Professional learning program: Differentiated/play-based inquiry learning in the early years of schooling

What is play-based and inquiry learning?

Objectives of the module

This online module will deepen teachers' understanding of play and inquiry and how they support children's learning, wellbeing and social skills. At the completion of this module, teachers will be able to observe children's play and inquiry activities and identify the learning that is occurring and how it can be linked to curricular outcomes.

Recognising your current expertise and practices

Many of you may already be implementing a play-based and inquiry approach. These modules will provide further information to support your understandings and practices. For some this will be confirmation of your practice. For others, it provides a new way of viewing teaching and learning. We trust that you will see the benefits of play-based and inquiry learning in the early years of schooling.

What is play-based and inquiry learning?

Play-based learning uses children’s natural motivation to play as a context for learning. During play, students inquire and learn using their imagination to explore, experiment, discover, collaborate, improvise and create.

The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF) (DET, 2018) highlights that the cognitive processes used by students in play, stimulate and integrate a wide range of intellectual, physical, social, emotional and creative capabilities to foster high-level learning.

The importance of play-based and inquiry learning

Louise Paatsch, Professor in early years play, language and literacy at Deakin University, and Natalie Robertson, Doctor in early years play, teaching and learning at Deakin University talk together in the video about the importance of play-based and inquiry learning.

Differentiated teaching through play-based and inquiry learning

Play-based and inquiry learning allows teachers to differentiate and respond to the diverse backgrounds and personal strengths, needs, interests and capacities of their students. In this way, play-based and inquiry learning explicitly supports Strategy 10: Differentiated Teaching of the High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS)(opens in a new window).

Play-based and inquiry learning provides opportunities for differentiated teaching where students are supported to engage their curiosity and work at a variety of levels, in their own different ways, from a strengths-based perspective.

Differentiated teaching and learning recap

Professor Lorraine Graham's discusses in this video about differentiated teaching and learning which is an essential resource within HITS Strategy 10.

Play-based and inquiry learning is differentiated learning

In a play-based and inquiry approach, learning experiences are adjusted to suit both the process students use to learn, and the product that is expected from them. Learning experiences are tailored and responsive to what is documented, assessed and known about the individual student.

Play-based inquiry and learning differentiates the process and product of learning because students choose how they work on a specific concept by selecting experiences available to them in the classroom or outdoor environment This makes it possible to work at their own levels of proficiency. The guidance and feedback given to the children during their play-based and inquiry learning experiences helps to extend their learning.

Teacher's role

The learning process might be adjusted by changing the type of intervention or role that you, as a teacher, have in the student's play and inquiry experience.

For example, for a child who is excelling you may promote more complex methods of inquiry to extend their learning in play and provide more opportunities for collaborative learning with peers.

Other students may require you to provide them with more explicit instruction, modelling and questioning to guide their learning in play.

In any play-based and inquiry learning experience, each student's strengths and interests will provide opportunities for meaningful adjustments to the learning process and product. We will explore the teacher's role in play-based and inquiry learning in more detail in Module 2.

Framing differentiated play-based inquiry learning within your context

Explore the key resources below that show the connection between Victoria's vision for learning, the Practice Principles for Excellence for Teaching and Learning, and the VEYLDF Practice Principles.

Frameworks for teaching and learning

The idea that play-based and inquiry learning provides a form of differentiated teaching is supported by Victoria's vision for learning and practice principles.

The figures above and below this box explore and illustrate some key ways that play-based and inquiry learning supports your practice of excellence in teaching and learning, and the relationship that exists between principles and documents.

If you would like to explore any of these resources more closely, please click the following links:

• Victoria's vision for learning(opens in a new window)
• Practice principles for excellence in teaching and learning(opens in a new window)
• VEYLDF practice principles(opens in a new window)

Keep in mind

We will explore how a play-based and inquiry learning approach can support the learning outcomes of diverse learners and develop inclusive learning communities in schools and classrooms in Module 4.

The theory of play-based and inquiry learning

There is a long history of theories evidencing the strong interconnection between play and learning, particularly in the acquisition of social, emotional and cognitive skills.

This dates to the early theories of Parent's social behaviour theory, Piaget's cognitive developmental theory, psychoanalytic theories and socio-cultural theories.

Research has also identified play to be a vehicle for the learning and development of a wide range of capabilities and skills, such as self-regulation (Vygotsky, 1978; Ivanova, 20000; Hoffman, 2020); language (Smilansky & Shefatya, 1990; Stagnitti and colleagues 2000; 2007; 2009; 2015; 2020); and executive function associated with metacognitive learning processes (Bodrova & Leong, 2007; Karpov, 2005; 2014).

The teacher’s role in linking play and learning

Play has long been demonstrated to hold value in a student’s learning. However, more recent research added the importance of adult interaction in play to maximise the learning potential of play experiences to this understanding.

Research is increasingly showing that settings where students are predominately left to engage in undirected free play, are the least successful environments for student learning, development, engagement and behaviour (e.g., Robertson, Yim & Paatsch, 2020; Zosh et al., 2018; Sylva et al., 2010; Mashburn, 2008).

Integrated teaching and learning in action

The following video discusses the multiple roles of teachers in student's play within an overview of VEYLDF Practice Principle 7 Integrated Teaching and Learning.

As you are watching this video, pay particular attention to the examples of adult-guided play and learning and think about how you provide opportunities for students to learn through play.

What does play look like?

There are a range of different types of play experiences that teachers can use to structure their play-based and inquiry learning approach. Each type of play has a purposeful role to engage students in meaningful exploration, investigation and imaginative experiences. Different types of play offer multiple opportunities to encounter, engage with, and elaborate on new knowledge and skills with peers and teachers (HIT Strategy 6).

Each type of play has a collective role in supporting student's learning processes, personal and social capabilities, across all areas of the Victorian Curriculum and the VEYDLF learning outcomes.

Looking closely at different types of play: Possibilities for the classroom

All of the different types of play are valuable to support young student’s learning and development. Often two or more play types are combined to further enhance students learning.

This is especially the case when pretend play is encouraged in classrooms. It challenges your students to:

• think more deeply
• make connections between their learning and prior experiences
• engage more sophisticated metacognitive learning processes
• collaborate with peers and teachers.

A principal's story

As you watch the following video consider the ways in which School Co-Principal Peter Fahey talks about different types of play in relation to student's varying experiences and knowledges.

Reflect and collaborate

We will be focusing more on the adult's role in student's play in Module 2. For now, you may like to read about VEYLDF Practice Principle 7 Integrated Teaching and Learning (pdf - 429kb). As you are reading this guide, reflect upon your own practices in play-based and inquiry learning.

Also, think about how play-based and inquiry learning supports your practice of HITs. You may like to set yourself some teaching goals to work towards throughout this professional learning program.

The following questions can act as a prompt to guide your reflections:

• What types of play do you already support in your classroom?
• Which play types do you feel more comfortable supporting in your classroom and why do you think this?
• How comfortable do you feel providing a play-based and inquiry learning approach?
• How could you engage with students in their play to enhance their learning?

Play-based learning and general capabilities

The link between play and learning is well documented. Accordingly, play-based and inquiry learning approaches provide a meaningful context for student learning and general capabilities (Justice and Pullen, 2003; Korat et al., 2002, 2003; Nicolopoulou et al., 2006).

Let's take a look at some of the ways that play-based and inquiry learning supports student learning and general capabilities:

In summation

As identified by the VEYLDF Integrated Teaching and Learning Practice Principles (pdf - 429kb), teachers "have an important role in developing student's understanding of concepts in literacy, numeracy and science. When adults guide learning, they extend children's learning beyond what they can know, do and understand on their own" (DET, 2007, p. 9).

Making visible the connections to curriculum

Learning occurs across multiple learning areas and general capabilities of the Victorian Curriculum when students are engaged in a play-based and inquiry learning approach.

Watch the below videos to strengthen your ability to identify connections between curriculum and play-based and inquiry learning. Professor Louise Patch and Dr Natalie Robertson will narrate a selection of vignettes to discuss the learning that students engaged with in connection to the Victorian Curriculum.

Building community - webinar

Identifying learning through play

The following video presents an excerpt of play by early year's students in a travel agency pretend play scenario. As you watch this video please identify the learning that the students are engaging in by making links to the Victorian Curriculum.

Webinar 1

• Professor Louise Paatsch, whose extensive experience and research has focused on play-based and inquiry learning, talks about the importance of play-based learning.
• A principal, a classroom teacher and an academic share their stories, experiences and challenges in relation to integrating play in the classroom.

Webinar 1: Understanding play and the play-based, inquiry learning approach

Progressing with the differentiated/play-based and inquiry learning program

You've now come to the conclusion of Module 1.

Click below for Module 2: Planning and implementing a play-based and inquiry approach, that explores the teacher's role in play-based and inquiry learning.

Module 2.1: Introduction to Module 2

Objectives of the module

In Module 2, we explore creating supportive environments for the implementation of play-based and inquiry learning for diverse learners. Teachers may find new sources and ideas for resourcing, teaching, creating play spaces, and employing effective teaching strategies for play-based and inquiry learning approaches.

At the completion of this module, teachers will be able to further apply their skills in developing effective indoor and outdoor environments that support play-based and inquiry learning.

As indicated in Module 1, research has shown that play and inquiry have an important place in the education of primary-aged students (Stagnitti, Paatsch, Nolan & Campbell, 2020). This is especially relevant for many of the students whose kindergarten and play experiences with peers may have been limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Foundation teachers have an important role in supporting children’s transition through play-based and inquiry learning, to provide personal and social learning environments that facilitate young children’s learning capabilities, dispositions and processes to adapt to formal education in this challenging time.

Many of you may already be implementing a play-based and inquiry learning approach. This professional learning is intended to extend your knowledge and support your understandings and practices. For some, this will be confirmation of your practice. For others, it provides a different way of viewing teaching and learning. In this module, we trust that you will continue to see the benefits of play-based and inquiry learning in the early years of schooling and how it can be further implemented in your classrooms.

Welcome video

Watch a video where Associate Professor Anne-Marie Morrissey and Dr Deb Moore introduce themselves as facilitators for this module.

Reference: Acknowledgment to Country used in the video can be found in Nadia Wheatley’s (2006) picture storybook Going Bush.

The teacher’s role in play-based and inquiry learning

There can sometimes be a misconception that adults do not have a role in children’s play and inquiry experiences. Supporting play-based and inquiry learning is much more active than providing play resources and then standing back to let children play. Teachers must flexibly adjust their role as children move through different phases of play and inquiry.

The teacher’s role in a play-based and inquiry learning approach is particularly important in the Foundation year of schooling. In this crucial year, effective organisation of spaces, resources and considered interactions foster student learning. See the Early Years Planning Cycle to demonstrate how the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development (VEYLDF) planning cycle can be applied to observe, assess and respond to evidence of children’s learning.

Connecting integrated teaching and learning to the VEYLDF

The diagram below from the VEYLDF (DET, 2018) illustrates how teachers’ roles and strategies to support play-based and inquiry learning can change over a period of time and/or within a single play episode.

The diagram represents an integrated teaching and learning approach (VEYLDF practice), whereby the teacher’s role in play and inquiry experiences are purposeful and varied to support student learning and engagement. Play is central to the concept of integrated teaching and learning approaches and essential to stimulate and integrate a wide range of children’s intellectual, physical, social and creative abilities. Effective practice uses integrated teaching and learning approaches to support sustained and shared interactions with children. Please refer back to Module 1 here, for a reminder about the principles and practices of play-based and inquiry learning.

The activity below draws from integrated teaching and learning approaches. As you explore the diagram by clicking on the hotspots (+), you will be able to make connections between the teacher's role and play-based and inquiry learning.

Think about experiences, purpose and how to support your students' learning and engagement in this way.

Download a printable version:

The Teacher’s Role in Play and Inquiry Experiences (PDF, 952KB)
The Teacher's Role in Play and Inquiry Experiences (DOCX, 27KB)

Module 2.2: Linking High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS) to play-based and inquiry learning

Play-based and inquiry learning supports High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS)

In Module 1 we examined how play-based and inquiry learning supports the implementation of High Impact Strategy 10: Differentiated Teaching (2020). Let’s have a closer look at how an additional eight HITS(opens in a new window) can be implemented in a play-based and inquiry learning approach through a range of teacher roles examined in this module. Please note we will focus on HITS 8 in Module 3.

Interacting with HITS

In the interactive experience below, you are encouraged to think about HITS in relation to play-based and inquiry learning approaches.

(opens in a new window)

Teacher perspectives on play-based and inquiry learning experiences

A Foundation teacher describes how sometimes sitting back and noticing the students can be the most effective strategy to inform planning.

In this video about the role of the teacher in play, consider how teachers can use interactions, planning and teaching strategies in an integrated way to support students’ learning in a play-based and inquiry learning approach.

Pulling the threads together

The teacher’s role is critical in a play-based and inquiry learning classroom. A purposeful balance of child-directed, adult-led and guided play is more effective for students’ learning in a play-based and inquiry learning approach, than adult-led teaching only. VEYLDF Practice Principle Guide (PDF, 430KB)(opens in a new window).

By integrating child-directed, adult-led and guided play, teachers are able to implement a variety of HITS to support students to engage in stimulating and motivating learning.

Module 2.3: Planning and implementing play-based and inquiry learning experiences

Planning for your role in play-based and inquiry learning

Effective planning for, and implementation of, play-based and inquiry learning requires teachers to be observant and aware of individual students’ play behaviours. Play behaviours will represent students’ funds of knowledge, capabilities and interests.

Reflective observations are an invaluable tool for teachers. They contribute significantly to informal assessment by:

• generating diagnostic assessment
• capturing anecdotal evidence of what you have noticed
• documenting your students’ funds of knowledge, their capabilities and interests
• providing a more an in-depth analysis of the play behaviour and
• aligning with Individual Education Plans (IEPs).

Reflective observations: Downloadable resource

Here are some questions to prompt reflective observations:

• Playing collaboratively
  - Do the students initiate their own play on their own and with others?
  - Can they maintain play?
  - Do they have the skills to join in with others?
  - Do they communicate their play ideas with peers and adults?
• Creativity and imagination
  - Can they use open-ended materials in an imaginative way?
  - Do they engage in different types of play?
  - Do they have particular play interests?
• Challenge, resilience & individual engagement
  - Do they respond positively to teacher involvement?
  - Do they respond positively to additional challenges?
  - Are they inclusive of others in their play?
  - Are they able to resolve issues and respond to challenges in their play and interactions with others?

In order to support your planning, you can download this teacher checklist (PDF, 104KB) of reflective questions that focus on key integrated teaching and learning aspects in play-based and inquiry learning.

As you understand more about each of your students, you will be able to plan accordingly for both indoor and outdoor play.

Teacher perspectives on implementing play-based and inquiry learning

In the video below, we hear from teachers who share their experiences with implementing play-based and inquiry learning approaches. A feature of these conversations is the honesty the teachers bring in sharing the successes and challenges they have experienced in their practice.

Highlighting key information from the video

In the implementation of a play-based and inquiry learning approach, it is important to remember the following key elements:

Student play skills

Learning potential of play

Child-led play

Open-ended conversations

Active teacher involvement

Module 2.4: Organising and resourcing play-based and inquiry learning experiences

Teaching roles in indoor and outdoor play-based and inquiry learning

This animation brings to life the potential in teaching practices, that embrace different teacher roles in play-based and inquiry learning both indoors and outdoors. By using the metaphor of a tree, the animation illustrates teaching as dynamic, changing and continually growing.

Planning, organising and resourcing indoor classrooms for play-based and inquiry learning

The organisation of your classroom environment and the resources you provide are all crucial components in an effective play-based and inquiry learning approach.

To support you to think about resources for play-based and inquiry learning and the potential they can have for the students in your classroom, we have created a downloadable booklet.

Planning, organising and resourcing for play-based and inquiry learning in the outdoors

The outdoor setting is a vibrant and diverse learning space. Play-based and inquiry learning approaches recognise the potential of learning both indoors and outdoors (Little, Elliott & Wyver, 2017; Millington, 2013). In the video below, Principal Jennifer Deeble describes her school's journey and determination to develop a nature play classroom.

Research has shown that school playgrounds are effective, but often underutilised, places for inquiry and learning (Chancellor, 2008).

Another common misconception is that school playgrounds are only a space for students to ‘get rid of excess energy’. However, there is compelling evidence that students use the spaces in their school playgrounds in multiple ways.

For example, students may be engaged in socio-dramatic play, they may seek out places for solitude, and they may purposefully create places for their self-directed play. School playgrounds are a significant site for social play as well as physical activity.

Interactive poster

The interactive poster below provides some important points, practical tips and examples of environments for you to consider when planning and organising play-based and inquiry learning outdoors.

The outdoors is full of potential for learning, and play creates avenues for children to make connection, build skills, and encounter concepts in curriculum. As you click on the different hotspots (+) in the interactive poster, you are encouraged to think about these links. In some cases, it might be a site to visit, in other cases it could be a resource inspiration, or planning tip.

Module 2.5 - Upholding Victoria’s vision for learning

Aligning with Victoria's Pedagogical Model

Play-based and inquiry learning supports the effective implementation of the Victorian pedagogical model.

Explore information in the accordion below to learn more about how you can engage, explore, explain, elaborate and evaluate student learning through play and inquiry.

Play-based and inquiry learning five-part pedagogy

Engage

Explore

Explain

Elaborate

Evaluate

Keep in mind

Explore Victoria’s pedagogical model in more depth within this guide to Victoria's pedagogical model (PDF, 787KB).

You can also directly engage with the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) guidance to strengthen your knowledge and practice of planning in a play-based and inquiry approach.

Upholding excellence in teaching and learning

The benefits of a play-based and inquiry learning approach extend beyond a student's transition to school. You may find these modules helpful in supporting you and your colleagues to implement a whole school approach to play-based and inquiry learning.

Explore the links between the teacher’s role and practice principles in a play-based and inquiry learning approach in the poster below.

Webinar 2: Planning and implementing a play-based and inquiry learning approach

The webinar for Module 2:

• takes a deep dive into a teacher’s play-based and inquiry learning approach, and the pragmatics of setting up environments to support this.
• hears from an expert panel, consisting of play-based and inquiry learning coordinators and classroom teachers, about implementation opportunities and challenges.
• Includes a landscape architect who designs outdoor play spaces in schools talking about the value of outdoor play and learning.

Progressing with the differentiated/play-based and inquiry learning program

You’ve now reached halfway through the program.

Click below for Module 3: Assessing learning through play.

Module 3.1: Getting started in this module

Objectives of the module

This online module will strengthen teachers’ understanding of assessment as part of an effective planning cycle that identifies play and inquiry learning outcomes in relation to the Victorian Curriculum (F – 10). This includes assessment in curriculum areas such as language and literacy, numeracy and mathematics, as well as personal and social capabilities. The module also focuses on assessing play itself, recognising the link between a student’s play ability and learning.

Listen to this welcome vodcast where Professor Andrea Nolan will introduce herself and the other academics who will be facilitators for this module.

Authentic assessment captures the learning

Authentic assessment captures the learning as it occurs naturally. During play, students naturally apply skills, abilities, knowledge and understandings. As noted in the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF): practice principles guide – high expectations for every child (PDF, 430KB), authentic assessments take place in environments that are familiar and natural to children; when children are comfortable; when children can engage with experiences, materials and equipment that interest them; and in everyday experiences.

‘Assessment of children’s knowledge, understandings, skills and capabilities is an essential ingredient of planning for and promoting new learning and development’ (VEYLDF 2016). By observing students during their play and documenting what you see, you can gain a rich understanding of what they know, understand and can do. For example, during play, pay attention to the kinds of behaviours the students engage in and their interactions with materials, objects and people. Observe these behaviours for:

• signs of progression in their learning
• achievement against learning intentions and success criteria
• new abilities
• student enjoyment in accomplishment.

Resources for authentic assessment in the early years

Outcome descriptors in transition learning and development statement

When considering authentic assessment and planning of play-based and inquiry learning, you may find it helpful to consider the outcome descriptors captured in transition learning and development statements(opens in a new window). The descriptors (PDF, 318KB) describe a child's progress against the five learning and development outcomes of the VEYLDF and are aligned with the first three levels of the Victorian Curriculum (Levels F-10).

Early Abilities Based Learning and Education Support (Early ABLES)

Early ABLES(opens in a new window) is a strengths and observation-based online assessment for learning tool. It supports educators to provide a more individualised learning experience for children aged two to five years with disabilities and/or developmental delay. This assessment tool is particularly useful for students requiring an enhanced transition to school.

Early ABLES includes eight assessments that align with the learning and development outcomes of the VEYLDF:

1. Identity and community – social
2. Wellbeing – emotion
3. Learning dispositions
4. Communication – interactions
5. Communication – symbols and text
6. Learning and communication – numeracy
7. Wellbeing – movement
8. Identity and learning – thinking skills.

Examples of assessment from practising teachers

Watch the below video about examples of assessment from practising teachers.

As you watch the video consider the different perspectives of assessment that are discussed and their potential.

Connecting with parents about assessment

Teachers choose assessment instruments and techniques to create a holistic picture of each child’s knowledge, understandings, skills and capabilities. Teachers also consider how they can support parents/families to understand and value the learning that comes from play in a play-based and inquiry learning program. This means being thoughtful, deliberate and purposeful in the way the information is utilised in discussions with families.

Watch this video about connecting with parents about assessment, where a Foundation teacher outlines how she and her colleagues demonstrate learning and student progression to parents.

Sharing information with parents can assist in building their understanding of the learning that is occurring in play and that play is purposeful with goals and expectations that students can achieve.

Module 3.2: Different types of assessment

Assessment and documenting learning

This section will assist you in thinking through how you assess, which directly relates to what learning the assessment will capture. Play provides a vehicle where students can demonstrate their skills, understanding and learning. During play, assessments can be made in relation to their progress in curriculum areas, as well as their play ability. This is discussed further in the next section.

Documenting learning in play-based and inquiry learning can take the form of observations, portfolios, video and audio recordings, work samples, anecdotes, language transcripts, running records and student self-reflections. This is not an exhaustive list but demonstrates the variety of tools teachers can use to identify and document the learning outcomes achieved through play-based and inquiry-led experiences.

Questions for learners and teachers

Teachers should be able to explain to the learners:

• What is to be learnt - the learning intentions?
• How are the learning intentions linked to the bigger ideas and understandings that the learners will learn?
• How will the students be learning?
• How are the learning activities relevant to the success criteria?
• How will learners demonstrate their learning? What will they say, make, write or do with reference to sample assessment tasks?
• How will this new learning impact on future learning?

Intersection between the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model (VTLM) and the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF)

To understand the intersection between the VTLM and the VEYLDF watch the ‘Introduction’ video of the VEYLDF Early Years Planning Cycle available on the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority website.

Watch the 'Introduction' video from VCAA website. In this video, Dr Caroline Cohrssen outlines the planning cycle resources developed by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority to guide planning and assessment.

Download the VCAA Early Years planning cycle resource(opens in a new window). Please note the document has been organised to reflect the different age groups of learners – birth to 2 years, 3 to 5 years and 6 to 8 years.

Play-based and inquiry learning supports High Impact Teaching Strategy 8: Feedback

The improvement and planning cycles discussed above position play-based and inquiry learning as an opportunity to provide students with informal and/or formal feedback to guide their current and future learning.

During a play and inquiry learning experience, you can give students set tasks that require them to record their findings or write a narrative about their activity. Such documentation in hard copy form, provides an authentic opportunity to provide formal written feedback to students on their playful learning. We provide more information about feedback and reporting to support you to achieve HITS 8 in your play-based and inquiry learning approach.

Practice principles focus

The infographic below provides a visual poster of the connections between practice principles in the VTLM and the VEYLDF in relation to assessment. To further support your learning about the links between these documents with regards to assessment, you may find the VEYLDF illustrative maps useful(opens in a new window).

Module 3.4: Assessment of play

Assessing student's play

Assessing students’ play-based and inquiry learning, provides teachers with important information on how a student understands their world, how they interact with those around them, and how they build a narrative.

Reflecting on previous modules

Many researchers and teachers observe student outcomes such as creativity, self-regulation, social skills, language and literacy, theory of mind and social understandings during play (Lillard et al, 2013; Stagnitti, Paatsch, Nolan & Campbell, 2020). However, it is also important to assess the student’s level of play abilities from simple skills, such as manipulating objects and exploring their surroundings, to the more complex abilities to impose meaning on what they are doing and substituting an object for something else.

Assessing students’ imaginary and dramatic play

During imaginary and dramatic play, teachers can observe the student’s level of play development and can use these observations to report to parents and other teachers, to plan for future play sessions, and to determine their own role in supporting students to develop their play and inquiry learning abilities.

Observing different types of play

Let’s watch the video of the four Foundation students and their teacher, playing with a set of animals, wooden blocks, fabrics, cars, trucks, sticks and gemstones. You watched this video in Module 1 to observe some of the different types of play as well as the learning that was taking place through play-based and inquiry learning.

Watch this video again with a focus on two specific students:

1. The young boy with red hair (Thomas*), and
2. The young girl with blonde hair (Celeste*).

*Names are pseudonyms

Share your observations

What play skills do you notice with these students? Using the 6 imaginary and dramatic play skills you just explored earlier, consider the above video and assess these students’ play abilities. Click on the plus (+) icon in the corner of the Padlet screen, to make your contribution to the board.

(opens in a new window)

Module 3.5: Assessing language and literacy

Connections between play-based and inquiry learning and language and literacy development

As discussed in Module 1, research has shown that there is a strong relationship between play-based and inquiry learning and language and literacy development. Specifically, object substitution has been found to predict oral expressive and receptive language abilities (Stagnitti, Paatsch, Nolan & Campbell, 2020) and complex play sequences predict the emergence of early multi-word speech and narrative skills, such as story comprehension and story production.

Play has also been found to support the development of emergent reading and writing skills, semantic organisation, and narrative re-telling skills. As such, play also provides teachers with the opportunities to assess students’ speaking and listening, language and literacy skills, and sociodramatic play (interacting with others).

Thinking analytically about students’ imaginary and dramatic play

The following interaction focuses on a sample of students’ imaginary and dramatic play. We will analyse this sample to look closely at some language and literacy abilities demonstrated by the students.

Assessing language and literacy

This video about assessing language and literacy presents some short segments from an experienced Foundation teacher, Marie, regarding how she assesses students’ oral language, stories, speaking and listening, vocabulary and reading throughout play-based and inquiry learning. Note how she views the affordances of play-based and inquiry learning to observe and assess students’ abilities and learnings.

Module 3.6: Assessing numeracy and mathematics

Making sense of the world mathematically

Assessing mathematics through play

Mathematics has developed from our social activity and as a way of making sense of our world. Play-based and inquiry learning in its many forms involves students in mathematical experiences because mathematics is part of their world and everyday lives. This is why mathematics has practical or ‘real life’ applications that play-based and inquiry learning can reveal. It is also where we see students’ numeracy in action, as they draw on their mathematics skills and knowledge and use these purposefully in a range of situations.

Play promotes mathematics engagement

Mathematics learned through play and inquiry is holistic and capitalises on students’ interests, intrinsic motivation, curiosity and ability to self-direct their learning. Play-based and inquiry learning provides genuine choice for students and opportunities for them to engage with a wide range of mathematical concepts, processes and explorations. Explore these concepts further within the Victorian Curriculum Learning in Mathematics.

These experiences are enhanced when students have teachers who can set curriculum goals that are facilitated through play, and who can support students to recognise, build, extend, reflect on and represent the mathematics that has emerged from their play. Play-based and inquiry learning, therefore, develops students’ capacities to play with mathematical ideas, and to inquire into and experiment with mathematical possibilities (Kinnear & Wittmann, 2018), making them ideal environments for noticing and assessing the mathematics learning they employ.

Mathematical ideas shared during meaningful conversations

Teachers can see students playing with mathematics even when they are not playing with objects. Mathematical ideas lend themselves to play. Teachers can observe the conversations that take place between each other and teacher and student.

Assessing mathematics in play

Perry & Dockett (2010) highlight that for teachers to assess students’ mathematical knowledge and understanding in play, they need “…mathematical knowledge; understanding the nature of students’ play, particularly the characteristics of play that promote mathematical learning and thinking and awareness of the role of adults in promoting both play and mathematical understanding.” (p. 715). The teacher’s openness to the opportunities play presents for mathematics assessment is also important. Let’s look more closely at these ideas.

To assess, we have to know what to look for, and what learning can come next, so an understanding of mathematics and mathematical learning trajectories is central to effective assessment. The Numeracy Learning Progressions(opens in a new window) supports teachers to understand how aspects of numeracy develop over time, and to use this knowledge to inform learning activities.

Ways of assessing mathematics

Although free play provides opportunities for mathematics learning, play that best supports mathematics learning, includes scaffolded dramatic and make-believe play (Clements, Sarama, Layzer, Unlu & Fesler, 2020), and is characterised as guided, where students experience choice and control in their play while the teacher brings the mathematics in the play into focus. In this role, the teacher uses questioning and discussion to guide explicit and extended exploration of the mathematics the students are engaging with and supports them to make connections between the mathematics and their play (Lee & Ginsburg, 2009).

Let's take a look at different ways of scaffolding and assessing students learning in mathematics.

‘Key thought’

Making learning visible

Play and mathematics learning

High order questions

Mathematics develops in a context

Asking mathematically rich questions

As you look closely at the interactive poster, click on the + hotspot to take note of the category of each question and the question starter. How do these questions support your practice?

Stepping into playful assessment: numeracy and mathematics

Strategies teachers can use, that lend themselves to play and inquiry contexts, include ways of sparking students’ dispositions for curiosity, pretence, sense of humour and playfulness (Gifford, 2005).

Research has found that statements made by the teacher, that engage these dispositions, provoke more discussion than questions, and statements can foster learning and provide opportunities for assessment.

For example, in a play scenario involving shop play, the following approaches and use of statements, could elicit students’ mathematical ideas and ways of thinking, where the students’ responses could be assessed against the Victorian Curriculum Mathematics Achievement Standards(opens in a new window):

• teacher wondering out loud: “I wonder where the boxes are that we need to build the shop shelves?” (VCMMG082 - Describe position and movement)
• teacher making deliberate errors: Picking up a box priced “5” with five dots on the box to represent it and paying for it with four counters. (VCMNA072 - Compare, order and make correspondences between collections, initially to 20, and explain reasoning)
• provocative statements: (in response to a small set of objects - “What a lot of bananas you’ve got! I think there’s 100!” (Achievement Standards - estimate the size of sets).

Putting the Illustrative Maps into practice

The VEYLDF Illustrative Maps align the VEYLDF and the Victorian Curriculum and support making connections between what we observe in play and assessment.

For example, Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners in the VEYLDF is a rich basis for mathematics and numeracy assessment, because it engages many of the skills and processes where students use mathematics for problem-solving, and in inquiry, experimentation and investigation.

We can assess mathematics and numeracy using Outcome 4 when we see, for example, students:

1. applying a wide variety of thinking strategies to engage with situations and solve problems,
2. creating and using representation to organise, record and communicate mathematical ideas and concepts, and
3. making predictions and generalisations about their daily activities…and communicating these using mathematical language and symbols.

Playful mathematics

In this interactive presentation consider the mathematical vocabulary that students use in their play. Click the hotspot +

(opens in a new window)

Module 3.7: Assessing personal and social capability

Privileging personal and social capabilities

Personal and social capabilities allow students to be aware of the self, family and community. Such awareness contributes to children’s connectedness, acceptance and experience of positive reciprocal relationships.

Having a repertoire of prosocial behaviours is an important personal and social capability that contributes to students’ success in group situations, including friendships and classroom experiences (VCAA, 2019). In particular, the ability to self-regulate emotions, collaborate with, and resolve conflict are just three prosocial skills that are essential for students’ reciprocal relationships with peers and engage in classroom experiences.

Porter (2016) notes that when young students develop a range of prosocial skills, they are more likely to build positive relationships with peers. These peer relationships promote students’ feelings of belonging and acceptance, as well as positive self-esteem. Collectively, these personal and social capabilities and dispositions contribute to students being more likely to engage, learn and succeed in school.

Reflecting on Module 1

As discussed in Module 1, play-based and inquiry learning provides a way for students to practice, re-enact, and master a range of emotional and social ideas, feelings and experiences, to support their personal and social capabilities.

For example, when students take on the role of someone else in imaginary and dramatic play, they explore a range of emotions that support their capacities for empathy, abstract levels of thought and reflection, and prepare them emotionally and intellectually for the future (Wieder, 2017). These capabilities are important for students’ self-awareness and social awareness.

Metacognitive and self-regulatory skills

Students also develop metacognitive and self-regulatory skills that are important for higher-order thinking, creativity, planning and evaluating learning, and problem-solving (Whitebread, Coltman, Jameson & Lander, 2009). These are capabilities that are important for students’ self-management and social management.

In all types of play and inquiry experiences, students are involved in collaboration with peers which facilitates friendships, promotes pro-social behaviours and attitudes, and fosters the experience of responding to peer suggestions and resolving conflict (Scott & Panksepp, 2013).

In terms of social skills, it is important to be alert to the contribution of culture and language to learning. Barblett and Maloney (2010) note when assessing social skills, teachers need to understand that students bring their own cultural lens to their learning and social experiences which informs the ways they interact with others. While many differences may be well-known and obvious, there will be other unexpected areas of divergence.

Aligning the VEYLDF with the Victorian Curriculum

Many of these experiences in play align with student's Personal and Social Capability Outcomes(opens in a new window) in the Victorian Curriculum.

In the interactive vodcast below, Dr Natalie Robertson provides an overview of how you may notice personal and social capabilities in students’ play-based and inquiry learning by drawing on the VEYLDF Learning and Development Outcomes.

Click on the tiles to listen to discussions and think about students’ identity and wellbeing.

Downloadable resource

Personal and social capability: self-awareness and management (PDF, 136KB)
Personal and social capability: self-awareness and management (DOCX, 32KB)

A downloadable resource has been created that provides you with an illustrative map of how you may assess students’ personal and social capability outcomes through play-based and inquiry learning experiences.

Teachers talk about the assessment of personal and social capabilities

In this video about the assessment of personal and social capabilities, teachers from Wales Street Primary School explain how they notice, assess and document students’ personal and social capabilities. As you are watching this video, think about how the teachers are following the process of the VEYLDF Early Years Planning Cycle.

Module 3.8: Building community

Module 4.1 - Getting started in this module

Objectives of the module

This module will engage teachers in the inherently individualised and strength-based qualities of play-based and inquiry learning as a basis for differentiated teaching and learning.

Welcome

Welcome to Module 4 of the Differentiated/Play-based and Inquiry Learning for Foundation Teachers Professional Learning Program.

Watch a video where Dr Kim Davies will introduce herself and Associate Professor Liz Rouse as facilitators for this module.

The Victorian context

Victoria is an increasingly diverse community and students arrive at school from a variety of backgrounds, with a range of abilities. Inclusion recognises, respects and celebrates this diversity of students, their families and communities through the provision of differentiated educational experiences for all learners, regardless of their circumstances, experiences and abilities. You can explore tools and information designed for educators to support students with diverse learning and support needs.

Responding inclusively

Catering for diversity within the classroom is not a one-size-fits all approach to teaching and learning. It is a way of practicing, that responds inclusively, positively and respectfully to each learner, facilitating engagement and access to learning opportunities and enhanced learning outcomes through differentiation. We encourage you to extend your understanding in this area by reading our Student Engagement Policy(opens in a new window). The purpose of this policy is to assist schools to create effective local student engagement policies which provide the basis on which schools develop and maintain safe, supportive and inclusive school environments.

Funds of knowledge and the virtual school bag

Students can be viewed as coming to school wearing 'virtual schoolbags', (Thomson, 2020) filled with rich 'funds of knowledge' (Amanti, Moll & Gonzalez, 2005) of what they already know and can do. A virtual schoolbag refers to the knowledge, experiences, skills and interests that a student brings with them to school. Part of the content in a child's metaphorical virtual school bag are their funds of knowledge - collections of understandings and skills that are based in cultural and historical practices of families and communities.

Students' active participation and engagement at school, sense of learner efficacy and self-confidence are enhanced when teachers hold high expectations of them and believe that all their students are talented and capable of success.

The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF) practice principle high expectations for every child (PDF, 1.6MB) embraces teacher encouragement and high expectations with the development of students' agency, resilience and identities as capable and successful learners. High expectations are strong motivators and students can be supported to experience success, when their play-based and inquiry learning experiences build upon their existing funds of knowledge and extend their talents and interests. It is important for teachers to value students' strengths and differences and to communicate high expectations to them, respecting their unique abilities.

Module 4.2: Exploring the virtual schoolbag

In the interactive poster below, we expand on funds of knowledge and the ways in which they support students, click on the + hotspots to find out more.

Downloadable version of the examining the virtual schoolbag poster.

Differentiated teaching and the environment

Environments that support students' interests and strengths are more likely to help students feel a sense of belonging and of being valued. These environments can also support students to develop a sense of agency, as students recognise their capabilities as learners. Play-based and inquiry learning approaches support teachers to differentiate learning and teaching. Learning environments that harness play-based and inquiry learning, support all students to demonstrate their individual abilities and strengths, supporting them to become self-motivated and intrinsically engaged in their learning.

Practising differentiated teaching

In Module 1.2 you were introduced to the concept of differentiated teaching and learning, which is also the tenth of the High impact teaching strategies (HITS). Play-based and inquiry learning caters for all students and their differing abilities as it is open-ended. This enables students to engage in ways that are meaningful and comfortable for them.

Through play, students can call on their existing skills, understandings and capabilities which pinpoint what they know now, and what they are continuing to learn. This creates an opportunity for students to work at their level of proficiency and feel successful. Differentiation recognises and supports students to interpret and approach learning in diverse ways. In addition to this, play-based and inquiry learning allows for learning goals to be relevant to varying activities, resources, and preferences.

In play-based and inquiry learning, teachers use students' existing strengths, capabilities and understandings as the starting point for extending their learning. Students are supported to persevere, problem-solve, challenge themselves, take risks, collaborate and support each other's learning. Further differentiation can occur during play when teachers intentionally interact with students to make adjustments to their learning process. In addition to HITS 10 - Differentiated Teaching, there are other HITS strategies that support catering to all students as individual learners. For example:

• HITS 3 - explicit teaching
• HITS 4 - worked examples
• HITS 5 - collaborative learning, and
• HITS 7 - questioning.

Further information on the HITS can be found on High Impact Teaching Strategies(opens in a new window).

Module 4.3: Knowing students as players and learners

Getting to know students: informal and formal assessments

Play-based and inquiry learning supports teachers to know the child as a player and a learner. When engaging in play, students, regardless of their abilities or backgrounds, can engage in learning in ways which authentically support them to demonstrate what they know, understand and can do. Other ways teachers can collect information about their students is through conversations with families and more formalised assessment processes and tools.

The results from these tools add to teachers' knowledge of students, drawn from classroom observations and interactions and provide detailed and specific information to enable teachers to design and provide play-based and inquiry learning experiences that are differentiated and inclusive.

Available tools and resources

There are a number of tools and resources available to support Foundation teachers to develop accurate and useful learner profiles to inform instructional planning and program delivery, including:

Transition Learning and Development Statements (TLDS)

Other tools and resources for teachers to draw on

Interacting with multiple layers of differentiated teaching

There are many connections between differentiated teaching strategies and play-based and inquiry learning that are evident and emerge organically as the play develops. In this interactive video, Foundation teacher Kelly shares her practice and the "different layers within activities".

As you are watching this, listen to how she promotes high expectations for every child and consider how this practice encourages positive learning dispositions and intrinsic motivation for her students. Think about the teaching strategies that are evident in Kelly's practice by engaging with the interactive questions within the video.

Reflecting on Kelly's practice

In the above video, Kelly talks about how she incorporates "different layers within activities" to enable students with different abilities and learning needs to engage with shared learning intentions. There are prompts in the video that ask you to imagine some of the ways that you might differentiate the learning process, content and outcomes to respond to the specific needs of particular learners.

These observations provide teachers with authentic evidence of students existing funds of knowledge, preferred ways of learning, dispositions and capabilities. When students are engaged in play-based and inquiry learning, the wider group of learners also engage with and build an understanding of each other. They learn about their differences, strengths, and ways to build an inclusive classroom community.

Module 4.4: Differentiation as a teaching approach

Differentiated instruction

Differentiation as an approach to teaching and learning was popularised by American academic Carol A Tomlinson. In this short video, Emeritus Professor Tomlinson outlines what she means by differentiated instruction.

Based on Professor Tomlinson's explanation, the key features of differentiated instruction can be summarised as 'a way of thinking about teaching' that is

• student-focused
• actively incorporates teacher knowledge of individual student's learning preferences in conjunction with curriculum content
• establishes clear and substantive learning goals, and
• closely observes students and their learning process and products to identify where learners are at and make appropriate adjustments.

These key features of differentiated instruction align well with a play-based and inquiry approach in classrooms.

Effective teaching and learning is differentiated

In the following interactive experience Associate Professor Liz Rouse and Dr Kim Davies provide practical insights into the ways in which differentiated teaching and learning is demonstrated through play-based and inquiry learning.

Building on children’s diverse abilities, differentiation and HITS

Effective and appropriate differentiation is evidenced to increase student engagement and learning outcomes and is included as the tenth of the HITS. In Module 1 you were introduced to the Practice Principles for differentiated play-based and inquiry learning. We will now re-visit these through the lens of play, as a vehicle to support differentiated teaching and learning.

Remember that all play experience should recognise and respect the diverse backgrounds and experiences of students and their families. Access to and engagement with play-based and inquiry learning must be facilitated by sensitivity to the languages, cultures, religions and circumstances of all the students in your classroom.

Education for all means offering play-based and inquiry learning experiences that reflect and respond to the diverse backgrounds, experiences and abilities of all members in the school community.

Differentiation and HITS in practice, planning and teaching perspectives

In the interactive poster below, we revisit the potential of play-based and inquiry learning through the lens of differentiated teaching and learning. Click on the + hotspots and read the teaching thought, consider how this resonates with your practice.

Diverse abilities and excellent teaching and learning practices

The infographic below provides a visual poster of the connections between practice principles in the VTLM and the VEYLDF in relation to differentiation in play-based and inquiry learning.

Explore the connections between differentiation and the Practice Principles for excellence in differentiation in teaching and learning in a play-based and inquiry learning approach.

This poster provides you with an illustrative map of how you differentiate teaching and learning through a play-based and inquiry lens. It resonates with both the VTLM and VEYDLF.

To further support your learning about the links between these documents with regards to differentiation, please refer to the VEYLDF illustrative maps.

Teacher reflection

Watch a video where Foundation teacher Elise talks about how she utilises play-based and inquiry learning to support the learning and development of all learners. As you watch the video, think about Elise's comments in relation to:

• knowing children's individual interests, and
• teaching strategies such as questioning, modeling, and mediating.

To view Elise in action, this interactive video revisits Elise’s classroom as seen in Module 1. However, in this instance note how Elise differentiates her teaching strategies in play as she interacts with each student.

The strategies that Elise talks about in her interview are put into practice. These strategies come to life as she engages with the children. Consider the questions, roleplay and provocations that makes the play richer.

Module 4.5: Differentiation in practice - goal setting

Setting open-ended goals

Setting open-ended goals in play helps students experience success in different ways and assists teachers to adopt differentiated teaching strategies. In this video excerpt, we see how having an open-ended goal, such as exploring patterns, supports students to draw on their existing understandings, and to share these with others to further develop their own knowledge. Even though the question was teacher-led, the play context enabled students to explore the topic in their own way and demonstrate their current knowledge.

Watch a video where Marie discusses open-ended learning goals that support diverse capabilities in her classroom.

More professional perspectives

Although play provides students with open-ended opportunities to learn, effective differentiated play-based inquiry learning, from a teacher's perspective, is deliberate and strategically planned with student learning as the top priority. We invite you to look at open-ended play from another Foundation teacher's perspective. This demonstrates different ways in which explicit planning for play-based and inquiry learning can be approached.

Kelly reflects on play-based practices and goal setting

Watch a video where Kelly discusses how she incorporates play into her weekly classroom planning, cycling from explicit teaching to open-ended play, through different group formats, individual instruction, and students' own choice of learning activities.

Listen to her explanation of how she approaches planning for student differences in terms of their readiness to learn, prior knowledge and understanding, interests and learning needs. Now, consider how you might differentiate a similar play experience for your students, to accommodate their learning progress and needs. What options for engaging with learning about shapes could you provide to support your student's understanding of this area of the Victorian Curriculum? Could you modify and adapt any of Kelly's practices in your own classroom?

Personalised learning, IEPs and differentiated play-based and inquiry learning

In the previous section, we explained how differentiated play-based and inquiry learning can facilitate the learning and development of individual students within a safe and inclusive learning environment. In this module, we consider how play can support the diverse and personalised learning goals of individual students, including students requiring an Individual Education Plan (IEP)..

Types of play experiences and differentiation

The following interactive considers each of the types of play introduced in Module 2 and how each play type can support students and their learning goals as identified in their IEP's or other personalised learning plans.

The material in the interactive below draws on the 8 types of play focused on in Module 1. This framework emphasises learner profiles and the learning goals that can be addressed through play. It is important to note that play-based and inquiry learning can be differentiated to respond to the personal learning needs of all students, regardless of whether or not they have any diagnosed or identifiable additional learning needs addressed through an IEP.

Thinking about your own differentiated play-based and inquiry learning approach

Go back to one of your existing learning plans and review it from the lens of differentiated teaching in play-based and inquiry learning. Reflect on how open-ended your learning goal is and how this allows for differentiation and demonstration of learning. How could you incorporate play into your plans to better support diverse learners? Specifically, what adjustments might you make to:

• content
• process
• products, and
• learning environment.

Module 4.6: Supporting dispositions for learning through student agency

Making connections between being agentic and feeling capable

As discussed in Modules 1 and 3, play-based and inquiry learning provides opportunities for students to strengthen their personal and social management and awareness. For example, students may become more socially perceptive, develop self-awareness, and build capabilities and dispositions that foster resilience, tolerance, and self-managing behaviours (VCAA, n.d). These are all capabilities that promote students’ feelings of connectedness and acceptance within the classroom, helping students to feel confident and capable as a learner (Porter, 2016; DET, 2016).

When students feel confident and capable as learners, they are more able to be agentic. The VEYLDF Practice Principle Guide: High Expectations for Every Child (DET, 2017) (PDF, 429KB) explains that students who are agentic construct their own understandings and co-construct understandings with others by:

• contributing to others’ learning
• initiating and leading their own learning
• having a right to participate in decisions that affect them, including their own learning, and
• being capable of making choices and decisions.

Resources to support teachers to promote student agency

Students are supported in the development of agency when teachers have a high expectation of all learners in their classroom. In a play-based and inquiry approach, teachers show high expectations by providing rich and open-ended learning experiences that respond to all student’s strengths, interests and dispositions.

Let’s take a look at some of the resources that support to develop high expectations of students in the classroom:

Practice Principle Guide

For further information about how to support student agency, the VEYLDF Practice Principle Guide: High Expectations for Every Child (DET, 2017) (PDF, 429KB) provides some practical examples you can use in your play-based and inquiry learning approach.

Amplify Toolkit

Our student voice practice guide (Amplify) explains how to create the conditions, implement the practices and develop the behaviours, attitudes and learning environments that are conducive to empowering student’s agency (DET, 2019).

Discussing agency from the perspective of the Amplify practice guide

The interactive diagram below identifies some of the ways that play-based and inquiry learning can form part of the Amplify agenda by giving students voice and agency. By moving through the video and written content, your understanding of Amplify, through the lens of play-based and inquiry learning will be strengthened.

Associate Professor Liz Rouse and Dr Kim Davies provide some practical examples of how teachers can support learning dispositions in a play-based and inquiry learning approach that upholds students as agentic learners. They draw upon the Amplify practice guide (PDF, 2.5MB) to provide a framework of differentiation.

Module 4.7: Building community - webinar

Throughout Module 4 you have been prompted to reflect upon your own practices and consider ways in which you can use play-based and inquiry learning to support the learning and development of all students in your classroom.

The following questions may guide your reflections:

• What adjustments might you make to play-based and inquiry learning experiences to enable your diverse learners to access and participate in the learning opportunities afforded by playful inquiry?
• What benefits will be differentiated play-based inquiry learning have for the inclusive culture of your class of diverse learners?

Webinar 4: Play and differentiated learning

In webinar 4 we hear from Associate Professor Liz Rouse and Dr Kim Davies whose extensive practice and research has looked at differentiated teaching and learning, using play-based and inquiry learning, and a panel of teachers.

This webinar:

• unpacks how play enables teachers to differentiate learning and increase access, participation and enhanced learning outcomes
• explores parent views of their children's success though engaging in play based and inquiry learning
• discusses how teachers reconsider differentiation through experiencing play-based and inquiry learning.

Summary of the project and invitation to keep reading and keep in touch

Congratulations! You have come to the end of the Differentiated, Play-based and Inquiry Learning in the Early Years of Schooling professional learning program.

On behalf of the department and the Deakin University team, we hope you enjoyed engaging with each of the four modules, and their accompanying webinars.

We encourage you to share this resource with your colleagues to stimulate collegial discussions about play-based and inquiry learning approaches to teaching and learning in the Foundation year.

Course wrap-up from Professor Andrea Nolan

Watch the wrap-up video with Professor Andrea Nolan.

Module 1

• Differentiated teaching of the high impact teaching strategies (HITS)
• Vision for learning infographic (PDF, 61KB)
• Victoria's vision for learning
• Practice principles for excellence in teaching and learning
• VEYLDF practice principles
• Practice principles for differentiated play-based and inquiry learning infographic (PDF, 52KB)
• VEYLDF practice principle 7: Integrated teaching and learning (PDF, 430KB)
• Personal and social capabilities outcomes
• Literacy toolkit
• Numeracy for all learners

Module 2

• The teacher's role in play and inquiry experiences (PDF, 952KB)(interactive poster)
• Making connections
• Teacher checklist

Module 3

• Victorian curriculum (F – 10)
• Practice principles guide – high expectations for every child (PDF, 430KB)
• Transition learning and development statements
• VEYLDF learning & development outcome descriptors (PDF, 319KB)
• Early ABLES
• Questions for learners and teachers (PDF, 114KB)
• Transition learning and development statements
• Department of Education assessment site
• Practice principle 6 for excellence in teaching and learning (PDF, 1.2MB)
• Framework for improving student outcomes (FISO) improvement cycle
• VEYLDF planning cycle (PDF, 7.6MB)
• Assessment models and cycles infographic (PDF, 970KB)
• Early years planning cycle resource (PDF,
• VEYLDF assessment for learning and development practice principle guide (PDF, 2.1MB)
• VTLM and practice principles poster (PDF, 72KB)
• Sociodramatic play (interacting with others)
• Victorian curriculum learning in mathematics
• Victorian curriculum mathematics achievement standards
• Personal and social capability outcomes
• Personal and social capability: Self-awareness and management (PDF, 137KB)

Module 4

• Examining the virtual schoolbag poster (PDF, 176KB)
• In play-based and inquiry learning resource
• Practice principles for excellence in teaching and learning (PDF, 69KB)
• VEYLDF practice principle guide: High expectations for every child (DE, 2017) (PDF, 430KB)
• Amplify practice guide