Category Archives: Deakin University

What I consider a balanced article to the issues around learning to read and reading to learn.

Posted on December 15, 2023 by mwalker

Why we’re failing to build the knowledge students need Age Newspaper 15/12/2023. In the early years of school, teaching should focus on systematic instruction in phonemic awareness and phonics, exposure to rich literature through read-alouds, and explicit teaching to build … Continue reading →

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Sensibility on Reading – a balanced approach

Posted on September 1, 2023 by mwalker

I recommend that all new teachers and those in training watch this short 8 min video on the teaching of reading – its a balanced approach as the title indicates.

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Changes to Teacher Training

Posted on July 11, 2023 by mwalker

Newspapers (e.g. Age , Sydney Morning Herald)are reporting that an “expert teacher education panel” recommendations have been accepted by the various States education ministers to reform initial teacher education. The report identified several perceived weaknesses with initial teacher education includes … Continue reading →

Posted in Deakin Teachers in training, Deakin University, Feedback, Instruction, professional learning, school, Teaching, trainee teachers, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Lesson Timing

Posted on June 1, 2023 by mwalker

Often I speak to pre service teachers (PST’s) during their placements in schools/classrooms and the feedback they are receiving is that their lesson timing needs to be tightened or a goal. This is fine if there is a shared understanding … Continue reading →

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Lesson Transitions

Posted on May 6, 2018 by mwalker

About 9 months ago I started working as a casual academic for Deakin University, Faculty of Education, in Victoria. Students are placed in schools for at least 80 days, depending upon their course. They work along students and experienced teachers … Continue reading →

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Effective Lesson Planning: classroom systems and lesson sequencing

Posted on June 22, 2017 by mwalker

This is a follow up post number 2 on effective lesson planning. Now that we understand lessons should go differing lengths of time 20 – 40 minutes, what would that look like in one of the timetable blocks of 90-120 … Continue reading →

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Effective Lesson Planning: length of lessons

Posted on June 20, 2017 by mwalker

Some of the questions, concerns and issues raised by trainee teachers so far include: constantly repeating instructions to students students forget what to do students either don’t finish the tasks in the time set or finish in the first 5 … Continue reading →

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Working at Deakin University

Posted on June 19, 2017 by mwalker

One of the exciting opportunities that has presented itself this year is to work at Deakin University as a casual academic. What that means is that I work in the professional learning unit supporting trainee teachers in schools learn the … Continue reading →

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