Coaching and professional learning
How teachers get better, and what makes coaching and PL change practice. Here you'll find webinars, podcast episodes and reading on instructional coaching, coaching cycles, drop-ins and professional learning design that actually changes practice.
Practices in this area:Coaching cycleAction stepsModellingRehearsalDrop-insPL design
Lesson with commentary
CEEDAR Center · F-12 · USA
A professional learning activity built around a classroom video of explicit instruction, with cues to pause, reflect and analyse. It includes a facilitation guide and can be used alone or with a team.
FreeOpens at ceedar.education.ufl.edu
Lesson with commentary
Steplab · 43:12 · Primary and secondary · UK
The final part turns to teacher development, showing the approaches the two schools use to build teaching expertise reliably.
FreeOpens at steplab.co
Lesson with commentary
Chalk Dust · F-10 · Australia
Before and after footage of a Western Australian primary teacher's lessons shows what instructional coaching and deliberate practice changed, including choral response, mini whiteboards and calling on non-volunteers.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Explainer
Peps Mccrea · UK
Peps Mccrea makes the case for drop-ins, short unscheduled visits from colleagues, as a way to improve teaching and build staff culture. Aimed at leaders and coaches.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Explainer
Reading Universe · F-2 · USA
A reading coach on noticing students' errors during phonics and turning them into teaching moments.
FreeOpens at readinguniverse.org
Explainer
Evidence for Learning · 5:27 · F-12 · Australia
An Evidence for Learning explainer video on effective professional development. Useful background for leaders and coaches planning professional learning.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
School story
AERO · Australia
Leaders at Maffra Secondary College in Victoria explain how they embed explicit teaching through repeated professional learning cycles of knowledge building, planning time, modelling and coaching.
FreeOpens at edresearch.edu.au
Interview
Teacher magazine (ACER) · 2:52 · F-12 · Australia
Dylan Wiliam shares tips for changing teaching practice in a short Teacher magazine video. Handy for opening a staff or coaching conversation about change.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Webinar
Think Forward Educators, with Stuart Kime · About 1 hour · 2026 · UK
Stuart Kime considers what research says about how teachers build expertise through knowledge, skills and habits, and offers techniques to try in your own practice.
FreeOpens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Webinar
Think Forward Educators, with Nathaniel Swain and Brendan Lee · 30 to 60 minutes · 2023 · Australia
Teachers bring real problems they have met putting the science of learning into practice, and Nathaniel Swain and Brendan Lee coach them towards evidence-informed solutions.
Free account neededOpens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Webinar
Think Forward Educators, with Zach Groshell, Christie Barrett and Kathleen O'Rourke · 30 to 60 minutes · 2023 · Australia
Zach Groshell explains cognitive biases that make teaching practice hard to shift, and two school leaders describe how coaching colleagues through change played out in their settings.
Free account neededOpens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Webinar
Think Forward Educators, with Ollie Lovell and Josh Goodrich · 30 to 60 minutes · 2023 · Australia
Ollie Lovell and Josh Goodrich explain why improving teaching is hard, the active ingredients that make instructional coaching work, and how those ingredients overcome barriers to changing habits.
Free account neededOpens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Webinar
Think Forward Educators, with Ollie Lovell and Mark Dowley · 30 to 60 minutes · 2024 · Australia
Ollie Lovell and Mark Dowley share routines from their Classroom Management Handbook for entering the room, gaining attention and defusing debate, and show rehearsal through coaching.
Free account neededOpens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Webinar
Think Forward Educators, with Jack Neil · 30 to 60 minutes · 2024 · Australia
Jack Neil makes the case for instructional coaching as core professional development, with examples of coaching structures, their impact and how schools can grow effective coaches.
Free account neededOpens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Webinar
Steplab · About 40 minutes · UK
A Steplab session on group professional development that works. Useful for leaders and coaches who plan whole-staff or team sessions.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Webinar
IRIS Connect, with Haili Hughes · About 1 hour · UK
Haili Hughes presents on adaptive instructional coaching in a session hosted by IRIS Connect. Useful for coaches thinking about how they adjust their approach for different teachers.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Talk
Dylan Wiliam · About 20 minutes · UK
Dylan Wiliam on leading teacher learning communities. A shorter session for leaders setting up or refreshing regular teacher groups.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Talk
Simon Breakspear · About 1 hour · Australia
Simon Breakspear introduces Teaching Sprints, his approach to team-based teacher improvement. A starting point for leaders and teams curious about how it works.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Webinar
inclusionED (Sylvia Rodger Institute) · About 50 minutes · Australia
The fourth episode of inclusionED's webinar series, on foundation practices for early career teachers. It also introduces the professional learning and community of practice on the inclusionED website.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Series
PaTTAN, with Joan Sedita · Five sessions · USA
A PaTTAN playlist of five sessions on the Writing Rope. The first introduces the rope and what is known about effective writing instruction, and it suits a team working through the framework over a term.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Interview
PaTTAN, with Louisa Moats · About 51 minutes · USA
Louisa Moats talks with PaTTAN about the 2020 edition of Teaching Reading Is Rocket Science. It pairs well with reading the paper itself, which is also in this section.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Interview
Teachers Talk Radio, with Jamie Clark and Zach Groshell · 2024 · UK
Jamie Clark and Zach Groshell discuss how students learn, how direct instruction improves learning, and how instructional coaching can help teachers refine their practice.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
School story
Reading Universe · F-2 · USA
A second-grade teacher in Ohio learns to teach reading through structured literacy, supported by coaching.
FreeOpens at readinguniverse.org
Explainer
Peps Mccrea · 5:55 · F-12 · UK
Peps Mccrea on rehearsal resistance and how to reduce friction in teacher development. Useful for coaches who ask teachers to practise techniques.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Webinar
Evidence for Learning · About 1 hour · Australia
An Evidence for Learning webinar on the mechanisms of effective professional development. Useful for leaders and coaches reviewing how their school's professional learning is designed.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
How teachers improve
Knowledge for Teachers · with Haili Hughes
Haili Hughes of La Trobe University discusses how teachers improve, the realities of implementing evidence-informed instruction and how leaders can avoid lethal mutations.
FreeOpens at knowledgeforteachers.podbean.com
Instructional coaching
Education Research Reading Room · with Lorraine Hammond
Lorraine Hammond discusses her study of teachers taking up explicit instruction, and a directive coaching model in which the coach acts as an expert guide.
FreeOpens at ollielovell.com
Instructional coaching
Education Research Reading Room · with Josh Goodrich
Josh Goodrich explains instructional coaching and how it helps teachers improve. This is part a of two; in part b he coaches Ollie Lovell.
FreeOpens at ollielovell.com
Coaching, culture and change
Knowledge for Teachers · with Zach Groshell
Zach Groshell, author of Just Tell Them, joins Brendan Lee for a second conversation on what schools need to consider about coaching, culture and change.
FreeOpens at knowledgeforteachers.podbean.com
Effective professional learning
Education Research Reading Room · with Sam Sims
Researcher Sam Sims discusses two reports he led on what makes professional development effective and what this means for school leaders.
FreeOpens at ollielovell.com
Effective professional development
Evidence into Action
An EEF panel including Harry Fletcher-Wood discusses the key insights from the guidance report Effective Professional Development.
FreeOpens at evidenceintoaction.podbean.com
Developing expertise
Education Research Reading Room · with Peps Mccrea
Peps Mccrea, of Ambition Institute and Steplab, discusses how teacher expertise develops and what that means for those who support teachers.
FreeOpens at ollielovell.com
One-pagers for professional learning
Science of Reading: The Podcast · with Jamie Clark
Susan Lambert talks with Jamie Clark about how he condenses research into one-page summaries for teachers, including a close look at his think, pair, share one-pager.
FreeOpens at buzzsprout.com
Running professional learning
Education Research Reading Room · with Harry Fletcher-Wood
Harry Fletcher-Wood shares what it takes to design professional development for teachers that goes deep and changes practice.
FreeOpens at ollielovell.com
School improvement through coaching
Education Research Reading Room · with Alex Evans
Deputy headteacher Alex Evans describes how St Luke's moved from the bottom 20 per cent of schools nationally to the top 20 per cent in four years, using instructional coaching.
FreeOpens at ollielovell.com
Education Research Reading Room · with Dylan Wiliam
Dylan Wiliam discusses how leaders can build teacher professional development around formative assessment to improve outcomes for students.
FreeOpens at ollielovell.com
One-pagers for professional learning
Knowledge for Teachers · with Jamie Clark
English teacher Jamie Clark discusses his book One-Pagers and how its summaries of teaching techniques can be used for professional learning.
FreeOpens at knowledgeforteachers.podbean.com
A coaching session modelled
Education Research Reading Room · with Josh Goodrich
Part b of episode 74: Josh Goodrich coaches Ollie Lovell, with videos of the coaching sessions linked in the show notes.
FreeOpens at ollielovell.com
Steplab · Guide · UK
Opens at steplab.co
Haili Hughes · Substack · 2026 · Australia
Hughes argues that reducing teaching to a list of approved moves strips out the subject knowledge, judgement and responsiveness that make it intellectual work, and that pupils lose out when that happens.
FreeOpens at hailihughes.substack.com
Haili Hughes · Substack · 2026 · Australia
Hughes argues that staff wellbeing comes less from treats and gestures than from manageable workloads, clear systems, purposeful professional development and a culture that takes teachers' growth seriously.
FreeOpens at hailihughes.substack.com
Steplab (Josh Goodrich) · Essay · UK
Opens at steplab.co
Trisha Jha (Publican Policy) · Substack · 2026 · Australia
Reviews a trial in which professional development on teacher mindsets, called a culture of learning, lifted student outcomes, and argues it complements rather than competes with science of learning approaches.
FreeOpens at publicanpolicy.substack.com
Haili Hughes · Substack · 2026 · Australia
Hughes reflects on a year implementing research-informed lesson principles across a trust, sharing what helps principles move from a published document to consistent, thoughtful practice in classrooms.
FreeOpens at hailihughes.substack.com
AERO · Research summary · Australia
Opens at edresearch.edu.au
Steplab (Harry Fletcher-Wood) · Essay · UK
Opens at steplab.co
Ambition Institute (Peps Mccrea) · Paper · 2018 · UK
Opens at ambition.org.uk
Deans for Impact · Report · 2016 · USA
Opens at deansforimpact.org
Sims and colleagues (EEF) · Evidence review · 2021 · UK
Opens at educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk
Haili Hughes, Think Forward Educators · Blog post · 2026 · Australia
Associate Professor Haili Hughes of La Trobe University makes the case that what teachers know cannot be separated from how well they teach.
Opens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Reading Universe · Slides for a staff session · USA
Ready-made slides for leading a staff session on the Simple View of Reading, with the research explained, discussion questions, videos of model lessons and classroom resources.
FreeOpens at readinguniverse.org
Louisa Moats, American Educator · Article · 2020 · USA
Louisa Moats on what expert teachers of reading should know and be able to do, in the 2020 edition of her paper for American Educator.
FreeOpens at aft.org
Greg Ashman (Filling the Pail) · Substack · 2025 · Australia
Ashman takes on the claim that explicit teaching kills teacher creativity and autonomy, arguing that constraint can free creativity and that shared lesson plans leave room to refine one thing well.
FreeOpens at fillingthepail.substack.com
Haili Hughes · Substack · 2026 · Australia
Hughes explains why experience alone does not make teachers better, and how focused, repeated rehearsal of specific techniques within coaching helps teachers turn professional learning into classroom practice.
FreeOpens at hailihughes.substack.com
Haili Hughes and Jamie Clark · One-page guide · Australia
Haili Hughes's five strategies for mentors and coaches of early career teachers, including shared language and using video to pin down specific next steps.
FreeOpens at jamieleeclark.com
Jamie Clark (DistillED) · Newsletter article · 2026 · Australia
Distinguishes a strategy (what you do) from a principle (why you do it) and argues professional learning should start from principles. Builds on a Haili Hughes article.
FreeOpens at newsletter.jamieleeclark.com
Jamie Clark · Blog post · 2024 · Australia
A school leader's five ingredients for embedding research in a school, from shared understanding and how learning happens to trust, context-specific professional learning and curated strategies.
FreeOpens at jamieleeclark.com
Paul Kirschner and Nidhi Sachdeva · Substack · 2026 · International
Kirschner and Sachdeva explain why expert teaching is hard to see in a lesson, warn against judging by surface features such as a lively room, and argue that student learning remains the best available measure.
FreeOpens at paulkirschner173727.substack.com
Mary Myatt (Curriculum 101) · Substack · 2026 · UK
A short challenge to lesson observations that judge teacher performance, suggesting observers look instead for evidence of what pupils are thinking and learning.
FreeOpens at marymyatt.substack.com
Alex Blanksby (VIC Maths Notes) · Substack · 2026 · Australia
A Victorian maths teacher shares his takeaways from sessions at researchED Ballarat 2026, a large Australian conference on evidence-informed teaching, starting with a keynote on opportunities to respond.
FreeOpens at vmnalex.substack.com
Ben Cooper (WAGOLL Teaching) · Substack · 2025 · UK
Describes a six-week professional development cycle for embedding one teaching strategy at a time, with modelling, practice and follow-up to avoid lethal mutations.
FreeOpens at wagollteaching.com
Haili Hughes · Substack · 2026 · Australia
Hughes argues that rehearsal in professional learning should not default to role play, and that coaches should ask what kind of practice best suits the particular part of teaching being developed.
FreeOpens at hailihughes.substack.com
Steplab · Essay · UK
Opens at steplab.co
Steplab (Josh Goodrich) · Essay · UK
Opens at steplab.co
Trisha Jha (Publican Policy) · Substack · 2026 · Australia
Checks progress on Australian reforms to initial teacher education, including core content on reading and learning, and asks how far universities have actually changed.
FreeOpens at publicanpolicy.substack.com
Haili Hughes · Substack · 2026 · Australia
Comparing England and Australia, Hughes argues that strong teachers do not automatically make strong mentors, and that mentor training is a worthwhile investment in new teachers and retention.
FreeOpens at hailihughes.substack.com
Haili Hughes · Substack · 2026 · Australia
Hughes names ten ways research gets distorted on its way into schools, such as slogans and rigid rules, and suggests how leaders can keep the nuance of the original evidence.
FreeOpens at hailihughes.substack.com
Kraft, Blazar and Hogan · 2018 · Foundational research
Opens at annenberg.brown.edu
Sims, Fletcher-Wood and colleagues (EEF) · 2021 · Systematic review and meta-analysis
Opens at educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk
Hobbiss, Sims and Allen · 2021 · Review
Opens at discovery.ucl.ac.uk
Conversations and podcast · Australia
Opens at bronwynryriejones.com
Podcast and blog · Australia
Opens at ollielovell.com
Substack and podcast · Australia
Opens at knowledgeforteachers.substack.com
Blog · UK
Opens at teacherhead.com
Blog with video · USA
Opens at teachlikeachampion.org
Essays and guides · UK
Opens at steplab.co
