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 utilize 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 gather students’ attention. Once the signal is given, students know to focus their attention on the teacher and engage.
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 is embedded in daily review and involves intentionally revisiting and building upon students’ existing knowledge, skills, and experiences related to current and previous learning. Daily review provides students with regular opportunities to recall essential concepts, vocabulary, and skills, strengthening connections between what they already know and what they are about to learn. This process is dynamic and responsive, with teachers adjusting content based on student need, curriculum progression, and assessment evidence. Research shows that spaced retrieval and repeated practice support the transfer of learning from working memory into long-term memory. By systematically revisiting content over time, students consolidate understanding, reduce cognitive load, and are better able to access and apply knowledge in new and increasingly complex contexts.
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 strategic direction of the Department of Education Western Australia 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 prioritize development through whole-school programs such as Talk4Writing, Seven Steps to Writing Success, InitiaLilit Early Years Literacy, Spelling Mastery, and the Maths Trek Primary Mathematics Program. 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.
Creating Consistency: How We Learn
Across the school, engagement norms guide how students actively participate in learning and promote high-quality engagement in every classroom. These nonnegotiable tactics include:
- Mini-Whiteboards – Students respond individually, allowing teachers to quickly check understanding and provide immediate feedback.
- Actions & Chants – Physical movement and verbal repetition support memory and concept retention.
- Attention Signals – A range of consistent signals are used to gain focus quickly.
- Think–Pair–Share – Students organise and discuss ideas with a partner, so all voices are heard.
- Non-Volunteer – Teachers call on a range of students to ensure everyone contributes.
- Full Sentence Answers – Students respond using full sentences and subject-specific vocabulary.
- Text Tactics – Strategies such as choral response, reversal, track with me, read with me, and pronounce with me.
These practices create predictable, supportive classrooms where students feel safe to participate and take risks in their learning.
