The Curriculum and Pedagogy Newsletter is sent every month. To subscribe/unsubscribe to the newsletter, please login and update your subscription preferences under the "Update my Details" tab in the member dashboard.
The PDFs below are a printable archive of Curriculum and Pedagogy Newsletters. The originals were designed to be read in webmail format.
AISWA Curriculum and Pedagogy Newsletter - November 2024
AISWA Curriculum and Pedagogy Newsletter - October 2024
AISWA Curriculum and Pedagogy Newsletter - September 2024
AISWA Curriculum and Pedagogy Newsletter - August 2024
AISWA Curriculum and Pedagogy Newsletter - July 2024
AISWA Curriculum and Pedagogy Newsletter - June 2024
AISWA Curriculum and Pedagogy Newsletter - May 2024
AISWA Curriculum and Pedagogy Newsletter - April 2024
- Early Childhood
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Early Childhood News
Welcome to 2025! The AISWA Early Childhood Team are bouncing with enthusiasm for the year ahead. We hope that you have had a wonderful break and ready for a year of wonder and joy.
Transition to school
‘An understanding of children and families funds of knowledge and identity helps teachers select appropriate materials and connect curriculum content to children’s culture, identity and experience’ Our Transitions to school report has excellent ideas on how to make the transition to school smooth and calm for children, families and educators.
- Develop a playlist that features each child’s favourite song. Use your playlists during transition times such as pack away, eating lunch or for a group sing along.
- Send home social stories about aspects of school day for families to share together. E.g eating lunch,
- Encourage specialists to come to the children’s classroom for the first few weeks rather than the children moving. Developing a safe and secure base is important in the early weeks.
- Gather information about the child and family and reflect this knowledge in your planning. Our form is available here – Lynne to provide
Toileting
As children transition into a new classroom or begin school the new routine and location often toileting issues arise. We have a number of useful resources available on our website. We are also available for a chat via the phone. We know that this is issue is stressful for all and often talking it through is helpful.
Playgroups
A new focus for our Early Childhood team in 2025 is supporting prior to school early childhood education such as prekindergarten and playgroups. We are hosting a series of network meetings for play group leaders.
Registration is via Playgroup network. Please contact Lynne McCarney with any questions.
Playgroup leaders are invited to join our Facebook group (Playgroup Leaders in Independent Schools WA)
Curriculum Guides
Looking for our A3 one page curriculum overviews, you will find these on the AISWA website here.
Conference Sponsorship
This years Early Childhood Australia Conference will be held in Perth, October 1st – 4th. AISWA Early Childhood will offer a limited number of sponsored places to attend the conference. This will also include travel assistance for remote and regional schools. Information about how to apply will be provided in future newsletters.
Professional Learning Calendar
The AISWA Professional Learning calendar is now live and ready for registrations.
Completely New PL:
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STEM Makerspace (one per term)
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TALK Workshop - Enhancing Oral Language Kindy and Pre-kindy
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TALK Workshop - Enhancing Oral Language PP and Year 2
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Reconnecting with Reggio Emilia - Kirsty Liljegren
New PL building on from 2024 themes:
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Education Assistants Term One (this PL is repeated throughout the year)
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Literacy Bites (one per term)
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Designing Powerful Journeys of Inquiry - Kath Murdoch
Early Childhood Team
Our team is a little smaller as we start the year however recruiting for additional consultants is underway. As soon as the process is finalised we will introduce the new team member/s.
We welcome inquiries from you on any early childhood matter via phone or email. Feel free to make contact with any of the team or for more specialised support see below.
Wendy Gorman - Manager - Support with policy, regulations and early childhood, PRA funding.
Lynne McCarney - Consultant - Support for play groups, Early Literacy, Behaviour guidance.
Melissa Kennedy - Consultant - Support for remote schools, Early Childhood targeted projects.
Janelle Dickinson - EC Support Officer - On entry assessment, Early Childhood administration
Previous Newsletters
Early Childhood April Newsletter
Early Childhood May Newsletter
Early Childhood June Newsletter
Early Childhood July Newsletter
Early Childhood August Newsletter
Early Childhood September Newsletter
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- Languages
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Social media Languages news updates
The AISWA Languages X feed provides constantly updated news for Languages teachers. It can be found here, along with Languages information links and a link to the AISWA Languages blog.
Other news
Over 40 language educators from all sectors gathered at AISWA in May to hear from seasoned Auslan educator Dr Karen Bontempo and Patti Levitzke-Gray presenting on principles of differentiation and inclusive education. Marisa Schiavi (CEWA) and Clare Slyth (AISWA) followed up with sessions on using AI to create IEPs and differentiated language resources. With experienced interpreters available the content was accessible to both hearing and deaf educators and it was a wonderful day of networking and shared learning.
- Leadership and Learning
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Your Leadership Consultant is...
Meika Pfeiffer-Gough (Manager)
Featured Professional Learning
National Certification Project 2024
Join like-minded colleagues and support one another to evidence your practice and achieve National Certification as a Highly Accomplished or Lead teacher. These sessions are a compulsory component of applying for Highly Accomplished or Lead Teacher (HALT) status.Click here for more information.
Women in Educational Leadership
Our network fosters a supportive environment for women educators to exchange insights, cultivate leadership skills, and break barriers in the leadership landscape. Through collaborative efforts and shared experiences, we aim to inspire, amplify diverse voices, and advance gender equity. Whether you’re a teacher, administrator or researcher, join us as we make meaningful connections and celebrate the achievements of women to pave the way for a brighter, more equitable future for all.
Click here for more information. Contact spatel@ais.wa.edu.au for registration.
New Principals Network 2024
This Network is for AISWA Principals and Executive Team staff who are in the early stages of their role and/or those who come with experience, but are new to Western Australia. It is intended that you will be able to serve as a resource for one another and share questions and discoveries.Click here for more information. Contact spatel@ais.wa.edu.au for registration.
- Literacy
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Your Consultants are...
Look out for the following Literacy PL events in Terms 3 and 4 and register through the AISWA website.
23 October - Sharp Reading: Guided Reading for Comprehension- provides participants with: an explicit, transferable routine for comprehension instruction, that empowers students.
24 October - Sharp Reading: Developing Decoding Fluency - provides a routine that allows the reader to practise the transference of the knowledge of letters, letter sounds, and spelling patterns when reading authentic text.
1 November - Secondary English Planning Day - held in conjunction with CEWA. A chance for HoLA’s and teachers to collaborate in the construction of Course and Assessment Outlines for 2025.
11 December - Implementation of the Western Australian Curriculum: English - The School Curriculum and Standards Authority will present a workshop designed to provide teachers and curriculum leaders with important information and guidance regarding the 2025 implementation of the Western Australian Curriculum: English.
- Numeracy
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Your Consultant is...
- David Dunstan (Numeracy Coordinator)
Planning for 2025? Free In-School Workshop for 2024
A Whole School Approach for Teaching Place Value
This suite of materials was co-developed by AISWA Numeracy Coordinator, David Dunstan, and Dr Paul Swan, and published in February 2023.
The ‘Teaching Place Value’ materials includes a Facilitator’s Guide, ‘Teaching Place Value’ year books, video instruction for activities, year by year ‘Menu Planners’, resources, and assessments.
75 Minute In – School Workshop Introduction
David has conducted this workshop, which targets Years 1 to 6, across metropolitan and regional WA. Each school receives a Teaching Place Value Materials Kit, that includes counters, dice, transparent spinners, and a USB that houses the 14 videos.
Contact David Dunstan at ddunstan@ais.wa.edu.au or on 0457 767 881 to make a booking.
New Online Resources - ‘reSolve’ for Mathematics and ‘Primary Connections’ for Science
AISWA was visited by staff from the Australian Academy of Science Education Early this term to showcase the new maths ‘reSolve’ and ‘Primary Connections’ science websites that were launched in June 2024. These are free resources. Go to https://resolve.edu.au/ to explore brand new all-online teaching sequences for the Australian Curriculum, plus embedded support for understanding key ideas and pedagogical practices.Timeline of the Review of the Western Australian Curriculum: Mathematics
The School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) is in the process of adopting and adapting the Australian Curriculum v9 within the P – 10 Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline (the Outline). The Authority plans to have the revised Western Australian Mathematics curriculum for Pre-primary to Year 10 available for familiarisation in 2025, and implementation in 2026.
The Authority has published the following timeline:-
2024 Review and Consultation
2025 Familiarisation and Professional Development
2026 Implementation - Targeted Programs
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Your Consultants are...
- Peter Farmer (NAPLAN). For the latest NAPLAN information and updates please click here.
- Wade McLeod (VET)
AISWA provides ongoing support to VET Coordinators, Careers Educators & Workplace Learning Supervisors. Our consultant - Wade McLeod - is keen to get out to your school to meet any new staff that have commenced a new role in 2024, or anyone that needs further support and mentoring in this space. As well as ongoing support to your staff, AISWA continues to provide some funding grants for:
- VET Student costs – applications open term 2, and
- Year 9 Career Taster Program – Expressions of Interest welcome any time
Please contact Wade for more information on how to apply for funding, as well as to arrange a time for a school visit.
AISWA holds VET & Careers Network meetings each term, where we invite presenters from Industry, Training Providers, SCSA, Department of Training and Workforce Development and many more. We aim to provide schools with as many industry and training links as possible, in order to provide your students with a multitude of pathways.
Upcoming meeting dates for 2024
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A strong focus on schools sharing illustrations of practice in areas of careers advice & Workplace Learning. We will be allocating time to network and plan for 2025.
Presentations on the day include:
- New Individual Pathway Planning resources from the Department of Education
- Financial Administrative & Professional Services Training Council
- Aviation Careers
- Schools sharing Illustrations of Practice
- Important update from SM TAFE on 2026 changes to delivery arrangements
- New Training.Gov Training Register
- Planning for 2025