Long reads

Rising teacher shortages and a global pandemic are just 2 of the major challenges schools have had to navigate over the last few years. Despite this, the latest PISA report highlights a handful of education systems that showed resilience during this period – including Japan and Lithuania. Teacher finds out more.

Each year, the International Mathematical Modeling Challenge gives students an opportunity to team up on a complex task that connects their mathematical learning with a real-world situation. Teacher spoke to members of an Australian team judged among the best globally, about how they approached this year’s challenge.

A new paper by ACER’s Greta Rollo and Dr Kellie Picker unpacks the science of reading. In a 3-part series for Teacher, they explain each of the components that make up the science of reading, and share implications for teaching. This final article explores the unconstrained skills.

A new paper by ACER’s Greta Rollo and Dr Kellie Picker unpacks the science of reading. In a 3-part series for Teacher, they explain each of the components that make up the science of reading, and share implications for teaching. This first article provides an overview of all 6 components.

Financial literacy is an important life skill, but a new report from the OECD analysing results from the PISA 2022 optional financial literacy assessment found that while most 15-year-olds are already consumers of financial products, many still lack some of the skills and knowledge that are needed to make sound financial decisions for themselves.

‘There is growing consensus internationally that creative thinking needs to be cultivated to help learners succeed. Beyond identifying the importance of the skill, however, there is little guidance on how to develop and teach it…’ In today’s article, ACER Senior Research Fellow, Dr Claire Scoular, shares 6 suggestions for teaching creative thinking skills.

Age-appropriate consent education is a mandatory part of the school curriculum in Australia. In this Q&A, Dannielle Miller OAM discusses the importance of schools working alongside experts, and why it’s a bad idea to have boys and girls in the same space when delivering respectful relationships and consent sessions.

New analysis of Australian PISA data shows Australian students’ feelings of safety is lowest in areas of the school outside the classroom. In today’s article, Dr Erin Leif from Monash University shares some practical considerations for schools when reflecting on how they can support feelings of safety in all areas of the school grounds

‘Increasingly, schools will need to support their young people to not just develop content knowledge and skills through effective learning, but also ensure their students know how to learn, individually and with others.’ Today’s article shares how the UQ Learning Lab is helping educators to set their students up for success at school and in life.

The study of classic novels is a staple in many secondary English classrooms across the country. In this reader submission, English and History teacher Alec Santucci shares how he has approached including discussion throughout the learning of the classic novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, with his year 11 students – sharing strategies that have proved effective in his own classroom for enhancing student engagement.