Primary Education - Practicum

National Competency Framework for Beginning Teaching

Area of Competence 1 - Using and developing professional knowledge and values

• Knows content and its relationship to educational goals
• Understands the relationship between processes of inquiry and content knowledge
• Understands how students develop and learn
• Active in developing and applying professional knowledge
• Operates from an appropriate ethical position
• Operates within the framework of law and regulation
• Values diversity, all students have right to learn.

Area of Competence 2 - Communicating, interacting and working with students and others

• Communicates effectively with students
• Develops positive relationships with students
• Recognises and responds to individual differences
• Encourages positive student behaviour
• Responds to role in the team responsible for students' education
• Works effectively with teachers, ancillary staff and others
• Works effectively with parents and others responsible for the care of students
• Communicates with school support staff, the profession and wider community.

Area of Competence 3 - Planning and managing the teaching and learning process

• Plans purposeful programs to achieve specific student learning outcomes
• Matches content, teaching approaches and student development and learning in planning
• Designs teaching programs to motivate and engage students
• Structures learning tasks effectively
• Demonstrates flexibility and responsiveness
• Establishes clear, challenging and achievable expectations for students
• Fosters independent and cooperative learning
• Engages the students actively in developing knowledge.

Area of Competence 4 - Monitoring and assessing student progress and learning outcomes

• Knows the educational basis and role of assessment in teaching
• Uses assessment strategies that take account of relationships between teaching, learning and assessment
• Monitors student progress and provides feedback on progress
• Maintains records of student progress
• Reports on student progress to parents and others responsible for the care of students.

Area of Competence 5 - Reflecting, evaluating and planning for continuous improvement

• Critically reflects on own practice to improve the quality of teaching and learning
• Evaluates teaching and learning programs
• Plans to meet longer-term personal and school goals
• Develops professional skills and capacity.