STANDARD 3.3
Use teaching strategies: Include a range of teaching strategies.
The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) Standard 3.3 requires teachers to demonstrate proficiency in using teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds (AITSL, 2011). This standard emphasises the critical importance of selecting and implementing evidence-based pedagogical approaches that maximize learning outcomes for all students.
Artefact 1 provides evidence of teaching strategies observed by my mentor during classroom practice, specifically highlighting the implementation of High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS), explicit teaching, and differentiation. These three interconnected approaches directly align with Standard 3.3's requirements by demonstrating the strategic use of research-validated methods that address diverse student needs while maintaining high expectations for learning. I outline the purposes of each below:
HITS (High Impact Teaching Strategies):
The Victorian Department of Education and Training (2017) defines HITS as ten research-proven strategies including structured lessons, explicit teaching, worked examples, collaborative learning, multiple exposures, questioning, feedback, metacognitive strategies, differentiated teaching, and phonics. Benefits include improved student engagement, enhanced learning outcomes across diverse populations, and provision of a common pedagogical language for professional development (Victorian Department of Education and Training, 2017).
Differentiation:
Differentiation is the practice of tailoring instruction to meet individual student needs, interests, and learning profiles. Tomlinson and Imbeau (2010) describe differentiation as proactive modification of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to optimize learning for all students. Its purpose is to ensure equitable access to learning by recognizing that students differ in readiness, interests, and learning preferences. Benefits include increased student motivation, improved academic outcomes for diverse learners, and enhanced classroom inclusivity by addressing varied learning needs simultaneously (Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2010).
Explicit Teaching:
Explicit teaching involves direct, systematic instruction where learning objectives and processes are clearly communicated to students. According to Archer and Hughes (2011), explicit teaching includes modeling, guided practice, and independent practice with clear explanations of what, how, and why students are learning. Benefits include accelerated skill acquisition, reduced cognitive load, improved outcomes for struggling learners, and enhanced transfer of learning across contexts (Archer & Hughes, 2011).
artefact 1:
mentor feedback
artefact 2:
teaching framework model
The Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) emphasizes that lessons and tasks should align with curriculum objectives and be responsive to student needs, as evidence-based practices have the greatest impact when planned coherently. With this in mind, developing a strong understanding of the school’s FIDE Instructional Teaching Model was essential for me to ensure my teaching strategies aligned with the school’s ethos and approach to learning.My mentors identified my strengths in embedding the school’s inclusivity philosophies and promoting learner autonomy through both my teaching and lesson materials.
Artefact 2 includes examples of the school’s FIDE learning framework alongside lesson plans I designed to align with this model.
I was advised to keep lesson plans concise, with no more than five clear, actionable tasks, implemented through explicit teaching strategies. Central to this framework was fostering student empowerment, reflected in the use of “I” statements in learning intentions and success criteria.Burrows et al. (2022) suggest that “I can do” statements encourage students to take ownership of their learning by choosing how to demonstrate their understanding. In practice, I began each class by displaying the lesson plan and discussing the learning intentions and outcomes with students.
This approach created a clear focus and motivation, aligning closely with the school’s structured lesson design.The FIDE framework strongly aligned with two key pedagogical approaches I implemented in my design classes: Project-Based Learning (PBL) and Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL). PBL places students at the centre of their learning journey, allowing them to explore and address complex questions or challenges throughout a unit (Main, 2022). Rooted in John Dewey’s philosophy of “learning by doing,” PBL encourages meaningful learning through action:“Give the pupils something to do, not something to learn; and the doing is of such a nature as to demand thinking… learning naturally results” (Dewey, 1916).
IBL complements this by fostering a classroom culture of deep, transferable learning. It supports differentiation and values student voice and empowerment (Gholam, 2019). While IBL encourages students to investigate open-ended questions, the teacher’s role is to guide them beyond surface-level curiosity toward deeper critical thinking and understanding (Guido, 2017).
Each lesson also incorporated structured group dialogue, such as discussions prompted by visual media or collaborative tasks like constructing sculptural forms. These activities fostered both critical thinking and communication skills, supporting students in developing essential 21st-century capabilities (University College Cork, 2020).