This course is designed to introduce educators to a wide range of pedagogical practices and strategies that enhance children's learning and development, with a particular focus on early childhood education. The course aims to provide participants with the tools to create engaging, inclusive, and child-centered learning environments, emphasising the importance of adaptability in teaching.
Learners will explore foundational pedagogical frameworks, such as the Aistear Síolta Practice Guide, which supports play-based, holistic learning. This framework will guide educators in developing an environment that promotes inquiry, exploration, and meaningful interactions. The course also delves into slow pedagogy, an approach that values unhurried, child-led interactions, encouraging deeper engagement, creativity, and emotional well-being.
A significant portion of the course explores the concept of Philosophising with Children, an innovative approach that encourages critical thinking, reasoning, and emotional intelligence through age-appropriate philosophical discussions. Educators will learn how to integrate philosophy into daily practice, fostering empathy, problem-solving skills, and diverse perspectives among young learners.
Additionally, the course covers the vital role of outdoor play and learning, demonstrating how natural environments can be used to enhance children's physical, social, and cognitive development. Educators will gain strategies for incorporating outdoor experiences into their teaching practices to foster teamwork, resilience, and environmental awareness.
This course is delivered entirely online, offering flexibility for educators to engage with course materials and activities at their own pace. By the end of the course, participants will have a comprehensive understanding of these diverse pedagogical practices and their practical application in early childhood education.
A Range of Pedagogical Practices
This module equips educators with key strategies to support child-centered, high-quality teaching, focusing on adaptability and responsiveness to individual needs.
Key Areas Covered:
Aistear Síolta Practice Guide – Curriculum Foundations. Integrating Aistear and Síolta frameworks to create inclusive, play-based, and holistic learning environments.
Slow Pedagogy in Early Childhood Education, emphasising unhurried, meaningful, and child-led interactions to foster creativity, emotional well-being, and deep engagement.
Responsive Learning Techniques
Demonstrating: Guiding children through clear examples.
Describing: Using language to build understanding and curiosity.
Listening: Actively engaging with children’s thoughts and needs.
Modelling: Setting positive examples for behavior and learning.
Recalling: Helping children connect past experiences to new knowledge.
Encouraging and Praising: Building confidence and motivation through supportive feedback.
This module combines foundational frameworks with practical techniques, empowering educators to foster inclusive, reflective, and dynamic learning environments that support holistic child development.
‘Doing’ Philosophy with Children
This module introduces the concept of engaging children in philosophical discussions to promote critical thinking, communication skills, and emotional intelligence. It encourages educators to:
Use age-appropriate philosophical questions to stimulate curiosity and reflection.
Create a safe and inclusive environment where children can explore ideas, debate respectfully, and develop reasoning skills.
Integrate philosophy into the curriculum through storytelling, role-playing, and dialogue-based activities.
Foster empathy, problem-solving, and an understanding of diverse perspectives.
Outdoor Learning in Practice Across the Age Ranges
This module emphasises the value of outdoor learning as a means to enhance children’s physical, social, and cognitive development. It covers:
Designing and delivering outdoor lessons that align with curricular goals across different age groups.
Leveraging nature and outdoor spaces to spark creativity, exploration, and environmental awareness.
Practical approaches to incorporating outdoor learning into daily routines, from early years to older children.
Evaluating the benefits of outdoor experiences in developing teamwork, resilience, and hands-on problem-solving skills.
Planning and Assessment For and Of Children’s Learning
This module equips educators with tools and strategies for effective planning and assessment that align with child development and learning goals. It includes:
Techniques for planning lessons that are developmentally appropriate and curriculum-aligned.
Formative assessment strategies (assessment for learning) to guide instruction and provide feedback for improvement.
Summative assessment methods (assessment of learning) to evaluate outcomes and measure progress.
Balancing creativity with accountability, ensuring assessments support both academic achievement and holistic growth.
All applicants will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Lifelong Learning reserves the right to require applicants to attend for an interview to determine their suitability for the programme
