Chalk Dust

SummaryIn this episode of Chalk Dust, Rebecca Birch and Nathaniel Swain are joined by Kris Boulton, founder and CEO of Unstoppable Learning, to explore atomisation, an approach to instructional design that breaks complex learning into carefully sequenced, manageable elements. Drawing on classroom footage of Kris teaching algebra to primary and secondary students at Mastery Schools Australia, the discussion examines how precise explanations, minimally different examples and systematic checking for understanding can enable students to master mathematical concepts that initially appear well beyond their capabilities.Kris demonstrates how deliberate instructional design can remove unnecessary cognitive demands, allowing students to concentrate on exactly what they are learning. Through examples of expanding algebraic expressions, he explains why the selection and sequencing of examples matter, how to separate arithmetic from new mathematical procedures, and how mini whiteboards and immediate corrective feedback help teachers identify and address errors before moving forward. Central to his approach is the Penny Promise: if students give their attention and follow the instruction, the responsibility for their success rests with the teacher.Throughout the episode, Rebecca, Nathaniel and Kris explore the relationship between instructional design, cognitive load, student motivation and teaching expertise. The conversation extends beyond mathematics into broader questions about teaching sentence construction, selecting examples, managing instructional pace and the balance between explicit modelling and guided practice. Ultimately, the episode challenges teachers to consider how much more students might learn when every explanation, example and practice opportunity is designed with precision.Mentioned resources and explainersKris BoultonKris Boulton is an international teacher educator and education writer specialising in evidence-informed instructional design. He has contributed to England’s Early Career Framework and Ofsted’s Mathematics Inspection Framework, led teacher educator development at Teach First, and helped design Up Learn’s learning system.Unstoppable LearningFounded by Kris Boulton, Unstoppable Learning works with schools to improve mathematics instruction through a structured approach to instructional design known as atomisation. The organisation focuses on making complex learning accessible through precise explanations and carefully sequenced examples.AtomisationAn approach to instructional design that breaks learning into a small number of fundamental elements, each requiring a particular form of explanation and sequencing. Kris argues that identifying these elements allows teachers to design instruction that minimises ambiguity and prevents predictable misconceptions.The Penny PromiseNamed after Kris’s early-career mentor, Penny Jones, the Penny Promise is a commitment to students that if they pay attention and follow the instruction, they will succeed. It places responsibility on the teacher to design and deliver instruction that makes success possible.Engelmann and Carnine – Theory of InstructionSiegfried Engelmann and Douglas Carnine developed Direct Instruction, a systematic approach to instructional design that informs Kris’s work. Their Theory of Instruction examines how examples, non-examples, transformations and carefully controlled variations can support accurate learning and generalisation.Minimally Different ExamplesExamples that change only one carefully selected feature at a time. By controlling what changes and what stays the same, teachers can direct students’ attention to the specific concept or procedure being taught.The Setup PrincipleA principle associated with Engelmann and Carnine’s instructional design in which irrelevant features of examples are kept constant while the feature being taught is varied. Kris discusses how this might apply to teaching sentence syntax without simultaneously introducing challenging vocabulary.Cognitive Load and Instructional DesignKris explains how unnecessary arithmetic can interfere with learning a new mathematical procedure. By using simple number facts or stopping tasks before the calculation stage, teachers can direct students’ attention towards the intended learning rather than competing demands.Instruction and Testing SequencesKris distinguishes between the initial presentation of carefully sequenced examples and the subsequent testing sequence, where students respond independently on mini whiteboards. Teachers use these responses to identify errors, provide feedback and determine whether students are ready to progress.Mini Whiteboards and Corrective FeedbackMini whiteboards allow teachers to check every student’s response and provide immediate feedback. Kris demonstrates how repeated opportunities to respond, combined with precise correction, help students move towards mastery.Kick-Yourself MistakesA term Kris credits to his mentor Penny Jones, describing small errors that students recognise immediately when shown the correct response. The approach helps normalise mistakes while encouraging students to attend carefully to the correction.Instructional PaceKris discusses the importance of moving through examples and practice opportunities efficiently without sacrificing understanding. The principle of going as fast as you can, but as slow as you must captures the balance between providing sufficient scaffolding and maximising opportunities to practise.Listen or view, and support our work🍏🎧 Apple Podcasts — like, review and follow🎵💚 Spotify — follow and rate📺🔔 YouTube — subscribe and like✍️ Rebecca’s Substack — read more✍️ Nathaniel’s Substack — read moreTakeaways* Atomisation breaks complex learning into fundamental elements that can be taught through carefully designed instructional sequences.* Precise instructional design can prevent misconceptions rather than simply responding to them after they occur.* The Penny Promise places responsibility for student success on the teacher, provided students attend to and follow the instruction.* Minimally different examples help students identify what changes and what remains constant, supporting generalisation.* Introducing one new element at a time reduces unnecessary cognitive demands and allows students to focus on the intended learning.* Teaching a new mathematical procedure does not necessarily require students to practise difficult arithmetic at the same time.* Students may need several closely sequenced practice opportunities before they can consistently apply a new procedure.* Atomisation may have applications beyond mathematics, including teaching sentence syntax and other aspects of writing.* Instructional pace matters because efficient routines create more opportunities for students to practise within the available learning time.* Effective teaching requires both subject expertise and the ability to transform that knowledge into explanations and examples that novices can understand.* Student success can be a powerful source of motivation, particularly when learners recognise that they have mastered something previously considered difficult.KeywordsKris Boulton, Unstoppable Learning, atomisation, instructional design, explicit instruction, mathematics teaching, algebra, minimally different examples, Engelmann and Carnine, Theory of Instruction, Penny Promise, cognitive load, worked examples, guided practice, mini whiteboards, corrective feedback, checking for understanding, instructional sequencing, generalisation, mathematical notation, instructional pace, mastery learning, student motivation, evidence-informed teaching, Chalk Dust podcast This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chalkdust.media

SummaryIn this episode of the Chalk Dust podcast, Nathaniel Swain and Rebecca Birch are joined by Teach Well General Manager, Katie Webster, and Western Australian primary teacher Kaitlin Rowan to explore the transformative impact of instructional coaching and deliberate practice on classroom teaching.Through a before–and–after analysis of Kaitlyn’s filmed lessons, the conversation highlights how building routines for full student participation elevates learning, strengthens classroom culture, and accelerates teacher development. The hosts unpack practical techniques from the Teach Well Masterclass Series, including choral response, whiteboards, calling non-volunteers, and gesture-based cues.The discussion reflects on why explicit instruction routines matter for long-term memory, how production effect and rehearsal strengthen learning, and the role of coaching cycles in helping teachers build fluency and confidence. Importantly, Kaitlyn shares the emotional journey of recording her early practice, receiving targeted feedback, and embedding techniques over time.The episode reinforces that expert teaching emerges through sustained professional learning, high expectations, and a supportive culture where teachers try, reflect, and refine.Mentioned resources and explainersTeach Well Masterclass SeriesA structured development program supporting teachers to embed high-impact explicit-instruction routines with coaching cycles, rehearsal, feedback, and classroom filming.Choral Response & CueingA technique to promote full participation and rehearsal, improving retention and automating core knowledge. Linked to production effect research and cognitive load theory.Mini-whiteboards & ‘Hover then Chin-it’Interactive formative assessment routines ensuring real-time visibility into student thinking. Supports responsive teaching and prevents passive learners.Cold Calling / Non-volunteersA technique to ensure high engagement and accountability, normalising contribution and shifting classroom culture towards full participation.Generative LearningStrategies that require students to produce responses rather than consuming information passively, improving schema development and transfer.Explicit InstructionA structured, teacher-led approach emphasising modelling, checking for understanding, guided practice, and independent practice. Related to Hollingsworth & Ybarra (EDI) and Teach Like a Champion.Listen or view, and support our work📨 Substack — sign up🍏🎧 Apple Podcasts — like, review and follow🎵💚 Spotify — follow and rate📺🔔 YouTube — subscribe and like✍️ Rebecca’s Substack — read more✍️ Nathaniel’s Substack — read moreThanks for listening to Chalk Dust! Share with a colleague who enjoys evidence-informed teaching.Takeaways* Teaching expertise evolves through deliberate practice, coaching, and reflection.* Participation routines enable every student to think, respond, and rehearse.* Production effect and rehearsal improve long-term memory.* Coaching cycles accelerate teacher proficiency through targeted feedback.* Whiteboards, choral response, and non-volunteers boost active engagement.* Full participation is learnable: expectations plus routines create culture.* Gestures and non-verbal cues streamline transitions and maintain pace.* Formative assessment must be visible and actionable.* High expectations are enacted through routines, not slogans.* Classroom culture of safety supports risk-taking and learning from mistakes.Keywordsexplicit instruction, Teach Well, teacher coaching, participation routines, choral response, whiteboards, formative assessment, generative learning, classroom culture, cognitive load, production effect, instructional routines, teaching practice improvement, Chalk Dust podcast, education research, professional learning, teacher development, student engagement, high expectations This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chalkdust.media

SummaryIn this episode of Chalk Dust, Dr Nathaniel Swain and Rebecca Birch are joined by John Hollingsworth, co-founder of DataWorks Educational Research and co-author of Explicit Direct Instruction: The Power of the Well-Crafted, Well-Taught Lesson. Known widely as the “Purple Book,” his work has shaped how teachers worldwide think about whole-class explicit teaching.Together, the team analyse classroom footage from maths, English, and science lessons, reflecting on how expert teachers use strategies such as “I’ll come back to you,” gestures, non-volunteer questioning, and sentence frames. John unpacks what effective checking for understanding looks like, why aiming for “80% whole-class success then corrective feedback” leads to 100% mastery, and how explicit instruction is far from “chalk and talk.”Themes include the role of choral response in normalising mistakes, how gestures and props strengthen memory, why teachers must “work the page” rather than read slides verbatim, and the motivational power of explaining lesson importance. John shares coaching insights from working in over 25,000 classrooms, emphasising structured processing time, randomisation, and pre-planned sentence stems.Mentioned resources and explainersExplicit Direct Instruction (EDI), the Purple BookHollingsworth and Ybarra’s foundational text on well-crafted lessons and whole-class explicit teaching.Gestures and kinesthetic strategiesNot to be confused with learning styles or VAK! Gestures are most powerful when they clearly align with meaning, such as iconic or representational movements rather than random hand-waving. Learning is supported both when students produce gestures themselves and when they observe them from teachers or peers. The benefits are particularly strong with complex or abstract material, or when students have weaker verbal memory. Gestures also help by offloading some of the cognitive load, giving learners a visual or embodied way to grasp relationships that would otherwise be carried verbally. Sentence frames and academic languageJohn’s recommendation is that teachers pre-write frames with academic vocabulary to ensure students orally rehearse complete, formal responses.Motivation and rationaleThe importance of telling students why they are learning something, linking lesson content to careers, tests, or future applications.Listen or view, and support our work📨 Substack — sign up🍏🎧 Apple Podcasts — like, review and follow🎵💚 Spotify — follow and rate📺🔔 YouTube — subscribe and like✍️ Rebecca’s Substack — read more✍️ Nathaniel’s Substack — read moreTakeaways* Explicit instruction is not “chalk and talk” but highly interactive, with student responses every 20–30 seconds* Randomisation of questioning prevents teachers from being misled by only hearing from the same few students* Gestures and props strengthen memory, even in secondary classrooms* Checking for understanding should move beyond surface answers, supported by sentence stems and academic vocabulary* Explaining lesson importance supports motivation and autonomy, linking learning to tests, careers, and real-world use* Structured processing time—pair-share, justification, complete sentences—is essential for real learningKeywordsexplicit teaching, John Hollingsworth, Rebecca Birch, Nathaniel Swain, Chalk Dust podcast, Explicit Direct Instruction, Purple Book, checking for understanding, non-volunteer questioning, I’ll come back to you, whiteboards, sentence frames, academic language, gestures, props, motivation, rationale, structured processing time, pair-share, classroom coaching, work the page, adaptive teaching This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chalkdust.media

SummaryIn this episode of Chalk Dust, Rebecca Birch and Nathaniel Swain are joined by instructional coach, author, and classroom management expert Dr Mark Dowley. Together, they step inside classrooms across Australia to see how great teachers start their lessons, from Year 9 maths to a Northern Territory prep class of fifty students.They unpack the anatomy of an effective entry routine, from greeting students at the door to getting pens moving in under a minute. Along the way, they show how routines set the tone for behaviour, protect learning minutes, and build a positive culture from day one, even with classes you’ve just inherited.The discussion covers how to reset routines when standards slip, why “do it again” is more about warmth than discipline, and how to make praise genuine rather than controlling. They explore similarities across contexts, from high-SES boys’ schools to mixed-age classrooms, looking at how to balance whole-school consistency with teacher autonomy.You’ll see how small tweaks, like reducing “friction” in transitions or controlling the pace of entry, help students get started calmly and confidently. Whether you teach early years or senior secondary, this episode shows why high expectations and consistent routines work for every age group.Mentioned resources and explainersThe Classroom Management Handbook Mark’s Amazon-bestselling guide to building culture, belonging, and behaviour in schools.Positive Narration Describing desired behaviour in the moment to set norms and build buy-in without over-praising. Here’s an explainer from Teach Like a Champ.Listen or view, and support our work📨 Substack — sign up🍏🎧 Apple Podcasts — like, review and follow🎵💚 Spotify — follow and rate📺🔔 YouTube — subscribe and like✍️ Rebecca’s Substack — read more✍️ Nathaniel’s Substack — read moreTakeaways* A tight start makes the whole lesson easier to manage.* “Do it again” works best when delivered warmly, not punitively.* Positive narration should feel authentic, not robotic.* High expectations and routines work for all ages; the principles don’t change.* Reduce friction by having everything students need ready to go.* Consistency across year levels smooths transitions, especially 6 to 7.* Small moments, like greeting at the door, set the tone for the whole lesson.* Teacher autonomy matters, but shared principles ensure every class starts strong.Keywordsclassroom management, entry routines, Mark Dowley, explicit teaching, positive narration, do it again, reducing friction, routines, behaviour expectations, checks for understanding, teacher autonomy, whole-school consistency, lesson starts, participation routines, K–12 transitions, instructional coaching, formative assessment, motivation, culture building This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chalkdust.media

SummaryIn this episode of Chalk Dust, Rebecca Birch and Nathaniel Swain explore effective teaching practices in secondary education, focusing on engagement strategies; the importance of chess for listening and thinking; and the application of self-determination theory. They discuss the significance of structured lesson plans, guided note-taking, and fostering student participation. The conversation emphasises the need for flexibility in lesson structure and the value of collaborative planning in enhancing student learning. In this conversation, Nathaniel and Rebecca discuss various teaching strategies, focusing on the importance of checks for listening (CFLs), checks for understanding (CFUs), and checks for thinking (CFTs) and how they enhance lesson quality. They explore the application of knowledge in real-world contexts, the significance of critical thinking, and the link between instruction and student engagement. The hosts also address the importance of creating a safe environment for student participation and the dynamics of teacher presence in the classroom. The conversation concludes with insights on effective pair shares and the rationale behind cold calling students to foster engagement and learning.Mentioned resources and explainersAERO (Australian Education Research Organisation)The Australian Education Research Organisation supports schools and teachers by providing evidence-based resources, video libraries, and research to improve teaching practice. Melissa’s lesson comes from their publicly available classroom video collection.Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) EDI, developed by John Hollingsworth and Silvia Ybarra, is a structured, teacher-led instructional model. It includes clear learning intentions, worked examples, guided practice, and frequent checks for understanding. Rebecca and Nathaniel highlight how Melissa’s lesson uses EDI principles like modelling, providing a rationale, scaffolding, and high student response rates.TAPPLE Framework A core routine within EDI for checking understanding. Teachers present information (Teach), ask a question (Ask), pause to allow thinking (Pause), select a student (Pick), listen to the response (Listen), and provide immediate feedback or clarification (Effective Feedback). More here.Self-Determination Theory (SDT) A framework for understanding motivation developed by Deci and Ryan. It identifies autonomy, competence, and relatedness as basic psychological needs. Rebecca explains how providing a rationale for learning supports students’ sense of autonomy, increasing motivation and engagement. More here.Cold Call A technique where the teacher calls on any student to answer, ensuring all students are accountable for learning. Nathaniel explains how Melissa uses cold call after pair shares to maximise participation while keeping psychological safety high. See here for an article on how to even supports voluntary participation.Checks for Understanding (CFU) Frequent, intentional questions that allow teachers to gauge student understanding in real time and make adjustments. Nathaniel and Rebecca outline how Melissa uses multiple forms of CFU: checks for listening, checks for understanding, and checks for thinking.Listen or view, and support our work📨 Substack — sign up🍏🎧 Apple Podcasts — like, review and follow🎵💚 Spotify — follow and rate📺🔔 YouTube — subscribe and like✍️ Rebecca’s Substack — read more✍️ Nathaniel’s Substack — read moreTakeaways* Engagement strategies are crucial for effective teaching.* Learning intentions should be clearly communicated to students.* Self-determination theory highlights the importance of autonomy and competence.* Lesson structures can vary but should include core principles.* Guided note-taking helps students organise their thoughts.* Encouraging student participation enhances learning outcomes.* Incorporating checks for understanding improves lesson quality.* Real-world applications enhance student engagement and learning.* Critical thinking can be prompted through effective questioning.* Maintaining energy and structure keeps students focused.* Collaborative planning can ease teacher workload.* Immediate feedback allows for real-time adjustments in teaching.* Creating a safe environment encourages student participation.* Cold calling can be an effective strategy for engagement.Keywordseffective teaching, secondary education, student engagement, learning intentions, self-determination theory, lesson structure, guided note-taking, student participation, classroom strategies, collaboration, education, teaching strategies, checks for understanding, critical thinking, student engagement, lesson planning, classroom dynamics, teacher presence, collaborative teaching, immediate feedback This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chalkdust.media

SummaryIn this episode of the Chalk Dust podcast, Nathaniel Swain and Rebecca Birch visit the classroom of Queensland primary school teacher, Rebecca Sloots, the first teacher to be featured on the Teach Like a Champion practice archive. By exploring checking for understanding (CfU) and checking for quality (CfQ), the hosts unpack effective teaching practices, focusing on explicit instruction, CFU techniques, and the importance of peer feedback. They explore how generative learning fosters deeper student engagement and discuss the unique challenges of applying explicit teaching strategies in humanities education. The conversation emphasises the need for responsive teaching and the value of questioning strategies that encourage multiple interpretations. The importance of addressing misconceptions is discussed, as well as fostering a culture of improvement, and the role of formative assessment in enhancing learning. The commentary points to the need for teachers to adapt their practices, embrace imperfection in the classroom, and set professional growth goals based on observed classroom dynamics.Mentioned resources and explainersTeach Like a Champion – Official site for Doug Lemov’s Teach Like a Champion techniques. It provides an overview of this framework of effective teaching practices – a set of techniques and a shared vocabulary that help teachers achieve dramatic results in the classroom.Reading Reconsidered – Information on Reading Reconsidered, a practical guide to rigorous literacy instruction by Doug Lemov and colleagues. This resource offers clear, actionable strategies to help all teachers strengthen students’ reading skills – from tackling more complex texts and close reading, to building vocabulary and reading stamina – so that students become confident, independent readers. A variation on Beck and McKeown’s Questioning the Author reading comprehension and interpretation strategy is scaffolded for teachers in this book.Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) – Hollingsworth & Ybarra – Overview of the Explicit Direct Instruction teaching approach developed by John Hollingsworth and Silvia Ybarra. EDI is a highly structured, step-by-step method for delivering well-designed lessons, emphasising clear objectives, teacher modeling, guided practice, and continual checking for understanding to maximise student success. TAPPLE is a check for understanding protocol that is mentioned.Generative Learning – Explainer on generative learning theory, which encourages students to actively generate information and make connections between new material and their existing knowledge. It describes how strategies like summarising, teaching others, or drawing concept maps help learners engage deeply with content and create more durable understanding.Questioning the Author – Here is a recent post from Nathaniel on this very useful instructional approach for generating quality discussions about text. Devised by Margaret McKeown and colleagues, Questioning the Author involves asking initially broad and open-ended queries about what has been read, followed by more specific questioning to dive deeper into the author’s intentions.Checking for Understanding – Article on why teachers should continuously verify students’ understanding during lessons and how to do it effectively. It outlines techniques for real-time formative assessment – for example, probing questions (beyond yes/no), sampling multiple students’ responses, and using cold calling – so that instruction can be adjusted based on what students have or haven’t grasped.Cold Calling – Guide to the cold call technique, as popularised by Doug Lemov. This strategy involves the teacher calling on students unpredictably (rather than only volunteers) to answer questions. The article explains how cold calling keeps everyone attentive and accountable, normalises active participation from all pupils, and creates a more inclusive classroom where each student is expected to think and respond.Listen or view, and support our work📨 Substack — sign up🍏🎧 Apple Podcasts — like, review and follow🎵💚 Spotify — follow and rate📺🔔 YouTube — subscribe and like✍️ Rebecca’s Substack — read more✍️ Nathaniel’s Substack — read moreThanks for listening to Chalk Dust! Share this with a colleague!Takeaways* Teaching is both a science and an art.* Effective teaching requires analysing classroom practices.* Check for understanding techniques are essential for student learning.* Peer feedback enhances student engagement and accountability.* Generative learning allows students to create multiple responses.* Explicit teaching can alleviate workload, but has its limits.* Dialogic conversations are necessary for deeper understanding.* Questioning the author promotes multiple interpretations.* Responsive teaching can coexist with explicit instruction.* Openness to a range of correct answers is crucial.* Teachers should address misconceptions directly to enhance learning.* Creating a culture of improvement helps students feel safe to make mistakes.* Perfectionism in students can hinder their learning process.* Check for understanding (CFU) should be integrated into lessons.* Teachers need to be responsive to student needs during instruction.* Feedback should include positive reinforcement alongside areas for improvement.* Decluttering routines can lead to more effective teaching practices.* Setting specific goals for professional growth can enhance teaching effectiveness.* Engaging students in peer feedback fosters a collaborative learning environment.Thanks for listening to Chalk Dust! Share this with a colleague!Keywordseducation, teaching, classroom instruction, explicit teaching, peer feedback, generative learning, check for understanding, humanities education, teacher strategies, Chalk Dust podcast, education, teaching strategies, classroom management, student engagement, formative assessment, explicit instruction, teacher development, learning culture, feedback, instructional practices This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chalkdust.media