Talking Teaching
Episodes
Disrupting Disadvantage: Inside Hester Hornbrook (Special Assistance School)
28 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this SAS episode of Talking Teaching, Dr Sophie Specjal explores the story of Hester Hornbrook Academy, a fee-free Special Assistance School sup...
Reading, Reasoning, and AI: A New Era in Education
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking Teaching, Dr Sophie Specjal sits down with Dr Jennifer Buckingham to explore the critical intersection of reading, reasoni...
“Indigenous Wisdom: Story, Land and Ceremony in Early Childhood Education”
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What can Indigenous knowledge teach us about raising and educating children? Anishinaabe visiting scholar Professor Jan Hare, from the M’Chigeeng F...
John Hattie on 50 Years of Evidence, Impact and Belonging
31 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do we measure what truly matters in education? Laureate Professor Emeritus John Hattie joins host Dr Sophie Specjal to reflect on five decades...
Teaching with Torres Strait Island Knowledge—A Conversation with Dr John Doolah
06 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
To mark 50 years of NAIDOC Week, Talking Teaching celebrates this year’s theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy, by spotligh...
Wellbeing Literacy: Teachers and students using language to enhance wellbeing
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How does language shape how we feel, relate, and learn? In this episode, host Dr. Sophie Specjal is joined by Professor Lindsay Oades, Dr Jacqui Fra...
Expanding How We Learn with Professor Guy Claxton
11 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if learning isn’t just about what we know, but about who we become? Professor Guy Claxton joins Talking Teaching to unpack his fascinating jo...
Navigating AI in Mathematics Education: Insights for all educators
19 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into schools, what does it mean for the way we plan lessons, support students, and teach mathematic...
The Purpose of Education: In Conversation with Professor Gert Biesta
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Renowned educator Professor Gert Biesta joins Talking Teaching to explore the deeper purpose of education beyond knowledge transfer. In this episode,...
Creative Lesson Planning: practical strategies to enhance learning and empower teachers
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does effective curriculum design look like in today’s classrooms? And how can planning approaches support both student engagement and teacher a...
A New Approach to Measuring Student Success with Melbourne Metrics
15 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Talking Teaching explores how Melbourne Metrics is transforming student assessment by going beyond academics. We speak with Professor Sandra Milligan ...
Fostering Motivation and Wellbeing in Education
28 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we speak with Dr. Rachel Colla and Dr. Lara Mossman from the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Education about teaching for well...
Rethinking Technology’s Role in Students’ Mental Health
22 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Nikki Rickard and Dr David Bakker explore the effects of digital technologies on student mental health. They discuss the risks and benefits ...
The Importance of Play in Early Childhood Learning
01 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode explores the power of play in early childhood education. Learn how play supports brain development, enriches learning, and connects gener...
Educating in the Digital Age: From theory to classroom
15 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The use of digital education and artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming the new norm. In this episode, we are joined by Carlo Perrotta, an Associ...
Strategies for Impactful Educational Leadership: A Conversation with Jim Watterston and Yong Zhao
03 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Talking Teaching is joined by distinguished guests Professor Jim Watterston, Dean of the Faculty of Education, and Professor Yong Zhao, Foundation Dis...
The Universities Accord and strengthening the link between schools and higher education
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The release of the Universities Accord earlier this year marks a pivotal moment in higher education policy. Its recommendations address crucial aspect...
Supporting Neurodiversity in Our Schools: A Teacher's Guide
08 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Australian schools are recognising the growing importance of fostering inclusive spaces for neurodiverse students. Teachers play a vital role in creat...
Literary Education and the role of reading for social change
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In a world abundant with content, how can we harness literary education as a form of social change? How can we re-invigorate schools to be spaces to e...
Building Hope: Equity, Funding and the National School Reform Agreement
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we are joined by two experts, to discuss the Nation School Reform Agreement, currently up for renegotiation. This joint agreement bet...
Empowering the Next Generation: Climate Education in Schools
15 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we learn how to bolster both climate and sustainability literacy, and support climate action in the classroom. Listeners will discove...
Reinventing Schools: Elevating student learning, wellbeing and health
04 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we delve into the future of education in Australia, exploring ideas to reimagine the purpose of schools by shifting the focus from ac...
Learning from Her: Celebrating Indigenous Women in Education
22 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we delve into the stories of three remarkable Indigenous women significantly impacting the educational landscape across Australia. F...
AI in the classroom: friend or foe?
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Artificial Intelligence or AI has well and truly arrived. As ChatGPT and DALL-E become mainstream, warnings in the media about this new technology...
It’s not a choice: the real issues behind school ‘refusal’
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Discover the complex issues around school attendance that can adversely affect students, teachers and parents. The media have referred to it as school...
The Teacher Crisis - Real or Imagined
09 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking Teaching, Professor Jim Watterston, Dean of the Melbourne Graduate School of Education (MGSE), delves into the details of A...
Mental Health in Primary Schools
06 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking Teaching, Professor Jim Watterston, Dean of the Melbourne Graduate School of Education (MGSE), explores the Mental Health i...
New Assessments: Acknowledging Student Success
21 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A new research project, New Metrics for Success, works with schools across Australia to develop new ways of assessing school students. These new ways ...
Gen X,Y & Z: facing the challenges of the 21st century
27 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking Teaching, Professor Jim Watterston, Dean of the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, and Professor Johanna Wyn discuss t...
COVID-19 - catalyst for change or a retreat to the past?
28 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking Teaching, Professor Jim Watterston, Dean of the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, and Professor Yong Zhao discuss the...
Decolonising the English curriculum
08 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking Teaching, the University of Melbourne's Larissa McLean Davies - an Associate Professor in Languages and Literacy Education ...
The COVID lessons: John Hattie reflects
06 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Laureate Professor John Hattie reflects on the effect of COVID-19 on the education system examining what we should keep from what he calls the 'great ...
The kids are alright but is the education system? Flipping the conversation on Indigenous education
29 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Talking Teaching Kamilaroi woman, Dr Melitta Hogarth, the Assistant Dean, Indigenous at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education,...
Dealing with trauma: schools on the frontline
07 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In a traumatic year of bushfires and a global pandemic young people in Australia have faced increasing uncertainty and anxiety. How do schools support...
Teaching through the pandemic: lessons learned in and out of school
12 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Teachers, students, parents and entire school communities have been through a tumultuous time having been forced to switch schooling from the classroo...
Resilience and recovery: bushfires and COVID-19
21 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A global pandemic and devastating bushfires - these major events are going to affect people's lives and wellbeing for a long time. Their ramifications...
Teaching Indigenous history in schools and the rundown on NAPLAN
26 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this final edition of Talking Teaching for this year Maxine McKew talks to David de Carvalho about the national NAPLAN picture and what it is reall...
The need for policy changes in the VET sector
01 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Prime Minister says that TAFE is as good as university and wants to encourage young Australians to consider taking up a trade. But how fit for pur...
Australian schooling and teaching 21st century skills
27 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Emeritus Professor Barry McGaw has spent a lifetime advocating for greater equity in Australia schooling. In this interview with Kerry Elliott he cons...
Positive Psychology: Learning the skills and capabilities for wellbeing
29 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The sixth International Congress for Positive Psychology was held recently in Melbourne with the University of Melbourne as the main partner. Hundreds...
Talking Teaching considers the growing national momentum for pre-school for three year old children
02 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Maxine McKew talks with experts Trish Eadie and Deb Brennan about the multiple benefits of quality early learning programmes for young...
What the rest of the world is noticing about our most effective teachers
22 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What is it the rest of the world is noticing about Australia's teachers? Ranked as one of the world's top ten teachers, Rooty Hill humanities teacher ...
Teaching children reading
16 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking Teaching Kerry Elliott talks to David Hornsby about the contentious issue of how we teach reading to young students. Why ca...
A challenging look at teaching teachers.
13 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking Teaching writer and university lecturer Tegan Bennett Daylight discusses what she sees as declining standards and poor qual...
How educators can boost student interest in reading
14 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Talking Teaching's first episode for 2019 features interviews with Larissa McLean Davies and with Penny Jones. From different perspectives they both t...
Glyn Davis and the joys of teaching
07 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking Teaching Maxine McKew talks with Professor Glyn Davis who has just completed fourteen years as Vice Chancellor of the Unive...
What does it take to be a good principal?
03 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking Teaching Stephen Dinham and John Goh talk to Kerry Elliott about the qualities and skills needed to be an effective instruc...
Jo Boaler, Michaela Epstein and Michelle Fry on Maths Education, and Saudi Arabia's bold new education reforms
06 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this month's Talking Teaching, Sophie Murphy interviews Stanford University's Jo Boaler who argues that the latest neuroscience explains what she h...
Gonski 2.0
01 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Talking Teaching this week dives into a lively discussion about the value and messages contained in Gonski 2.0 From Growth to Achievement.
In conversation with Katherine Henderson, Dr Geoff Masters and David Baker.
04 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This month we chat to leaders from across the school sector who meet and exchange ideas at the University of Melbourne Network of Schools (UMNOS). Pro...
In conversation with Eddie Woo
06 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking Teaching, we chat with the maths teacher behind Woo Tube, the dynamic communicator Eddie Woo. With an audience in the hundr...
John Hattie, Peggy Brookins, HALTS teachers, Noel Creece and Wesley Imms
26 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking Teaching we focus on the national teaching standards that are validated by the Australian Institute of Teaching and School ...