In this episode, we sit down with Dr Tessa Daffern, Founding Co-director of Literacy Education Solutions and Adjunct Associate Professor at La Trobe University, to explore the science of spelling instruction and assessment. Tessa shares her journey in education, unpacks her innovative instructional framework that helps students analyse words through multiple linguistic lenses, and discusses how teachers can effectively assess and teach spelling using evidence-based approaches. We also examine emerging trends from updated CoSTEY and CoST data, practical implications for classroom practice, and where educators can access high-quality resources to strengthen spelling outcomes for students.

Recent Publications

• Daffern, T. (2025). Spelling Assessment and Instruction: An ‘ART PhOrM’. In M. Quinn & B. Healy (Eds), Teaching writers – from apprentice to expert (Chapter 4). PETAA
• Snow, P., Serry, T., Buckingham, J., Lorraine, H., Dinham, S., Charles, E., Weadman, T., Swain, N., Hiland, S., &Daffern, T. (2025). National and international monitoring of student literacy and numeracy attainment: The case for rigorous macro and micro analysis. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 0, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajs4.70049

In this episode, we speak with Toni Hatten-Roberts about the growing impact of the Science of Learning and what it means for classrooms, teachers and school leadership. Drawing on decades of experience across education, Toni shares practical insights into evidence-informed teaching, cognitive science and how schools can create the conditions for deep and lasting learning.

In this episode of the Teacher Takeaway Podcast, we sit down with internationally renowned educator and researcher Andy Hargreaves to explore the future of teaching, leadership and educational change. Andy shares powerful insights on teaching as “repair work”, supporting teacher wellbeing, creating cultures of innovation and why protecting the humanity of education has never mattered more. Drawing on decades of global experience and his upcoming book Changing Teachers for Challenging Times, this conversation is both a challenge and a message of hope for educators navigating an increasingly complex world.

In this episode, we are joined by Lyn Stone, an educational linguist, author, and founder of Lifelong Literacy, to unpack the science of spelling instruction and what effective literacy teaching looks like in today’s classrooms. Lyn explores common misconceptions about how children learn to spell, the importance of encoding and orthography, and why traditional spelling lists and Friday tests often fail to lead to lasting learning. Drawing on more than three decades of research, writing, and collaboration with educators worldwide, she shares practical strategies teachers can implement immediately to deepen students’ understanding of how words are built, remembered, and connected through the English language.

In this episode, we sit down with internationally recognised instructional coaching expert Jim Knight to explore what effective coaching looks like in real schools today. Jim shares practical insights into fast-track coaching, PEERS goals, video reflection, and the four key coaching conversations that can drive meaningful teacher growth without adding unnecessary workload. Whether you’re a teacher, instructional coach or school leader, this episode is packed with high-impact strategies to build a coaching culture that is supportive, practical and focused on improving student outcomes.

In this episode, we sit down with Cindy Valdez, founder of Teach to Learn, to explore her mission of empowering educators and transforming lives through global collaboration. Drawing on her work connecting Australian and Filipino teachers, Cindy shares how building teacher capacity creates lasting impact for students and communities. We also dive into her passion for inclusion, multilingual learners, and why supporting teachers is the most powerful lever for change in education.

In this episode, we speak with Amy Tasker, founder of Groove Nation, about her journey in education and her mission to make dance accessible, inclusive and impactful for every primary school classroom. Amy shares why dance is such a powerful tool for building confidence and connection, along with practical strategies teachers can use to embed it into everyday teaching without feeling overwhelmed. We also unpack common mistakes, what great practice looks like in action, and how educators can continue to grow their skills in the creative arts.

In this episode, Brendan Lee returns to unpack five powerful ideas that cut through the noise of teaching and focus on what truly works in the classroom. Together, we explore how clarity for novices, purposeful classroom dialogue, fluency, intentional discovery, and the use of data can transform student learning and teacher practice. Brendan shares practical, evidence-informed insights that help educators move from good intentions to consistent, high-impact instruction.

In this episode, we are joined by Stephanie Murphy, Director of the Victorian Lesson Plans project, to explore what it really takes to improve teaching and learning at scale. We unpack what makes a lesson truly effective, the role ready-made resources can play in strengthening curriculum and practice, and the common pitfalls schools need to avoid. Steph also shares practical strategies for leaders and teachers to adapt these resources well and use them as a driver for genuine, whole-school improvement.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr Simon Breakspear to unpack what “elevated conversations” really mean and why they matter more than ever in schools today. We explore where everyday conversations can go wrong, what great leaders do differently, and simple, practical shifts that can immediately improve the quality of dialogue across a school. Simon also shares how getting this right impacts student outcomes and what it could mean for the future of the profession if we truly lift the way we talk about teaching and learning.