What does it actually mean to design instruction around how students learn?

In this episode of the Behavioural Deep Dive, I sit down with Brendan Lee, educator, consultant and host of the Knowledge for Teachers podcast, to explore instructional design and the different types of learning that sit behind successful student performance.

We discuss psychomotor, simple cognitive and complex cognitive learning, and why being precise about the learning we want to produce matters for the way we teach it.

Brendan also unpacks the Instructional Hierarchy and the importance of identifying the prerequisite knowledge and skills students need to successfully engage with intended learning.

We explore what this means in practice, including why the difficulty we observe may not always be where instruction needs to begin, how fluency can reduce the effort required to complete more complex tasks, and why teaching a definition or procedure does not necessarily mean students can generalise their learning.

We also discuss the connection between instructional design and student behaviour, including how repeated experiences of high effort or failure can shape a student’s learning history and influence their willingness to engage with similar tasks in the future.

A fascinating conversation about looking beyond the final learning outcome and thinking carefully about how we design the pathway students need to get there.

In this episode:
• Different types of learning
• Psychomotor, simple cognitive and complex cognitive learning
• Prerequisite knowledge and skills
• Acquisition and fluency
• Generalisation and adaptation
• The Instructional Hierarchy
• Designing for conceptual understanding
• Instructional design and student behaviour
• Translating evidence into classroom practice

Full show notes

YouTube

Guest: Brendan Lee
Host of Knowledge for Teachers Podcast

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Opportunities to Respond (OTRs) are often talked about as a way to increase student engagement, but their impact goes much further than simply keeping students involved.

In this episode of Behavioural Deep Dive, I’m joined by Karina Stocker to explore how Opportunities to Respond create the practice opportunities students need to acquire and strengthen both academic and behavioural skills.

We unpack why “the doing is the learning” and explore what effective OTRs actually look like in the classroom. Karina discusses why both the quantity and quality of opportunities matter, how educators can combine group and individual responding, and how prompting and fading can be used to differentiate instruction and support successful learning.

We also dive into:

• Creating clear classroom routines for responding
• Cold calling, student anxiety and building a history of successful participation
• What effective error correction should look like
• Acquisition, fluency and generalisation
• Why inconsistent performance may indicate a student still needs teaching and practice
• Using OTRs as ongoing formative assessment
• Practical ways teachers can monitor and improve their use of OTRs

A central message from the conversation is that OTRs aren't simply about asking more questions. Every well-designed opportunity gives students a chance to practise while simultaneously giving educators valuable information about whether their instruction is working and what needs to happen next.

If you're a teacher, school leader, behaviour practitioner or anyone interested in evidence-based instruction, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can take directly into classrooms.

Show notes and resourcesListen on YouTube

If you enjoyed the episode, please follow, rate, or leave a comment. It's always great to hear your feedback on the podcast, what resonated with you, and what you'd like to hear more about in future episodes.

Behavioural escalation is one of the most challenging situations educators face, but effective responses don't begin at the point of crisis.

In this episode of Behavioural Deep Dive, I sit down with Paul Leitch, an educator with more than 35 years of experience supporting schools, to explore practical, evidence-informed approaches to preventing and responding to escalating behaviour.

Drawing on his experience as a classroom teacher, behaviour consultant, regional leader and Guidance Officer, Paul explains why the most effective de-escalation begins long before a student reaches crisis. Together, we explore how productive classroom environments, proactive behaviour support and effective instruction create the conditions for student success while reducing the likelihood of behavioural escalation.

We also unpack the escalation cycle, discussing how the purpose of an educator's response changes as behaviour progresses from calm through to recovery. Paul shares practical strategies for recognising the early signs of escalation, responding effectively at each stage, avoiding common mistakes that unintentionally escalate behaviour, and helping students successfully return to learning following an incident.

Whether you're a classroom teacher, school leader, school counsellor or behaviour specialist, this episode is packed with practical strategies that you can immediately apply to create calmer classrooms, strengthen relationships and keep students engaged in learning.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why prevention is the foundation of effective de-escalation
• Practical strategies for maintaining productive classroom environments
• Understanding and applying the escalation cycle
• Matching your response to each phase of escalation

• Common mistakes that unintentionally escalate behaviour
• Supporting student recovery and successful re-entry to learning

Full show notes and resources, click here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube.
If you enjoyed this episode, we'd really appreciate it if you could follow the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it with a colleague. Every share helps us reach more educators and continue bringing practical, evidence-informed conversations to teachers, school leaders and behaviour specialists.

Thank you for listening, and we'll see you in the next episode of Behavioural Deep Dive.

School attendance is one of the biggest challenges facing schools today; but why do students stop attending, and what can schools actually do to help?

In this episode of Behavioural Deep Dive, I sit down with Associate Professor Lisa McKay-Brown, teacher and leading researcher in school attendance, to unpack the growing issue of school attendance problems and the practical, evidence-informed strategies schools can use to improve outcomes.

Together, we explore the different types of school attendance problems, the early warning signs of school avoidance, and why understanding why a student is absent is far more important than simply recording that they are.

Lisa also explains how schools can apply a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) to attendance, including universal prevention, early intervention, targeted supports, effective partnerships with families, and data-based decision making. Throughout the conversation, she challenges schools to shift from an accountability mindset towards one of continuous improvement, where attendance truly becomes everybody's business.

Whether you're a teacher, school leader, behaviour consultant, wellbeing practitioner or educational psychologist, this episode is packed with practical insights that can help schools better support student engagement and attendance.

Topics covered:
• School attendance and school avoidance
• The four types of attendance problems
• Early identification and prevention
• Applying MTSS to attendance
• Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports
• Partnering effectively with families
• Data-based decision making
• Building whole-school attendance systems

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to like, subscribe, and share it with a colleague who is passionate about improving outcomes for students.

For full show notes, click here.

What does it actually take to successfully implement a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) in schools?

In this episode, I sit down with Dr Lorna Hepburn, founder of The Behaviour Coach and author of Implementing School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support: A Practitioner's Guide to Tier 1 to explore how schools can move beyond individual programs and build sustainable systems that improve outcomes for all students.

Drawing on an extensive experience supporting schools across Australia, Lorna shares practical insights into what effective MTSS implementation really looks like. We discuss why schools adopt MTSS, the critical features of strong Tier 1 systems, how leadership teams can use data to drive decision making, common misconceptions that derail implementation, and the "lethal mutations" that preserve the appearance of MTSS while removing the very features that make it effective.

We also explore what effective Tier 2 systems look like, why they are often the "forgotten middle child" of MTSS, and the structures schools need to ensure targeted supports are delivered with fidelity.

Whether you're a school leader, teacher, behaviour consultant or member of an implementation team, this conversation is packed with practical ideas that will help you strengthen your school's systems of support and create more positive, predictable learning environments.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why schools adopt MTSS and the challenges it helps solve.
• What effective Tier 1 implementation looks like.
• Leadership, implementation teams and building sustainable systems.
• Using data to guide school-wide decision making.
• Common misconceptions and "lethal mutations" of MTSS.
• Why consistency matters.
• Building effective Tier 2 supports.

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider following the podcast and sharing it with colleagues who are passionate about improving outcomes for students.

Full show notes can be found here: https://www.sebcollective.com.au/multi-tieredsystemofsupports

What does it actually mean for a school to be trauma-informed?

In this episode of Behavioural Deep Dive, I’m joined by Dr Erin Leif to explore trauma and trauma-informed practice within educational settings. Together, we discuss how experiences of adversity can influence learning, behaviour, relationships, and emotional regulation, and the important role schools can play in promoting safety, connection, and belonging.

Drawing on principles from behaviour science and inclusive education, Erin explains the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and trauma, why trauma is defined by its impact rather than the event itself, and how protective factors can help foster resilience and positive outcomes for children and young people.

We also explore several common misconceptions surrounding trauma-informed practice and discuss why many of its core principles align closely with effective Tier 1 practices within a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS). Throughout the conversation, Erin highlights how safe and predictable environments, positive relationships, explicit teaching, and supportive pathways to success can benefit all students.

Whether you're a teacher, school leader, school psychologist, behaviour support practitioner, or anyone interested in creating more inclusive and supportive learning environments, this episode offers practical insights that can be applied immediately within educational settings.

View the full show notes, resources, and further reading.

About Dr Erin Leif

Dr Erin Leif is an Associate Professor at Monash University, Course Leader for the Master of Applied Behaviour Analysis, and Chair of Behaviour Support Practitioners Australia. Her work focuses on advancing inclusive, person-centred, and evidence-based approaches that improve outcomes for children and young people across education and disability settings.

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider following the podcast and sharing it with a colleague.

Which classroom practices provide the strongest foundation for student success?

In this episode of Behavioural Deep Dive, I’m joined by Dr Adam Feinberg to explore three of the most impactful classroom practices educators can use to support student learning, behaviour, and wellbeing.

Together, we discuss how clear expectations, effective routines, and behaviour-specific feedback help create the conditions for learning. Adam shares practical examples from his work supporting schools and systems through Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), highlighting how these evidence-informed practices can create classrooms that are predictable, supportive, and engaging for all students.

We also explore the connection between positive classroom practices, student belonging, emotional regulation, and mental health, and discuss why creating safe and predictable learning environments is a critical component of supporting both academic and behavioural success.

Whether you're a teacher, school leader, school psychologist, behaviour specialist, or anyone interested in improving outcomes for students, this episode offers practical insights that can be applied immediately within educational settings.

View the full show notes, resources, and further reading:

About Dr Adam Feinberg

Dr Adam Feinberg is a psychologist, educational consultant, and doctoral-level Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA). He works with schools and systems across Australia to strengthen student wellbeing, behaviour, and academic outcomes through Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). Adam is also the Co-Chair of the Association for Positive Behaviour Support Australia (APBSA) and co-leads SEB Collective.

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider following the podcast and sharing it with a colleague.

In this episode of Behavioural Deep Dive, I sit down with Jennifer Payne, teacher, psychologist, and Director of Rypple, to unpack student motivation, acknowledgement systems, and some of the common misconceptions around rewards in schools.

We explore the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, the research often linked to the “rewards undermine motivation” debate, and how acknowledgement systems can be used to support behavioural skill development over time.

Jennifer reframes acknowledgement systems as more than simply reward systems, describing them instead as a way to assess behavioural skills and prompt adults to use effective practices such as specific positive feedback. We also discuss how acknowledgement systems can be used as a data based decision making tool to better understand student behaviour, guide teaching, and strengthen implementation of positive classroom practices within schools.

We also unpack self determination theory, including the role of relatedness, autonomy, and competence in helping students move from external regulation towards greater independence and self regulation.

A practical and thoughtful conversation for educators, school leaders, and anyone interested in behaviour support, motivation, and positive school culture.

For full show notes, click here.

In the first episode of the Behavioural Deep Dive, I sit down with Dr Russ Fox to explore function-based thinking and how it can be applied in classroom settings.

Russ describes behaviour as something that is shaped by the environment, emphasising that students are always responding to what is happening around them. The conversation explores how being curious about what occurs before and after behaviour can help educators better understand why students respond the way they do, and what that behaviour may be doing for them in that context.

A key idea discussed is that behaviour is adaptive, even when it is costly. Rather than viewing behaviour as something that sits within the student, Russ outlines a way of thinking that focuses on the interaction between the student and their environment, and how this can inform more effective support.

The episode also explores how this thinking applies to classroom practice, including how teachers can better support and respond to student behaviour across academic tasks, social situations, and classroom expectations, and make small adjustments to support success.

This is a practical conversation for educators looking to deepen their understanding of student behaviour and apply strategies that are grounded in how behaviour works within real classroom environments.

For full show notes, click here.

In this debut episode, host Jake Lewis introduces the Behavioural Deep Dive, a podcast exploring the systems and habits that drive high performance in schools, teams, and organisations. Jake makes the case that the most effective teams aren't just the hardest working, but the best designed, and outlines his mission to bridge behaviour science research with practical, real-world strategies.