Browse the collection of age-appropriate pedagogies professional learning materials designed to assist regions, school teams and teachers implement age-appropriate pedagogies in the early years of school.
Research
Foundation paper (PDF, 1.33MB) (DOCX, 86KB)
In 2015, the department funded Griffith University to prepare a foundation paper outlining key messages from a review of international research literature and to identify elements of effective teaching and learning in the early years of school.
Foundation paper summary (PDF, 1.4MB) (DOCX, 39KB)
Age Appropriate Pedagogies Program Progress Report 2016 (PDF, 2.5MB) (DOCX, 118KB)
The Age-appropriate pedagogies program progress report 2016 outlines evidence of the effectiveness of age-appropriate pedagogies in schools participating in a pilot study in 2015.
Age Appropriate Pedagogies Implementation Report 2016 (PDF, 2.6MB) (DOCX, 37KB)
The Age-appropriate pedagogies implementation report 2016 outlines evidence of strong collaboration between schools, regions, central office and the university researchers, central to the successful implementation of age-appropriate pedagogies in 2016.
Documents
Characteristics
The characteristics of age-appropriate pedagogies represent a set of desirable qualities teachers can consider when working with children and colleagues so they are responsive to each individual child, context and purpose of learning. Use these professional learning materials to deepen your understanding of the characteristics.
Characteristics of age-appropriate pedagogies: Teacher and child behaviours unpacked (PDF, 220KB)
Characteristics of age-appropriate pedagogies: Questions to support teacher reflection (PDF, 496KB)
Early years learning spaces tool (PDF, 893KB) (DOCX, 27KB)
Characteristics of age-appropriate pedagogies in action: Active (PDF, 773 KB) (DOCX, 24KB)
Characteristics of age-appropriate pedagogies in action: Agentic (PDF, 749 KB) (DOCX, 25KB)
Characteristics of age-appropriate pedagogies in action: Collaborative (PDF, 754 KB) (DOCX, 23KB)
Characteristics of age-appropriate pedagogies in action: Creative (PDF, 442 KB) (DOCX, 24KB)
Characteristics of age-appropriate pedagogies in action: Explicit (PDF, 430 KB) (DOCX, 24KB)
Characteristics of age-appropriate pedagogies in action: Language rich and dialogic (PDF, 820 KB) (DOCX, 28KB)
Characteristics of age-appropriate pedagogies in action: Learner focused (PDF, 458 KB) (DOCX, 24KB)
Characteristics of age-appropriate pedagogies in action: Narrative (PDF, 741 KB) (DOCX, 25KB)
Characteristics of age-appropriate pedagogies in action: Playful (PDF, 658 KB) (DOCX, 24KB)
Characteristics of age-appropriate pedagogies in action: Responsive (PDF, 805 KB) (DOCX, 24KB)
Characteristics of age-appropriate pedagogies in action: Scaffolded (PDF, 832 KB) (DOCX, 24KB)
Approaches
Various teaching approaches may be considered age-appropriate for teaching the Australian Curriculum in the early years. Use these professional learning materials to deepen your understanding of the approaches.
Explanation of terms (PDF, 2.4MB) (DOCX, 58KB)
A guide for teacher aides (PDF, 2.5MB) (RTF, 30KB)
Peer observation tool (PDF, 521KB) (DOCX, 22KB)
Learning walks tool (PDF, 505KB) (DOCX, 22KB)
Teacher and child behaviours unpacked (PDF, 239KB)
Questions to support teacher reflection (PDF, 255KB)
Examples of practices
These examples of practice illustrate alignment of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment in the early years of school. Use these professional learning materials to support teacher reflection or as a prompt for pedagogical decision-making.
Examples of practice in the early years of school
Case studies
The following case studies show how school teams implemented their age-appropriate pedagogies action plans in 2015.
Bracken Ridge State School (PDF, 319KB) (RTF, 310KB)
Georgetown State School (PDF, 372KB) (RTF, 65KB)
Ithaca Creek State School (PDF, 345KB) (RTF, 117KB)
Nundah State School (PDF, 371KB) (RTF, 121KB)
Oakenden State School (PDF, 408KB) (RTF, 126KB)
Practice Snapshots
The following practice snapshots give an insight into how teachers have aligned curriculum, age-appropriate pedagogies and assessment in their classroom practice.
Cannon Hill State School (PDF, 739KB) (RTF, 59KB)
Developing children's scientific oral language skills and higher order thinking.
Lower Tully State School (PDF, 753KB) (RTF, 88KB)
Enhancing children's engagement with mathematics through the use of a play-based approach.
Milton State School (PDF, 740KB) (RTF, 60KB)
Developing science inquiry skills, including questioning, participating in guided investigations, representing ideas and communicating ideas to others.
Seville Road State School (PDF, 727KB) (RTF, 60KB)
Using a shared celebratory event to engage in real life history and mathematics learning experiences.
Postcards
These postcards may be used as a ready-reckoner for teachers keeping the characteristics and approaches on hand.
Characteristics of age-appropriate pedagogies postcards (PDF, 5.3MB) (DOC, 56KB)
Approaches of age-appropriate pedagogies postcards (PDF, 7.8MB)
(DOCX, 16KB)
Posters
These posters may be used to build shared understandings across school teams and as a reference point for describing practice that is reflective of the characteristics and approaches.
Characteristics of age-appropriate pedagogies posters (PDF, 3MB) (DOCX, 26KB)
Approaches of age-appropriate pedagogies posters (PDF, 5.6MB) (DOCX, 21KB)
Videos
These videos may be viewed to see teachers and school leaders discussing age-appropriate pedagogies as they move from research to practice.
Age-appropriate pedagogies
AAP - An introduction to age-appropriate pedagogies
AAP - Impact on children's engagement and learning
AAP - Leader perspectives
AAP - Perspectives on teaching