Talking Teaching

In this episode of Talking Teaching, Dr Sophie Specjal explores the story of Hester Hornbrook Academy, a fee-free, Independent Special Assistance School (SAS School) in Victoria supporting young people aged 15–25 who have experienced significant barriers to education, including trauma, mental health challenges, family violence, housing instability, or prolonged disengagement from schooling. 
The episode examines how learning and wellbeing are intentionally designed together to re-engage students and achieve successful outcomes and a sense of belonging. 
Joining host Sophie Specjal are Sally Lasslett, Executive Principal, and Elida Brereton, board member and long-serving former principal.
Together, they unpack what makes SAS schools like Hester Hornbrook distinctive: a healing-oriented approach to education, flexible learning environments shaped by student voice, and a multidisciplinary model that brings wellbeing and learning together without lowering expectations.
The conversation explores the realities of re-engaging students who may not yet feel safe in “traditional” schooling, the importance of staff support and supervision in high-complexity settings, and why personalised learning plans and applied learning projects can provide a powerful bridge back to achievement.
They also reflect on the sustained national growth of Special Assistance Schools in the diverse Independent School sector over the past decade, discussing why these models have expanded rapidly in response to increasing student complexity and disengagement, and what this means for the future of schooling in Australia.

In this episode of Talking Teaching, Dr Sophie Specjal sits down with Dr Jennifer Buckingham to explore the critical intersection of reading, reasoning, and artificial intelligence in contemporary education.Drawing on decades of research and policy experience, Dr Buckingham explains why reading is far more than decoding words; it is foundational to comprehension, critical thinking, and lifelong learning. The discussion traces the evolution of reading instruction in Australia, highlighting the importance of systematic phonics and evidence-based practice in improving literacy outcomes.The conversation also turns to the challenges faced in secondary schooling when reading difficulties persist, the impact of screen-based reading on comprehension, and what the rise of AI means for literacy, learning, and thinking. Throughout, Sophie and Jennifer discuss the enduring importance of fostering a love of reading, building strong teacher knowledge, and ensuring all students have the opportunity to become confident, capable readers, now and into the future.

What can Indigenous knowledge teach us about raising and educating children? Anishinaabe visiting scholar Professor Jan Hare, from the M’Chigeeng First Nation and Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia, joins host Dr Sophie Specjal to explore how Indigenous principles can guide the way we care for and teach children. Professor Hare shares stories such as The Three Sisters, highlights the role of ceremony and learning with the land, and invites educators to see young children as ‘gifts.’ She also reflects on how these perspectives could help shape policy reforms in Australia.

https://education.unimelb.edu.au/talking-teaching

How do we measure what truly matters in education? Laureate Professor Emeritus John Hattie joins host Dr Sophie Specjal to reflect on five decades of research, leadership and global influence. From his pioneering work on Visible Learning to mentoring over 200 PhD students, Hattie explores the mentors, milestones and moments that defined his career, celebrates teacher expertise, and considers how schools can nurture curiosity and belonging. He also looks ahead to how AI may transform classrooms and learning.
 
More information and useful links are available via this ⁠link⁠.
 
Talking Teaching is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
 
We’d love to hear your feedback on the series, send your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].
 
This podcast is produced by the Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne.

To mark 50 years of NAIDOC Week, Talking Teaching celebrates this year’s theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy, by spotlighting the work of Dr John Doolah, a proud Torres Strait Islander and Indigenous education lecturer at the University of Melbourne.
 
In conversation with host Dr Sophie Specjal, John reflects on his heritage, his research, and the enduring strength of Indigenous knowledge systems. He shares how Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing can be meaningfully embedded in classrooms through respectful collaboration and cultural understanding, not as an add-on, but as central to learning. This episode invites educators to reflect, learn, and take part in shaping a future that honours both the legacy of Elders and the vision of emerging Indigenous leaders.
 
Dr John Doolah is a proud Torres Strait Islander of Erubam le (Erub person) and Meriam le (Mer person) heritage. John belongs to the sager people of Mer and his Mer nosik (clan) division, is Samsep-Meriam. He is a lecturer in Indigenous Education at the University of Melbourne and a Ngarrngga post-doctoral fellow.
 
Click the episode link for more information and key resources.
 
Talking Teaching is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
 
We’d love to hear your feedback on the series, send your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].
 
This podcast is produced by the Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne.