What is adaptive teaching?

Adaptive teaching is an approach a teacher will use to continually assess the strengths and needs of learners and adapt their teaching accordingly to ensure all learners can meet expectations. With adaptive teaching, the teacher plans for the whole class and responds by making changes to the curriculum or resources so that all learners can achieve the same goals.

Adaptive Teaching & the Teachers Standards & Early Career Framework

Both the DfE Teachers Standards & the Early Career Framework Standard 5 breaks the term ‘adaptive teaching’ into more concrete recommendations for teaching. For example:

Provide opportunity for all pupils to experience success by:

• Adapting lessons, whilst maintaining high expectations for all, so that all pupils have the opportunity to meet expectations.
• Balancing input of new content so that pupils master important concepts.
• Making effective use of teaching assistants.

What are the benefits of adaptive teaching?

The 2015 PISA results showed that adaptive teaching is one of the approaches most positively correlated with pupil performance. If it is done well, adaptive teaching has numerous benefits, including:

• Allowing for personalised learning experiences for each pupil
• Helping to identify and address pupil gaps in real-time
• Enhancing learners’ engagement and motivation
• Supporting teachers in providing targeted and effective instruction
• Providing opportunities for pupils to work at their own pace
• Improving pupil outcomes and achievement.

Course Outline

Session 1: Anticipating barriers & planning learning carefully

• Anticipating & planning to address barriers to learning
• Setting clear learning goals & showing pupils what success looks like
• Planning lessons using cognitive load theory
• Using the right scaffold at the right time, including use of technology.

Session 2: Responding & adapting your teaching ‘in the moment’

• Using assessment to identify uptake and challenges: the art of skillful questioning & other techniques
• Responding to student needs in the classroom: ‘Tweaking’ tasks or revisiting content
• Planning interventions & the effective use of TAs
• Fostering student motivation & engagement: relationship, classroom environment and a focus on skills.

Presenter Profile

Amanda Ross-Scott has had over 15 years’ experience as Head of Learning Support in leading independent schools. A role as psychology assistant in a London hospital working with amputees, patients with brain injuries, and eating disorders fuelled an interest in the neuroscience behind mood and learning.

Post-Graduate training in Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) followed and for the past 20 years, Amanda has provided specialist learning support to pupils and private clients in a wide range of schools and settings, as well as regular whole school CPD/INSET sessions for teachers.

Most recently she was Assistant Head Teacher, Head of Learning Support, DDSL and Wellbeing Lead at Northbridge House school where she spent the past 6 years. In her private practice, she supports young people with learning needs and mental health issues, to overcome their difficulties, recover their self- esteem and confidence, re-engage with their learning, and achieve the grades they need to either continue successfully in further education or on their journey through life.

Cost: £150 per delegate

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