Tailoring Instruction to Student Needs
Ben Lawless, Aitken College and Lawless Learning

There are two ways to understand the idea of ‘evidence’ in teaching. The first is evidence from educational research. However, Ben’s main focus will be on boosting your teaching by using evidence from students to adjust and improve your teaching practice. PISA’s most recent report said the #1 thing that translates to student achievement improvement is tailoring instruction to student needs. We can identify those needs through developmental rubrics. We can tailor instruction through ‘responsive teaching’ – where we use cognitive science and formative assessment. We can also improve our teaching by surveying our students directly and monitoring teacher quality through pre- and post-assessments of skill. Join us for this highly practical session that will also give you access to a large number of classroom ready differentiation resources.

Ben Lawless is an educator, author, researcher and game designer. He has worked at the University of Melbourne's Assessment and Evaluation Research Centre for over fifteen years, learning about developmental learning theory under Patrick Griffin. He brought developmental rubric pedagogy to the successful textbook series "Good Humanities" and has sold over 35,000 books. Ben has written units of work for the National Museum and presented widely on History pedagogy, game-based learning and assessment. He has won a number of awards, including Hume's Graduate Teacher of the Year and being a finalist for ResourceSmart teacher of the year. Ben provides a variety of freely available curriculum resources on his website lawlesslearning.com.

Using the Science of Learning to Supercharge your History Classroom
Ashley Keith Pratt, Southern Cross Grammar

Educators will delve into the fascinating intersection of cognitive science and History education. By understanding how students learn best, we can supercharge the way history is taught in classrooms. Participants will explore evidence-based strategies rooted in cognitive psychology, such as spaced repetition, retrieval practice, and dual coding, and discover how to apply these techniques effectively to historical content.

This workshop will empower educators to create dynamic learning experiences that inspire curiosity, critical thinking, and a lifelong passion for history. Whether you're a seasoned History teacher or new to the field, join us to unlock the secrets of effective history instruction through the lens of cognitive science and the Science of Learning.

Ashley Keith Pratt is a previous President of HTAV and Deputy Principal at Southern Cross Grammar. Ashley is currently working on his Doctor of Education and has previously completed his Master of Education at the University of Melbourne, focusing on historical thinking and curriculum theory. Ashley is a regular presenter for HTAV on pedagogical content knowledge within the History discipline.