Teaching Pedagogy

At Maidens Park, we are committed to delivering high-impact teaching that supports every student to succeed. One of the key approaches we use is Explicit Instruction, a clear, research-based teaching model designed to help all students confidently grasp new concepts and skills.

Based on the work of John Hollingsworth and Dr. Sylvia Ybarra, Explicit Instruction provides a structured and consistent framework for lesson delivery. This method supports our whole-school focus on improving student outcomes through evidence-informed practice and strong instructional routines.

Our teachers make learning clear and purposeful. Every lesson begins with a Learning Objective and Success Criteria, so students know exactly what they are learning and how they’ll know they’ve achieved it. Teachers model skills using step-by-step explanations and check for understanding at every stage to ensure no student is left behind.

Lessons follow a simple structure:

• I Do: The teacher explicitly teaches the concept, models the steps, and uses techniques like TAPPLE to check for understanding.
• We Do: The teacher and students work through examples together, with plenty of feedback and support.
• You Do: Students practise independently, with peers or in small groups, applying what they’ve learned and reflecting on their progress.

This approach is grounded in how students learn best – taking into account how they process information and the limits of working memory (cognitive load theory). By breaking learning into manageable chunks and providing lots of opportunities for guided practice, we give our students the best chance to succeed.

We employ effective strategies, including TAPPLE, Engagement Norms, and Effective Feedback, to ensure the seamless implementation of Explicit Direct Instruction. Our approach prioritises teacher-led learning for introducing new concepts and reviewing existing ones. Clear routines and high expectations are set, providing a structured learning environment. Additionally, our dedicated teachers deliver scaffolded and differentiated lessons tailored to meet the diverse learning needs of all students.

At Maidens Park, we believe that consistency in teaching leads to consistency in learning. That’s why explicit instruction is part of our whole-school approach – helping every child grow in confidence, capability, and independence.

Maths

At Maidens Park Primary School Mathematics is taught using explicit instruction and the Oxford Maths WA Curriculum from Pre-Primary to Year Six. Teachers use spaced practise through the implementation of Daily Review for every Maths lesson.

Bond Blocks are used in Kindergarten and as intervention for students in PP-Year Six, who require additional support to learn number concepts. All our Allied professionals are trained in the delivery of Bond Blocks intervention.

English

Daily Reviews form in integral part of our English curriculum, specifically with Spelling and Grammar concepts. As well as the perfect time to provide content at the point of independent practice, Daily Reviews also provide teachers and students with opportunities for targeted teaching if misconceptions in understanding are identified. DRs can include phonological awareness, spelling, grammar and punctuation, editing, vocabulary, reading fluency (word, sentence & text level), comprehension, and Writing at sentence and short text level.

Phonics and Spelling

• Kindy: PreLit and Heggerty
• Pre-Primary: Year Two: InitiaLit Program and Heggerty
• Years Three to Six: Soundwaves Spelling and Heggerty

Reading

InitiaLit

• Pre-Primary: Listening comprehension is addressed using explicit vocabulary instruction and making connections using storybooks. Reading comprehension develops using decodable readers and a combination of basic literal and inferential questions to check for understanding.
• Year One: Listening comprehension is addressed using explicit vocabulary instruction and making connections using storybooks. Reading comprehension is developed using decodable readers during whole-class lessons and small reading groups. Students are questioned both literally and inferentially to develop understanding of texts.
• Year Two: Listening comprehension is developed by explicit vocabulary instruction and making connections in Storybook lessons. Exploring imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, students develop their comprehension by applying the connecting, visualising, questioning, inferring, finding the main idea, summarising and monitoring reading strategies.
• Years Three to Six: KeyLinks

Response to Intervention

To support our students, we follow a Response to Intervention Model. After universal screening of our Year Three to Six students, small groups are identified to receive four sessions of intervention per week. Year Three to Six students engage with the MacqLit resource. These resources incorporated regular monitoring of student progress.