At Exmouth District High School, we provide a high-quality teaching and learning experience that prepares our students to achieve in their chosen pathway. We have embarked on a journey towards a consistent, explicit approach to teaching, ensuring that our students receive the best possible education driven by our own BEACON Instructional Model and aligned with the Western Australian curriculum.
At Exmouth District High School, we believe in engaging lessons that utilise an explicit approach to teaching. By focusing on critical content and reducing the cognitive load on students, we ensure that learning is effective and meaningful. Our teachers carefully design lessons that are clear, structured, and focused on key concepts, allowing students to grasp complex ideas. Through this approach, we aim to enhance student understanding and retention, leading to deeper learning experiences.
The BEACON Instructional Model ensures lessons are well structured and focussed on key concepts. The key elements motivate students to participate and achieve success.
Beginning with a signal and maintaining a consistent routine in lessons is an effective way to establish structure and expectations in the classroom. This practice involves using a specific signal, such as a chime or a phrase, to indicate the start of a lesson and gather students’ attention. Once the signal is given, students know to focus their attention on the teacher and prepare for the lesson ahead.
Using Explicit learning Intentions and Success Criteria ensures teachers and students understand the purpose of the lesson and what is expected, providing a clear focus for learning. They also provide a framework for effective feedback, as students can compare their work against the success criteria to identify areas for improvement.
Activating prior learning in a lesson involves revisiting and building upon students’ existing knowledge, skills, and experiences related to the topic being taught. This process helps to make new information more meaningful and easier to understand.
Constructing learning through an ‘I do, we do, you do’ approach is a method of instruction that gradually transitions the responsibility of learning from the teacher to the students.
I do – In this phase, the teacher models the concept or skill that is being taught.
We do – In this phase, the learning becomes collaborative. Students work together with the teacher or in groups to solve more complex problems or complete more challenging tasks.
You do – In this phase, students practice the concept or skill independently.
Providing ongoing feedback occurs throughout lessons at Exmouth District High School and is a crucial part of effective teaching. It involves giving students timely and specific information about their progress, understanding, and performance to help them improve their learning.
Student engagement during lessons using full participation strategies ensures that students are actively involved in their learning. These strategies encourage students to contribute, discuss, and interact with the lesson content, fostering a deeper understanding of the material and creating opportunities for success.
Aligned with the Department of Education’s strategic direction and ‘Teaching for Impact’ tool, we strive to equip our students with the skills, capabilities, and understandings that are essential for success in today’s world. We prioritise development through whole-school programs such as Talk4Writing, Seven Steps to Writing Success, InitiaLit Early Years Literacy and Spelling Mastery. Our Academic extension and enrichment STEAM program integrates Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics, challenging students to think critically, solve problems creatively, and collaborate effectively. In mathematics, we use the Paul Swan Maths resources to deliver a solid foundation in mathematical concepts and skills.
