Age-appropriate pedagogies support teachers to apply a range and balance of teaching approaches and characteristics of quality teaching to maximise children's engagement in learning and enhance outcomes.
Children learn best when they are actively engaged in purposeful learning experiences that build from their interests, strengths and capabilities. The Australian Curriculum clearly defines what is to be taught and teachers use their knowledge of children's capabilities, interests and motivations to identify the most effective way to teach curriculum content.
Departmental staff can access practical teaching and learning resources aligned to age-appropriate pedagogies via the Curriculum gateway (search 'K2 sandpit') or the EFI catalogue (search ‘K2 capability suite’).
Videos
- Age-appropriate pedagogies: An introduction—Teachers and school leaders discuss why the use of a range of pedagogies is important in ensuring effective curriculum delivery through quality teaching.
- Age-appropriate pedagogies: Impact in children's engagement and learning—Teachers and school leaders discuss the influence of age-appropriate pedagogies on children's engagement and motivation for learning.
- Age-appropriate pedagogies: Leader perspectives—School leaders talk about their role in supporting teachers and informing families about the benefits and impact of age-appropriate pedagogies on teaching and learning in their school.
- Age-appropriate pedagogies: Perspectives on teaching—Teachers outline their perspective on what age-appropriate pedagogies have meant for their teaching practice and talk about how the use of a range and balance of pedagogies supports children's learning.
- Employing AAP in the early years—The Employing AAP in the early years video showcases AAP ‘in action’ and highlights the thought process of a teacher responding to a child's interest/inquiry during a hands-on learning experience. It provides a simple four-step guide (define, design, enact and reflect) as a starting point for engagement.