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"Build stronger systems. Develop staff capability. Improve student outcomes."
Beyond the Workshop: Using MTSS to Strengthen Educator Practice - Sarah Wood
In this episode of the Behavioural Deep Dive, I am joined by Sarah Wood, Educational and Developmental Psychologist and Head of Allied Health at the Learning for Life Autism Centre, to explore how schools can move beyond traditional professional development and support meaningful changes in educator practice.
Drawing on Sarah's research evaluating the Inclusion Works program, the conversation examines how a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) can be applied to educator professional learning, the role of differentiated coaching and feedback, and how schools can use classroom observation and implementation data to strengthen inclusive teaching practices.
Show Notes
Why professional development doesn't always change practice
Schools invest significant time and resources into professional development, yet translating new knowledge into meaningful changes in classroom practice remains a challenge.
Sarah discusses the limitations of traditional professional development models, particularly one-off workshops and training sessions that introduce strategies without providing ongoing support for implementation.
While workshops can establish foundational knowledge, educators are often left to determine how to apply these strategies within the complexities of their own classrooms.
The conversation explores why knowing about an evidence-based practice is different from being able to implement it effectively, and how coaching, modelling and feedback can help bridge this gap.
Rather than viewing professional development as a single event, Sarah highlights the importance of providing ongoing, contextualised support that helps educators develop and sustain effective practices.
Applying MTSS to educator professional development
A central focus of the episode is how a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) can be applied to educator learning.
Sarah outlines the Inclusion Works program, a yearlong professional development model that provides differentiated support across three tiers.
At Tier 1, educators participate in universal professional learning workshops, supported by ongoing consultation with school leadership.
At Tier 2, educators receive additional classroom-based coaching, typically for 30 minutes each fortnight, focused on specific practices relevant to their classroom context.
At Tier 3, coaching increases to approximately one hour each week for educators requiring more intensive support.
Importantly, the distinction between tiers is primarily the intensity and frequency of support, rather than an entirely different set of teaching practices.
The discussion highlights how differentiated professional learning recognises that educators, like students, require varying levels of support to develop and implement new skills.
Strengthening inclusive classroom practices
Sarah explains how Inclusion Works focuses on developing foundational classroom practices that support student participation, engagement and learning.
The conversation explores several key practices, including active supervision, opportunities to respond, reinforcement and the balance between positive and corrective feedback.
These practices form part of the program's classroom observation and coaching process, helping educators identify specific areas for improvement.
Sarah also discusses the importance of task analysis, prompting and developing meaningful individual education goals to support students requiring additional assistance.
A recurring theme is that effective inclusive education involves more than selecting evidence-based strategies. Educators need support to adapt, practise and refine those strategies within their own classroom environments.
Using observation and implementation data to guide coaching
One of the distinguishing features of Inclusion Works is its systematic use of classroom observation and implementation data.
Sarah explains how consultants use the Classroom Management Observation Tool (CMOT) to identify areas where educators may benefit from additional support.
Coaches then work collaboratively with educators to select relevant strategies from a set of 27 inclusive education practices.
Practice-specific fidelity checklists are used to monitor implementation, with a practice considered mastered when an educator achieves at least 80% fidelity across two observations.
The conversation also explores how regular feedback sessions allow educators to review their progress, discuss challenges and make adjustments to their practice.
Rather than evaluating professional development solely through attendance or satisfaction surveys, this approach asks a more meaningful question: Are educators implementing the practices they have been taught?
What the Inclusion Works research found
Sarah shares findings from her research evaluating the Inclusion Works program across six Victorian primary schools.
The study examined changes in observed classroom practices over the yearlong program, alongside educator attitudes towards inclusion and their experiences of receiving professional learning.
The research identified statistically significant improvements in observed inclusive classroom practices across participating educators.
Sarah also discusses feedback from educators, many of whom described the benefits of receiving practical, classroom-based support to implement strategies they were already familiar with.
The findings highlight the potential value of combining foundational professional learning with differentiated coaching, feedback and ongoing implementation monitoring.
Moving from professional development to meaningful implementation
The conversation encourages school leaders to reconsider how professional learning is planned, delivered and evaluated.
Rather than focusing exclusively on what training has been provided, schools can examine whether educators are implementing new practices and what additional support they may require.
Sarah's research provides an example of how MTSS can be used to organise professional learning through universal training, differentiated coaching and ongoing evaluation.
Ultimately, strengthening educator practice requires more than delivering information. It requires opportunities to practise, receive feedback, monitor implementation and develop the capability to sustain effective classroom practices over time.
Resources
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Sarah Wood – Scoping Review
Research examining approaches to professional learning and consultation that support inclusive education practices.
Read the scoping review -
Sarah Wood – Inclusion Works Outcome Study
Building Inclusive Education Capability Through an In-School Consultation Model: Changes in Educator Attitudes and Practice Use After a Yearlong Program.
Read the research -
Classroom Management Observation Tool (CMOT) – Research Study
Research examining the CMOT, used to observe classroom management practices and inform professional learning. Full-text access may require a subscription.
View the study -
Classroom Management Observation Tool (CMOT) – Free Resource
The classroom observation tool discussed in the episode, available to download and use to inform coaching and implementation monitoring.
Download the CMOT (PDF) -
Joyce & Showers (1980) – Improving Inservice Training: The Messages of Research
Foundational research examining the components of effective professional development, including theory, demonstration, practice, feedback and classroom application.
Read the article (PDF) -
Joyce & Showers (1981) – Transfer of Training: The Contribution of Coaching
Research exploring the role of coaching in supporting educators to transfer newly acquired skills into classroom practice.
View the research -
Learning for Life Autism Centre
The organisation delivering the Inclusion Works program and supporting inclusive education practices in schools.
Visit the website -
Inclusion Works Program
Information about the MTSS-based professional learning and coaching model discussed throughout the episode.
Explore Inclusion Works
Contact Sarah Wood
Sarah Wood is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist and Head of Allied Health at the Learning for Life Autism Centre, where she supports schools to strengthen inclusive education practices and improve outcomes for students with diverse learning needs.
Sarah has extensive experience working with educators and school leaders to translate evidence-based practices into everyday classroom settings. Her work includes the development and evaluation of Inclusion Works, a yearlong school consultation program that applies a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to educator professional learning.
Through her doctoral research at Monash University, Sarah has examined how differentiated coaching, classroom observation and ongoing feedback can strengthen educator capability and support sustainable improvements in inclusive teaching practices.
Email: sarah@learningforlife.com.au