Kindergarten to Year 2
The Early Learning pedagogy encompasses intentional teaching through play and is based on the Walker Learning Approach which is an Australian-designed, developmentally appropriate pedagogy that embraces the concept of the ‘whole child’. The Western Australian Curriculum, available through the School Curriculum and Standards Authority, underpins all the explicit teaching across all Learning Areas.
Some key characteristics of play are:
- It is purposeful, it involves literacy and numeracy;
- It reflects the interests of the children;
- It is active and creative and avoids worksheets and cloned expectation; and
- It is owned by the child, not the adult.
The key elements of the Approach are an emphasis on relationships, learning environments with rich provocations, open-ended experiences and a sense of intimacy through cosy, well-defined areas for children to investigate within. The environment is print rich and there is attention to detail. Teaching is intentional and acknowledges that not all children are ready to learn the same thing at the same time.
Children’s interests are incorporated into the learning at all times and the Approach is focused on the process of learning and skill development rather than the end product.
The learning environment is set up with the following key learning areas and resources which are highly engaging for the learners including:
- Dramatic play;
- Tinkering;
- Sensory;
- Construction;
- Literacy;
- Collage;
- Numeracy; and
- Science and Nature
In addition to the unique elements of Walker Learning, the explicit teaching of literacy, numeracy and all other curriculum areas and requirements of the Western Australian Curriculum are covered.