When we began shaping the latest Pearson resources for Years 7 to 10, our first step wasn’t writing a lesson or drafting a curriculum map, it was listening. We asked educators what was weighing most heavily on their minds right now. What keeps them up at night? What gets in the way of the kind of teaching they know works? Their responses, ranging from increasingly diverse classrooms to growing time pressures, became our design brief.
Rather than overwhelm with more content or tools, we focused on clarity. Our aim was to simplify the planning process and equip teachers with practical, research-informed strategies they could actually use. Developed in partnership with Australian educators and grounded in explicit teaching practice, these resources are designed to foster student confidence, support differentiation, and make effective teaching feel more achievable every day.
Challenges in Today’s Classrooms
One of the most common things I hear from teachers is how diverse and stretched today’s classrooms are. In many science classes, there can be a spread of up to five years in student readiness. That’s a significant challenge when planning meaningful progression while still covering curriculum outcomes.
It’s also no secret that attention spans are getting shorter, something teachers notice long before the data confirms it. Combine that with growing demands on teachers to differentiate, assess, and often support non-specialist colleagues, and it becomes clear that classrooms need more than good intentions. They need structured tools that support clarity, focus, and flexibility.
Layered on top of this is the broader goal of building students' confidence and curiosity in subjects where fear and self-doubt are common. In this environment, clarity matters. Structure matters. And having access to research-backed resources that do some of the heavy lifting—like aligning to curriculum, sequencing learning, and providing built-in scaffolds—can make a measurable difference.
How Pearson’s Approach Is Shaped by Evidence
When we develop resources we have a single goal in mind: to make teaching more effective and learning more meaningful. Every component is grounded in what research tells us works, drawing heavily from the Australian Education Research Organisation’s (AERO) 2023 findings on evidence-based teaching practices.
Three pillars sit at the heart of our approach:
- Planning and sequencing with clear learning goals
- Explicit modelling and scaffolding
- Formative assessment and feedback
By using these principles, we’ve built lessons that align tightly with curriculum requirements while also providing clarity and structure for students. Learning intentions and success criteria are clearly outlined in every lesson, giving students ownership over their learning. Lessons follow the Gradual Release of Responsibility model—‘I do, we do, you do’—helping students build skills progressively and with confidence.
All content is chunked into manageable steps to reduce cognitive overload, and our auto-correcting questions and guided practice features provide real-time feedback, supporting both independent and supported learning.
In short, we’ve stripped away the noise and focused on purposeful, practical tools that empower teachers to deliver high-impact instruction—without needing to start from scratch.
Classroom Impact and Practical Ideas
Over the years, both in the classroom and in content creation, what’s stood out to me is how the most effective teaching strategies are often the simplest, when implemented well. At Pearson, we didn’t just want to reference best practice, we wanted to design for it. So when we talk about explicit teaching, it’s not in theory. It’s embedded into every lesson in a way that actually supports the way teachers teach and the way students learn.
Clear Learning Intentions and Success Criteria
One of the first things we prioritised was making sure every lesson starts with a clear learning goal. I know from experience how much time teachers spend reworking objectives to suit their students, so we’ve done that groundwork. Every topic begins with student-friendly learning intentions and success criteria to support a focused and purposeful learning environment from the start.
‘I do, We do, You do’ – Done Well
I’ve always believed that modelling, scaffolding, and then handing over responsibility is the most effective way to build student confidence. That’s why our lessons follow a consistent structure with worked examples, guided practice, and then independent tasks. This approach helps students stay engaged and gradually take ownership of their learning—especially important in concepts that feel intimidating at first.
Inbuilt Differentiation Through Practice and Feedback
In any given classroom, there’s a wide range of learning needs. We designed the student practice to reflect that, with auto-correcting questions that help identify where extra support is needed. Teachers have told us it saves time while still giving them meaningful data. More importantly, it gives students feedback right when they need it.
Designed to Fit the Realities of Teaching
We all know the best strategies only work if they’re manageable. That’s why the Pearson Digital Hub was built with teachers’ day-to-day workflows in mind. Whether you're planning or filling in at the last minute, the tools are there to keep lessons consistent, aligned, and effective.
These aren’t just features, they’re things I wish I had when I was teaching. Because when the right support is in place, it’s easier to focus on what matters most: helping students succeed.
Tips to Start Embedding Explicit Teaching in Your Classroom
Explicit teaching isn’t about reinventing the wheel—it’s about making learning goals clearer and more achievable for every student. Here are a few practical ways to get started:
Clarify the learning intention and success criteria in every lesson.
Start your class by stating what students are expected to learn and how they’ll know they’ve succeeded. Display these clearly on the board or slide, and revisit them during the lesson to keep students on track.
Use the 'I do – we do – you do' model.
Model the task or concept first, then work through examples with the class before letting them try independently. This approach builds confidence and reduces cognitive overload.
Chunk information into manageable steps.
Break complex topics into bite-sized parts and check for understanding between each step. This keeps students engaged and helps them build knowledge gradually.
Incorporate regular checks for understanding.
Use quick, formative assessments like exit tickets, self-check quizzes, or thumbs-up/thumbs-down to gauge how well students are grasping the content before moving on.
Provide worked examples and guided practice.
Show students not just the solution but the thinking behind it. Let them replicate the logic through scaffolded questions before attempting problems independently.
Build routines and consistency.
The power of explicit teaching comes through repeated, consistent use. Embed these strategies into your weekly practice and make reflection part of your teaching routine.
With even small changes, these strategies can have a significant impact on clarity, engagement, and student outcomes.
Final Thoughts
In classrooms facing diverse learner needs, time constraints, and curriculum demands, explicit teaching provides clarity and structure that benefits both teachers and students. Grounded in research and proven through practice, these strategies make it easier to guide students toward meaningful, lasting understanding. Whether you’re introducing clear success criteria or embracing the gradual release of responsibility, small, consistent steps can create powerful shifts in student confidence and outcomes. At Pearson, we remain committed to supporting educators with evidence-based resources because when learning is clear, students thrive.
