E&AL1 – Introduction to early childhood teaching

The first 20-day placement, Engaging and Assessing Learners 1 (E&AL1), introduces Teacher Candidates to teaching and learning in the age group from birth to five years old. During this placement, you'll learn how relationships, professional behaviour, responsive caregiving and the daily rhythm of routines support children’s wellbeing, sense of belonging and learning. By the end of the placement, you should demonstrate understanding of the importance of using observations to plan and deliver play-based learning experiences, build relationships, interact with children, observe, document, reflect on and evaluate development and learning experiences.

Placement expectations

Teacher Candidates must:

• Attend 20 full placement days
  • 10 days working with the 0–2 age group
  • 10 days working with the 3–5 age group
  • Typically, each day of placement will last 8 hours: 6 contact hours, 1 non-contact hour, 1 hour break (or as negotiated with Mentor Teacher and Clinical Educator)
• Engage in 120 hours contact time (or as negotiated with Mentor Teacher and Clinical Educator)
• Engage in 20 hours non-contact/planning time
  (or as negotiated with Mentor Teacher and Clinical Educator).

Teaching expectations

Engagement in teaching activities will vary depending on individual placement locations, but should include:

Other expectations

Teacher Candidates are expected to engage in a range of other activities as directed by their Mentor Teacher and Clinical Educator, including:

• Demonstrating ethical and professional conduct at all times
• Documenting a minimum of 15 multimodal observations and reflections focusing on children’s learning, teacher practice and the learning environment
• Completing reflections based on own teaching practices and Mentor Teacher’s practices
• Participating in staff meetings and professional development opportunities during scheduled attendance hours
• Greeting families/caregivers and starting to participate in professional conversations, supported by Mentor Teacher or other educators
• Other relevant duties as directed by the Mentor Teacher and Clinical Educator.

Note: Please contact the Clinical Educator should you have any questions or concerns regarding the above.

E&AL2 – Introduction to primary teaching

Engaging and Assessing Learners 2 (E&AL2), the first placement in primary teaching and second placement overall, introduces Teacher Candidates to teaching through observation, guided practice and independent teaching. You'll gradually gain more responsibility for planning, instruction and assessment in collaboration with your Mentor Teacher. You'll begin to apply evidence-based strategies to engage diverse learners, manage classrooms and use data to inform practice. By the end of the placement, you should demonstrate growing competence and confidence in designing and delivering lessons for safe, inclusive, and well-managed learning environments.

Placement expectations

Teacher Candidates must attend 20 full placement days.

In the first 5 days of placement, you will:

• Engage in teaching activities such as small group or team teaching.

In the first 10 days of placement, you will:

• Engage in initial teaching of at least 5 lessons.

Before the end of the placement period, you will:

• Engage in independent teaching of at least 15 lessons, including at least 2 half-days of full control
• Document 15 classroom observations
• Engage in additional teaching, observations and/or school activities as directed by the Mentor Teacher and/or Clinical Educator.

Teaching expectations

Engagement in teaching activities will vary depending on school context, class availability and other factors, but should include the below.

Other expectations

Conduct classroom observations focusing on:

• Teaching strategies to support student participation and engagement in the lesson
• Assessment strategies, including formative and summative assessments
• Use of learning goals and feedback
• Evidence of learning and its impact on teaching
• Classroom management strategies
• Classroom routines including lesson openings and transitions to see how teachers capture and maintain attention
• Inclusive language, wellbeing support, and professional conduct
• Approaches to embedding Indigenous perspectives
• Practices of other staff; for example, in different year levels and/or specialist classes.

Additional school activities include:

• Staff meetings
• Yard duty
• Assemblies
• Professional learning
• Parent–teacher meetings
• Extracurricular activities (for example, sport/band practice, debating competition, etc.)
• School camps (optional).

Note: Please contact the Clinical Educator should you have any questions or concerns regarding the above.

E&AL3 – Independent teaching (primary)

The final primary teaching placement, Engaging and Assessing Learners 3 (E&AL3), consolidates your learning as a Teacher Candidate. You'll assume greater independence in planning, teaching and assessing student learning. You'll demonstrate professional autonomy, applying theory and evidence to design inclusive and developmentally appropriate student learning experiences. By the end of the placement, you should be teaching with confidence and consistency across extended lesson sequences, showing readiness to meet the Graduate Teacher Standards.

Placement expectations

Teacher Candidates must attend 20 full placement days.

In the first 5 days, you will:

• Engage in teaching activities such as small group or team teaching.

Before the end of the placement, you will:

• Engage in independent teaching of at least 25 lessons, building to half-day control followed by at least 3 days of full control by the conclusion of the placement period
• Document at least 10 classroom observations
• Engage in additional teaching, observations and/or school activities as directed by the Mentor Teacher and/or Clinical Educator.

Teaching expectations

Engagement in teaching activities will vary depending on school context, class availability, and other factors, but should include the below.

Other expectations

Conduct classroom observations focusing on:

• Teaching strategies to support student participation and engagement in the lesson
• Inclusive learning contexts, wellbeing support, and professional conduct
• Inclusive strategies to support students across the full range of abilities
• Literacy and numeracy strategies
• Assessment strategies, including formative and summative assessments, use of learning goals and feedback
• Evidence of learning and its impact on teaching
• Classroom management strategies
• Classroom routines including lesson openings and transitions to see how teachers capture and maintain attention.
• Practices of other staff; for example, in different year levels and/or specialist classes.

Additional school activities include:

• Extracurricular activities (for example, sport/band practice, debating competition, and so on)
• Staff meetings
• Yard duty
• Assemblies
• Professional learning
• Parent–teacher meetings
• School camps (optional).

Note: Please contact the Clinical Educator should you have any questions or concerns regarding the above.

E&AL4 – Independent teaching (early childhood)

The final 15-day early childhood placement, Engaging and Assessing Learners 4 (E&AL4), provides an opportunity for Teacher Candidates to demonstrate full readiness for the profession in an early learning context. You'll independently design, implement, and evaluate learning programs that foster holistic development, inclusion and wellbeing. By completion, you are expected to exhibit professional autonomy, critical reflection, and sustained competence across all Graduate Teacher Standards within early childhood settings.

Placement expectations

Teacher Candidates must:

• Attend 15 full placement days (typically, 8 hours per day; 6 contact hours, 1 non-contact hour, 1 hour break, or as negotiated with Mentor Teacher and Clinical Educator)
• Engage in 90 hours contact time (or as negotiated with Mentor Teacher and Clinical Educator)
• Engage in 15 hours non-contact/planning time
  (or as negotiated with Mentor Teacher and Clinical Educator).

Teaching expectations

Engagement in teaching activities will vary depending on school context, class availability and other factors, but should include the below.

Other expectations

Teacher Candidates are expected to engage in a range of other activities as directed by their Mentor Teacher and Clinical Educator, including:

• Demonstrating ethical and professional conduct at all times
• Engaging in professional conversations with families/caregivers
• Documenting evidence of teaching practice aligned with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in Early Childhood
• Participation in staff meetings, team planning, and professional development opportunities is optional but strongly encouraged for Teacher Candidates
• Other relevant duties as directed by the Mentor Teacher and Clinical Educator.

Note: Please contact the Clinical Educator should you have any questions or concerns regarding the above.