At Donvale Primary School, we employ an explicit teaching approach. Explicit Teaching is a structured, engaging, and success-driven method of teaching. It involves clearly explaining and modelling the knowledge and skills students need to master, breaking complex ideas into smaller, manageable steps that build progressively. We use the Gradual Release of Responsibility model (I do, we do, you do), where learning is scaffolded to set students up for success. This clear and systematic approach ensures that students are guided through each stage of learning before independently applying the skills taught. We believe students learn most effectively when teaching is explicit, supported, and organised, rather than leaving them to construct or discover concepts without direct guidance.
Donvale Primary School is aligned with the Science of Learning, drawing on research and insights about how we acquire knowledge most effectively and efficiently. Understanding the conditions that foster successful learning enables our teachers to better meet the needs of all students. We integrate concepts from a range of disciplines including education and cognitive sciences to deepen our understanding of how learning occurs and how we can teach most optimally. Our learning sequences are carefully designed to ensure that all students experience success.
Learning is a progressive journey, where mastery of core skills is essential to advancing to the next level. Much like learning to ride a bike, we wouldn’t expect a child to start on a two-wheel bike without first gaining confidence with training wheels. Similarly, structured learning sequences are critical to ensure students build a strong foundation before tackling more complex concepts. The model of explicit teaching, underpinned by cognitive science, reinforces this progression, supporting effective and efficient learning.
Additionally, the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 (VTLM) places a stronger emphasis on the evidence of how students learn, forming the foundation for effective teaching practice. It offers greater clarity for educators by highlighting the teaching strategies most strongly supported by research. Additionally, VTLM 2.0 aligns with best-practice approaches from existing departmental frameworks that support both student wellbeing and effective classroom management. Teachers at Donvale Primary School strongly align their teaching and learning practices around this framework.
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To meet the diverse learning needs of our students, Donvale Primary School embraces inclusive practices, providing differentiated learning adjustments that ensure every learner can access and engage with the curriculum. Our teachers adjust what they teach, how they teach it, and the ways students can show their learning, to make sure every child’s needs, strengths, and goals are supported. We use a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework to guide this approach, offering increasing levels of targeted assistance depending on student need. This evidence-based model helps us deliver high-quality, inclusive instruction at the universal (Tier 1), targeted (Tier 2), and intensive (Tier 3) levels, ensuring that every student receives the right support at the right time.
This commitment to differentiation and responsive practice is embedded within our teaching through regular 'Check for Understanding' points in every lesson. These moments allow teachers to monitor student progress, reflect on the learning taking place, and make immediate, informed adjustments. Immediate, purposeful feedback is an integral part of this process, ensuring that learning remains dynamic, inclusive, and accessible to all students.
