Teach

Join us as Tiffany Westphal and Louise Rogers, co-directors of School Can’t Australia (SCA), share their views on why some students experience distress around school attendance.

Tiffany and Louise discuss how school attendance difficulties are often a protective nervous system response to chronic stress, especially for neurodivergent students.

This episode provides insights for school leaders, wellbeing staff and classroom teachers looking to better understand and engage with students and families impacted by attendance distress.

SCA was established in 2014, to provide lived experience advice and support for families whose children and young people are experiencing school attendance difficulties.

Key takeaways:

• Attendance distress is a stress response, not misbehaviour. Students may avoid school due to cumulative stress from significant and recurring life challenges which may include learning difficulties, family trauma, barriers due to disability, or experiences of not belonging. Responding with rewards or consequences is not always a solution for the root cause.
• Understanding the nervous system helps educators reframe behaviours. Fight, flight or shutdown behaviours—like meltdowns, avoidance or dissociation—are often signs of distress, not defiance. Supporting students means tuning in to their nervous system state, not just their outward behaviour.
• Curiosity and connection are key. Relational practice and tools such as visual prompts may help students identify and articulate key stressors and feel safe enough to share what’s difficult. Educators create more supportive environments by seeking to understand, listen, and work in partnership with families.

Show notes

• School Can’t Australia
• We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode and any ideas you have for future topics. Get in touch with the Teach Podcast team at [email protected].

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Join us as Jared Daly, Assistant Principal of Equity and Inclusion at Murray Bridge High School shares how Tailored Learning, formally known as Flexible Learning Options, is making a difference for students facing barriers like anxiety, disengagement or complex home lives.

He outlines how his site has transformed its support model by expanding its Independent Learning Centre, creating new programs and redesigning physical spaces to better meet student needs.

This episode offers practical examples and leadership reflections for schools exploring or expanding their tailored learning provision.

Key takeaways:

• Tailored learning enables flexible, student-centred pathways. Whether it’s anxiety, unstable housing, or disengagement from mainstream schooling, tailored learning programs like the Independent Learning Centre offer safe, structured environments where students can re-engage on their terms – academically and emotionally.
• Trusted relationships and wraparound support are critical to student success. Youth workers and case managers help build trust and provide consistent, approachable support – often making the difference in a student’s willingness to return to school.
• Since transitioning from FLO to Tailored Learning, 31 new schools are now supporting students in levels 2-4.

Show notes: 

• For more information, visit https://edi.sa.edu.au/supporting-children/learning-and-plans/tailored-learning/student-engagement
• Contact: [email protected] 

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How can play be a powerful tool for developing young children's language skills?

In this episode we sit down with Professor Louise Paatsch, Deputy Director of Deakin University's Strategic Research Centre in Education to explore how intentional play-based learning environments can nurture children’s oral language skills, setting a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

This episode is aimed at preschool educators. For primary and secondary school teachers, listen to our episode with Dr Yael Leibovitch and Professor Ian Wilkinson.

Key takeaways:

• Play is essential for language and communication development: Pretend play supports language development by encouraging children to use symbolic thinking, tell stories, negotiate, and collaborate – all critical skills for communication.
• The components of language are interrelated: Language consists of form, content and use.
• The importance of educator intentionality: Educators play a crucial role in supporting children to communicate. They use a range of strategies, such as modelling verbal and non-verbal communication, using self-talk, acknowledging children’s communication attempts, pausing with expectation, and dialogic talk during play and interactions.
• Planning for inclusion in play: Creating learning environments that incorporate culturally relevant and inclusive resources supports the language and communication development of all children.

Louise Paatsch - Let's play and talk

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode and any ideas you have for future topics. Get in touch with the Teach Podcast team at [email protected].

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What if the secret to better learning isn’t just reading and writing, but talking?  

In this episode, recorded live from the 2025 Literacy Summit, join Dr Yael Leibovitch from the University of Queensland Critical Thinking Project and Professor Ian Wilkinson from the Ohio State University as they discuss how dialogic teaching can spark critical thinking, boost engagement, and help students feel more connected to their learning.

This episode is aimed at primary and secondary school teachers. For preschool educators, listen to our episode with Professor Louise Paatsch.

Key takeaways:

• Talk as a learning tool: Classroom discussion helps students internalise ideas, build comprehension, and develop problem-solving skills.
• Building a culture of inquiry: Establishing a safe, collaborative learning environment encourages students to take intellectual risks and engage deeply.
• The future of dialogic pedagogy: AI is playing an increasing role in professional development, helping teachers analyse discourse and refine their facilitation skills.

Ian Wilkinson - Quality talk about text to support critical and creative thinking

Yael Leibovitch - A dialogic approach to writing pedagogy

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How does talk shape learning?

In this episode, recorded live from the 2025 Literacy Summit, Dr Debra Myhill and Dr Rupert Wegerif dive into why oracy, the ability to speak and listen effectively, is at the heart of literacy.

They explore how teachers can create rich classroom discussions that build confidence, critical thinking, and inclusion. Join us as we discuss how dialogue can be both a means and an end in education, fostering deeper learning and a more thoughtful, engaged society.

Key takeaways:

• The role of oracy: Speaking and listening skills are fundamental to all learning. Before students learn to read and write, they make sense of the world through spoken language, shaping their cognitive and social development.
• Teachers as facilitators: Educators play a crucial role in guiding classroom discussions, modelling inquiry-based thinking, and creating an environment where students feel empowered to express their ideas and engage in deeper conversations.
• Assessment and learning: Traditional high-stakes testing may not always reflect a student's understanding. Through classroom dialogue, teachers can assess comprehension more effectively and identify misconceptions in real time.
• The role of AI in learning: While AI tools like ChatGPT present both opportunities and risks in education, dialogic teaching can help students use AI as a tool for inquiry rather than simply seeking quick answers.

Show notes:

• Debra Myhill - A sea of talk: Why oracy matters in literacy learning
• Rupert Wegerif - Education for dialogue in the AI-enhanced internet age 
• Rupert Wegerif - Dialogue as an aim of education as well as a means to education

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In this episode we hear from student Willow and Wellbeing Leader Taylor about the restorative work Charles Campbell College is doing to support and champion LGBTQIA+ students.

Learn how the school fosters a safe and inclusive learning environment where all students feel valued and supported.

We’ll also discuss the Department for Education resources that schools can use to better support LGBTIQA+ communities, so everyone feels like they belong.

Show notes:

• We understand and acknowledge the LGBTQIA+ acronym is evolving and used differently across groups in the community and doesn’t recognise Aboriginal cultural diversity. We want to assure all our listeners that we value and recognise all identities and we know the acronym doesn’t include every identity.
• Topics in this episode may be of a sensitive nature for some listeners and may bring up issues or experiences that have been or are currently distressing. If you need support please seek assistance from one of the services listed below. Always call 000 in an emergency.
• The department’s Employee Psychology Services hotline - 8226 0744
• Lived Experience Telephone Support Service - 1800 013 755
• 13YARN - 13 92 76
• QLife - 1800 184 527
• Lifeline - 13 11 14
• Gender diverse, intersex and sexually diverse children and young people (public page)
• Gender and sexual diversity EDi page
• Strategy for public education
• Plink module Introduction to supporting gender diverse, intersex and sexually diverse children and young people
• Whole of staff training on supporting gender diverse, intersex and sexually diverse children and young people
• Diversity and inclusion in the department

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode and any ideas you have for future topics. Get in touch with the Teach Podcast team at [email protected]. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if education was about more than just academic success?

In this episode we explore how the expeditionary approach to learning can drive student growth, wellbeing and meaningful outcomes. Ron Berger, Senior Advisor for EL Education and Harvard Graduate School of Education professor, and Gwyn ap Harri, Chief Executive Officer of XP School Trust in the UK, reveal how powerful learning experiences can empower students to thrive, both in and beyond the classroom.

Discover practical strategies for creating a culture of high expectations, character development, and authentic learning.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode and any ideas you have for future topics. Get in touch with the Teach Podcast team at [email protected].

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In this episode, hear from Dr Linda Kaser and Dr Judy Halbert, co-leaders of the Networks of Inquiry and Indigenous Education in Canada.

Judy and Linda share insights from British Columbia’s education system and their work globally, drawing upon the power of curiosity, networks and the Spiral of Inquiry model in driving transformation and change in our schools.  The conversation covers leadership, transitions for Indigenous learners, decision making and student voice, offering practical tips and real-world stories which support our implementation of the Strategy for Public Education.   

Show notes: 

• Networks of Inquiry and Indigenous Education (NOIIE)
• NOIIE Transitions Report 2024 (PDF 2.1MB)
• Temperley, Kaser and Halbert, A framework for transforming learning in schools: Innovation and the spiral of inquiry
• Kaser and Halbert, The Spiral Playbook: Leading with an inquiring mindset in school systems and schools

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode and any ideas you have for future topics. Get in touch with the Teach Podcast team at [email protected].

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we explore the transformative Literacy Without Barriers project at Kingston Community School.

Teacher librarian Kirsten Barich and parent Katie Hines share how this program is empowering families with creative book packs designed for kids aged 0 to 5.

Aimed at nurturing a love of reading, the packs include books, user-friendly activity guides and materials for hands-on learning.

Along with boosting students’ confidence, the program is also breaking down barriers for parents and fostering connections within the community.

In 2024 this project was nominated for a Public Education Award and won the LGA South Australia's Jim Crawford Award for Innovation in Libraries.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode and any ideas you have for future topics. Get in touch with the Teach Podcast team at [email protected].

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode hear from Cathy Cook, Autism Inclusion Teacher and 2024 Public Education Award finalist, and Sue Shywolup, a former Year 3 teacher at Marryatville Primary School.

Cathy shares how she fosters inclusivity for neurodiverse students by upskilling staff, introducing sensory tools, and leading the Autism Action Team. She’s built a collaborative approach involving teachers, SSOs, and families to support students’ needs.

Cathy also discusses her plans to to expand initiatives with guest speakers and more student-led activities.

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