Nathaniel Swain

Nathaniel Swain

A teacher, instructional coach, and writer

Dr Nathaniel Swain is a teacher, instructional coach, and writer. He produces a blog for teachers called Dr Swain’s Cognitorium and is co-host of the Chalk Dust Podcast with Rebecca Birch. Dr Swain is a sought-after speaker and has a best-selling book entitled Harnessing the Science of Learning: Success stories to help kickstart your school improvement. Nathaniel works directly with schools and systems and through an online learning platform called Luminary.

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Explicit instruction – the role of responsiveness and teacher judgement
Explicit instruction – the role of responsiveness and teacher judgement
Aug 03,2026

When students are in the early stages of developing skills, knowledge and understanding, or encountering new material and concepts, explicit teaching, and the gradual release of responsibility are crucial for progressing the learning. In today’s article, teacher, instructional coach and researcher Dr Nathaniel Swain discusses the importance of structured approaches, teacher judgement, being responsive to students, and the potential benefits and caveats around shared curriculum materials.
curriculum planning, curriculum implementation, expertise, knowledge base for teaching, evidence-based practice, effective teaching methods, teacher modelling, long reads