Various teaching approaches may be considered age-appropriate for teaching the Australian Curriculum in the early years of school. The teacher's role in enacting a range and balance of age-appropriate pedagogies involves deliberate, purposeful and thoughtful decision making and actions to promote children's innate drive for independent learning.
When selecting an approach, teachers need to consider:
- children's interests and capabilities
- their own interests, skills, capabilities and philosophies
- the curriculum
- evidence of children's learning
- school and community contexts.
Inquiry learning
It involves children in planning and carrying out investigations, proposing explanations and solutions, and communicating their understanding of concepts in a variety of ways.
Event-based approach
Children plan and enact events in real-life contexts drawing on their experiences and knowledge. An event-based approach may include investigations, problem-solving and play.
Project approach
A project approach is an in-depth exploration of a topic that may be child or teacher-initiated and involve an individual, a group of children, or the whole class.
Explicit instruction
A structured and systematic approach to teaching academic skills. There is an emphasis on checking for understanding, and achieving active and successful participation by all children.
Play-based learning
Provides opportunities for children to actively and imaginatively engage with people, objects and the environment. As children re-create experiences and enact new play possibilities narrative and oral language skills are developed.
Direct teaching/instruction
Direct teaching/instruction is a step-by-step, lesson-by-lesson approach to teaching which is scripted and follows a pre-determined skill acquisition sequence.
Blended approach
Elements from more than one approach are combined in response to the teaching and learning intent within and across learning contexts.
Further reading
Explanation of terms
A range of teaching approaches that may be considered age-appropriate for teaching the Australian Curriculum in the early years of school. Each approach is further unpacked into associated practices and strategies.
Approaches – Teacher and child behaviours unpacked
May be used to prompt teacher reflection and broaden understanding of the approaches
Approaches – Questions to support teacher reflection
Assisting teachers to engage in reflective processes required to embed the approaches into planning and practice
Related information
Professional learning materials
Access professional learning materials to support the implementation of age-appropriate pedagogies in the early years of school including peer observation and learning walks tools, and a guide for teacher aides.