Teachers Talk Radio

Darren explores whether better task design can reduce cheating in schools and assessments. Drawing on the research of Wenzel and Reinhard (2020), he examines how the structure and design of tasks can influence student honesty, motivation, and decision-making during tests and classroom assessments. From authenticity and challenge to accountability and engagement, this show looks at the evidence behind why some assessment tasks may encourage academic integrity more effectively than others.

Yannick and Tony reflect on the changes in the profession with reference to 10 key areas, and give an opinion for each on whether they have got better or worse. At the end of the show, the hosts will compare notes and consider survey results across the UK in order to make a final conclusion: Is teaching getting harder?

What does it mean to teach with your heart truly in it? This week on The Late Show, Tim Smale and Khanh-Duc Kuttig are joined by the amazing Christian Mba, vice principal, middle leadership developer, and author of Teach Like Your Heart Is On Fire.

Together they explore the questions at the heart of Christian's book: why you became a teacher, whether knowing your purpose changes what happens in the classroom, and what it really takes to sustain genuine passion across a career.

Nearly one million young people in the UK are currently out of education and work. Alan Milburn’s explosive new report warns of an "economic catastrophe" driven by lockdown scars, social media rewiring, and a broken welfare system. In this show, join JP, Rae, Carl and Jo as they ask the tough questions. Are schools doing enough to build resilience? Has technology created an anxious generation that the system is simply giving up on?

Darren explores the relationship between test anxiety and school avoidance, examining how anxiety around exams and assessment can contribute to absenteeism, emotionally based school avoidance, and disengagement from learning. Drawing on current educational and psychological research, he discusses the warning signs teachers and parents should recognise, the impact of exam stress on student wellbeing, and the practical strategies schools can use to support anxious pupils before attendance becomes a wider concern.