The WLA (Years 3-8) reflects a system that continues to provide explicit instruction and direction, and also reflect a set of additional strategies and practices for the teacher and students. Each component interconnects with the others to provide a holistic and consistent set of strategies in the teaching-learning cycle. To maintain the integrity and rigour of the approach, all the key components need to be working side by side. This is an important place to begin for understanding and working through the implementation. The WLA is a pedagogical philosophy that underpins intentional teaching across all aspects of teaching and learning throughout the day, week and year; it is not a simplistic addition of project-based learning overlaid on existing systems or tools. This understanding is very important as it conceptualises the platform for success in implementation, student engagement and consistent pedagogy.

The key components for the successful implementation of WLA are:

• Creating an empowering and student-focused learning environment
• Student-teacher-parent communication boards
• Electronic media
• Focus students
• Clinic groups
• Explicit instruction teaching sessions
• Student-teacher class meetings
• Student project work (education research projects known as ERPs)
• Expo
• Teacher, self and peer assessment
• Planning, documentation and reporting