Science of learning for excellence and equity

Building expertise in anything - sports, music, teaching... - requires solid knowledge, adaptable skills, and dependable habits that help us hit the mark without having to think and try too hard in the moment. So what does the Science of Learning say about this in the context of teaching? And what does the evidence tell us about how to help every teacher become even more impactful than they already are? In this webinar, Stuart will answer these questions, providing insights from state-of-the-art research alongside actionable guidance on strategies and techniques to try out in your own practice.

This session explores how structured talk can be used to improve writing, not as a warm up or engagement strategy, but as a cognitive tool. It begins by clarifying the important differences between speech and writing. Talk is transient and socially supported whereas writing is cognitively demanding and depends on a mastery of syntax. Treating them as interchangeable is one reason so much classroom writing fails.

The session will show how carefully designed talk routines can reduce cognitive load, make thinking visible, and give students much needed practice in using academic English. It will demonstrate how to move from oral rehearsal to controlled writing without slipping into vague discussion or unfocused chat. Teachers will leave with practical routines they can use immediately, alongside a clearer sense of when talk helps writing and when it gets in the way.

Many classrooms treat retrieval practice as a "bolt-on" activity—a quick quiz or a five-minute starter. However, to truly impact long-term mastery, retrieval must move from a peripheral task to the very architecture of the course.

This session explores how to transition from "doing" retrieval to building a cohesive, curriculum-led system that identifies not just what students remember, but how that memory shapes future learning.

Dismantling the flawed assumption that writing is a generic skill that students can simply ‘pick up’ through exposure or repetition, this workshop proposes a model of explicit instruction, deliberate practice, and curriculum alignment, offering a tightly structured approach to writing instruction that breaks down complex skills into teachable steps. Grounded in cognitive science, grammar instruction, and classroom-tested routines.

In this session, Dr Carl Hendrick will explore retrieval as a curriculum-wide design feature rather than a starter activity, showing how to build purposeful retrieval streams aligned to curriculum content and avoid low-impact “busy retrieval”.

David Didau is an educator, author, and professional learning leader known for his evidence-informed work on teaching, writing, and curriculum. He is the author of several highly regarded books including What If Everything You Knew About Education Was Wrong? and The Secret of Literacy. David writes in his blog The Learning Spy, a widely read platform supporting educators to translate research into classroom practice.

Stephanie Dehghani is an Assistant Principal at Templestowe Heights Primary School in Victoria. With over a decade of experience in evidence-based teaching and school leadership, she currently leads whole-school implementation of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. Steph's focus is on explicit instruction and effective Tier 2 and 3 intervention.

Implementing a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) in secondary schools presents unique challenges—siloed departments, complex timetables, gaps in foundational skills, subject-specific demands, and adolescent motivation. Drawing on her Churchill Fellowship and experience establishing interventions at Como Secondary College (WA), Jess will share practical strategies and highlight the key non-negotiable pieces of the MTSS puzzle that schools must solve for effective implementation.