It was so valuable to have a more reluctant pupil in the room (albeit unintentionally, I'm sure) as this is the modelling it's really useful and reassuring to see. Exemplar videos often show a leafy/half-size class where nothing's wrong - great for showing some things, but not everything.
01.03.2026 11:29 β
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What are we really doing when we let students opt out?
How low expectations protect adults and diminish children
We say we care about children. So why do we let them opt out?
At researchEDBrum I taught a live lesson. One student wanted to opt out. I could have backed off. It would have been easier. Instead, I insisted they participate, as warmly as possible
open.substack.com/pub/daviddid...
01.03.2026 10:36 β
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A very interesting read. "Reading comprehension is not a single, detachable skill. It is the visible outcome of many interacting components: decoding fluency, vocabulary, background knowledge, inference, working memory, " #edpsychs
24.02.2026 06:54 β
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Is reading comprehension even a thing?
And if it is, how should we teach it?
New study casts doubt on what reading comprehension is and how best to teach it. Is background knowledge less important than we thought? Is reciprocal teaching the way forward? Or is it a bit more complicated than that?
open.substack.com/pub/daviddid...
24.02.2026 06:30 β
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Is reading comprehension even a thing?
And if it is, how should we teach it?
New study casts doubt on what reading comprehension is and how best to teach it. Is background knowledge less important than we thought? Is reciprocal teaching the way forward? Or is it a bit more complicated than that?
open.substack.com/pub/daviddid...
24.02.2026 06:30 β
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Pleased with 1 hour 40 :)
22.02.2026 18:08 β
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Pretty flat :)
Hope to meet you there
22.02.2026 18:07 β
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Yeah. They sound good π
22.02.2026 09:57 β
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8 weeks out from Newport Marathon - half marathon in Bath today. Cold, rainy, windy. What could be better?
22.02.2026 09:32 β
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Because what works for learning is deeply counterintuitive and human judgment is fundamentally biased towards βstuff I likeβ
21.02.2026 16:56 β
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Decomposition for dummies: how to break down a curriculum
Does the way knowledge is stored in the brain tell us anything about how to design a curriculum?
Do brain scans tell us anything about how to structure a curriculum? Should we be lead by what cognitive psychology indicates about how we learn or by what neuroscience suggests about how knowledge is stored?
open.substack.com/pub/daviddid...
21.02.2026 06:46 β
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Over the last year, we've built an innovative model of writing assessment that blends human & AI judgement.
If you would like to see how it works & try it for free, sign up for our webinar next Wednesday at 4pm. We will give all attendees 30 free AI credits.
us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
19.02.2026 17:16 β
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Decomposition for dummies: how to break down a curriculum
Does the way knowledge is stored in the brain tell us anything about how to design a curriculum?
Do brain scans tell us anything about how to structure a curriculum? Should we be lead by what cognitive psychology indicates about how we learn or by what neuroscience suggests about how knowledge is stored?
open.substack.com/pub/daviddid...
21.02.2026 06:46 β
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Ah, there Iβm not so sure I agree. I definitely think we should do our best to prevent students making avoidable errors. Theyβll make plenty of mistakes without our help :)
19.02.2026 11:43 β
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Opening the closed circle: why being wrong helps us find out what's right
Falsifiability, pseudoscience and why "it works for me" is a pedagogical dead end
Itβs not good enough to say βit works for meβ. How do you know? What are the criteria by which youβd change your mind? If there are none, you have insulated yourself from reality.
open.substack.com/pub/daviddid...
19.02.2026 07:21 β
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Opening the closed circle: why being wrong helps us find out what's right
Falsifiability, pseudoscience and why "it works for me" is a pedagogical dead end
Itβs not good enough to say βit works for meβ. How do you know? What are the criteria by which youβd change your mind? If there are none, you have insulated yourself from reality.
open.substack.com/pub/daviddid...
19.02.2026 07:21 β
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researchED Birmingham 2026
The world's greatest education conference returns to Brum!
BABS!!
WEβRE BACK ON 28TH FEB!! FEW TIX STILL AVAILABLE. COME ALONG AND HEAR FROM ACE PEOPLE INCLUDING @carlhendrick.substack.com @daisychristo.bsky.social @didau.bsky.social @jonhutchinson.bsky.social @marymyatt.bsky.social @alexjquigley.bsky.social
#rEDBRUM
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/researched...
15.02.2026 16:09 β
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Whatβs that now?
16.02.2026 11:15 β
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Did you read the actual blog?
14.02.2026 18:36 β
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Sorry, whatβs that now?
14.02.2026 18:09 β
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It does not require it although it helps
14.02.2026 18:09 β
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Good teaching is not a special measure
Why the principles that support children with special educational needs are the foundations of effective teaching for all
All children deserve good teaching. Some need it more than most. If support replaces thinking, it isnβt support.
Our aim must be independence.
open.substack.com/pub/daviddid...
14.02.2026 07:15 β
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