SecEd Podcast The SecEd Podcast: The secrets to adaptive teaching
Sep 3, 2025
Ben Newmark, an experienced school leader and adaptive teaching consultant, teams up with Amy Williams, a Director of School Improvement, to explore the ins and outs of adaptive teaching. They dive into the differences between adaptive teaching and traditional differentiation, emphasizing tailored approaches for diverse learners. Practical strategies like planned adaptations and effective use of teaching assistants are discussed, while maintaining high expectations for all students. Their insights offer valuable tools for educators aiming to enhance inclusivity and engagement in the classroom.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Personal Motivation For Inclusion Work
- Ben Newmark is a history teacher, trainer and leader whose daughter has Williams Syndrome, which informs his inclusion work.
- His personal experience shapes his consultancy on adaptive teaching for learners with disabilities.
Same Goals, Different Paths
- Adaptive teaching keeps the same ambitious goals for all pupils while varying the pathways to reach them.
- It combines explicit instruction, live formative assessment and responsive scaffolding led by the teacher.
Teacher Expertise Is Central
- Adaptive teaching depends on teacher expertise and subject-specific enactment rather than a single universal recipe.
- What adaptive teaching looks like in practice varies greatly between subjects and requires deep curriculum and pedagogical knowledge.