A podcast for parents and educators about the best way to support kids living with learning difficulties.
Hosted by specialist teacher Michael Shanahan, Dyscastia takes a positive, respectful look at supporting students living with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and associated neurodivergences such as autism and ADHD. Each episode focuses on practical, realistic strategies for reducing barriers to learning and building safe, supportive environments where students can achieve success.
Conversations draw on Michael’s teaching experience and lived experience of ADHD, dyslexia, and dysgraphia, along with the perspectives of parents, educators, allied health professionals, and students themselves — all working toward the shared goal of supporting every child to feel understood and supported at school and beyond.
All content for Dyscastia is the property of Michael Shanahan and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
A podcast for parents and educators about the best way to support kids living with learning difficulties.
Hosted by specialist teacher Michael Shanahan, Dyscastia takes a positive, respectful look at supporting students living with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and associated neurodivergences such as autism and ADHD. Each episode focuses on practical, realistic strategies for reducing barriers to learning and building safe, supportive environments where students can achieve success.
Conversations draw on Michael’s teaching experience and lived experience of ADHD, dyslexia, and dysgraphia, along with the perspectives of parents, educators, allied health professionals, and students themselves — all working toward the shared goal of supporting every child to feel understood and supported at school and beyond.
What high-performing countries are doing in maths. With Liana McCurry
Dyscastia
1 hour 20 minutes 19 seconds
1 year ago
What high-performing countries are doing in maths. With Liana McCurry
In this episode, we have Liana McCurry back to talk about her Churchill Fellowship findings on what the top PISA performing countries are doing with maths instruction and how we can use that information to improve outcomes for kids living with learning difficulties.
Show notes
Liana McCurry’s Churchill Fellowship has come just in time. Liana travelled abroad to investigate best practices in teaching mathematics that provide the best outcomes for all students.
Australia’s PISA ranking plummeted from 10th internationally in 2003 to 30th in 2018, where it fell below the average for the first time. How we teach mathematics in Australia is the prime suspect for this decline.
Dyscastia Episode 14 was recorded prior to Liana’s departure, where we discussed intervention in Maths.
Early in the conversation, constructivist learning theories are discussed as a big part of the problem in the context of how this approach to learning and teaching exacerbates cycles of social disadvantage. Anyone who taught in the late 80s and 90s in Australia has (tried) to work with curriculum frameworks that are broadly based on constructivist theories.
In discussing the differences between the curricula of the countries Liana visited and Australia’s mathematics curriculum, Ben Jensen’s work was mentioned. The ERRR Podcast #77 is well worth a listen if you want to know more about the shortcomings of Australia’s curriculum.
Greg Ashman gets a mention, as Greg is an outspoken critic of the direction of the Australian maths curriculum. Greg recently gave an excellent interview on the Science of Reading Podcast, where he gives a stunning account of cognitive load theory. Greg also sits on the other side of the mic in his own podcast, where he and Amanda VanDerHeyden talk maths instruction.
Comments and questions are welcome!
We would love to hear about your experiences teaching mathematics directly and explicitly as opposed to other methods. We’re also interested in your experiences with bringing review and maths fluency into your instructional approaches. If you’ve taught in any of the countries Liana visited, we’d love to hear your reflections.
Dyscastia
A podcast for parents and educators about the best way to support kids living with learning difficulties.
Hosted by specialist teacher Michael Shanahan, Dyscastia takes a positive, respectful look at supporting students living with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and associated neurodivergences such as autism and ADHD. Each episode focuses on practical, realistic strategies for reducing barriers to learning and building safe, supportive environments where students can achieve success.
Conversations draw on Michael’s teaching experience and lived experience of ADHD, dyslexia, and dysgraphia, along with the perspectives of parents, educators, allied health professionals, and students themselves — all working toward the shared goal of supporting every child to feel understood and supported at school and beyond.
