide opportunities for children to talk about their view of the world and conceptions of gender? Do you discuss definitions of masculinity and feminity and let children explore these through role play and story? For example, do you emphasise co-operation rather than power as representative of strength?
* Do you play around with gender in stories and rhymes, for example, role swaps as in 'Mr Polly had a dolly' and 'A brave princess came riding by...'?
* Do you challenge assumptions about traditional gender roles - for example, 'the nurse looked at his watch'?
