About the submission
The Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO)’s research shows that in schools, the most effective and efficient way to strengthen support and engagement for all students at all stages is to improve teaching quality, which is the greatest in-school influence on student progress and achievement. This means all schools should use evidence-based teaching practices, including explicit instruction – in all classrooms. These practices should be paired with systematic provision of additional support for students at risk of falling behind in their learning. In early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings, all children, including those from diverse groups, benefit from intentional teaching practices, which involve educators making deliberate, thoughtful decisions to achieve quality learning outcomes for children.
AERO’s submission makes the following 4 recommendations to support sustainable, long-term improvement in educational attainment for all children and young people:
In schools:
- Promoting evidence-based teaching practices for all students and providing teachers and leaders with clear, actionable guidance, training, and support to effectively implement evidence-based teaching practices.
- Prioritising a multi-tiered system of supports in all schools, encompassing evidence-based teaching practices for all students, paired with the systematic provision of additional support for students at risk of falling behind.
In ECEC:
- Strengthening educator and teacher understanding of intentional teaching in ECEC and providing clear, actionable, evidence-based guidance and advice to improve practice.
- Prioritising quality improvement in ECEC, as measured by the National Quality Standard Quality Area 1 (Educational program and practice), as well as Quality Areas 3 (Physical environment) and 5 (Relationships with children), to reduce the likelihood of children’s developmental vulnerability at school entry.