Adaptive Teaching & Coaching

Adaptive Coaching

Coaching is central to adaptive teaching, as it enables teachers to continuously diagnose, respond to and refine learning in real time, ensuring that all pupils are supported and challenged appropriately without lowering expectations. As access to knowledge has expanded through technology, the role of the teacher is evolving: rather than acting solely as the instructor who delivers information, teachers increasingly act as facilitators and coaches who guide pupils in how to think, apply and evaluate knowledge. Through coaching, teachers can develop the expertise to notice pupil responses, interpret misconceptions and adjust their approach in real time while maintaining consistently high expectations for all learners. This includes refining questioning, scaffolding, modelling and pacing based on ongoing assessment, as well as supporting pupils to become more independent and self-regulated in their learning. Coaching conversations can help teachers move from simply planning adaptations to implementing them fluidly, while also supporting ongoing dialogue about pupil progress, ensuring that teaching remains dynamic, inclusive and responsive to the needs of every pupil without reducing challenge or aspiration.

Adaptive Teaching v Differentiation

Adaptive teaching can include differentiated resources, however, critics of differentiated teaching refer to it as leading to lower expectations of some due to pre-determined adjustments. Adaptive teaching builds on differentiation to address this issue with real-time modifications and ongoing adjustments reflecting the learners’ needs. The Early Career Framework outlines adaptive teaching in Standard 5. It describes how pupils learn at different rates and so teachers should understand the differences and the obstacles and adapt teaching in a responsive way to increase pupil success, whilst ensuring challenge and ensure they do not set lower expectations for some pupils.

Strategies

Teaching can be adapted by: flexible grouping with high expectations for all, groups changed frequently and groups based on attainment are subject specific.; identifying pupils who require chunking; liaison with the SENCo to support SEND pupils; effectively using TAs; using well-designed resources; pre-teaching and connecting existing knowledge; building in practice & removing expositions; balancing new content to allow mastery; reframing for greater scaffolding; and maintaining high expectations for all.

Alex Quigley describes adaptive teaching strategies in terms of scaffolds, scale, structure and style. The Chartered College of Teaching also outlines multiple strategies.

Independence:

Learning Outcomes and New Content with Visuals/ Concrete Examples

Writing own targets  & Learning menus/ choice boards  

WAGOLL & Success Criteria

Step-by-step guide, Worked Examples & Checklists with visuals and diagrams

Chunking & Scaffolding: Scaffolded worksheet, Planning Templates & Empty Mind-maps

Flipped Learning Resources & Suggested Research

Timers & Personalised pace

Adapted equipment e.g. chunky pencils and visualisers

Communication:

Hinge questions & Targeted Questions

Mini-whiteboard checks & Non-verbal checks e.g. thumbs up

Building on Pupil Answers & Deeper questions

Vocabulary sheets/ displays

Key Points in Bold & Sentence starters

Leverage technology

Personalised learning plans

Collaboration:

Peer Coaching & Peer Assessment & Positive Praise Scripts

Jigsaw Tasks- each child is an expert on one part of problem 

Think–Pair–Square (think, pair up then join another pair) 

Group roles e.g. scribe, leader etc

Thinking & Learning:

Connecting Prior Knowledge & Interleaving topics

Graphic Organisers & Mind maps

Pupils Asked to Explain Why and How

Reviewing & Improving:

Dedicated improvement and reflection time (DIRT)

Provide immediate feedback

Checklists & Self-reflections

Revisiting Misconceptions

Monitoring Students & Progress tracking

Adaptive TEACHER Coaching in the Classroom

In practice, adaptive teaching is strengthened through the TEACHER coaching model by making responsive adjustments explicit and purposeful within the classroom. For example, a teacher may Target the learning outcome alongside a specific misconception identified through hinge questions, exit tickets or live marking, ensuring pupils are clear on what success looks like while addressing gaps in prior knowledge or key vocabulary; Enlighten pupils by exploring their current understanding using mini-whiteboards, think–pair–share, or by asking pupils to explain their reasoning aloud, allowing the teacher to adapt explanations, reframe concepts or introduce visual models. The teacher can acknowledge Achievement by highlighting correct thinking, partially correct responses or effective strategies, using praise to reinforce success. They may then offer Choice through tiered tasks, scaffolded worksheets, extension challenges or flexible grouping, ensuring all pupils remain challenged while accessing the learning.

At the Help stage, the teacher might model a worked example, break the task into smaller chunks, provide sentence starters, or use guided practice to support pupils who need it, while gradually removing scaffolds for others. To Encourage commitment, the teacher can set clear expectations, use checklists, circulate to prompt thinking, or provide immediate feedback to sustain engagement and effort. Finally, both teacher and pupils Reflect by revisiting the learning outcome and success criteria, completing self or peer assessment, addressing misconceptions, or reviewing progress through DIRT and questioning. This cyclical process reflects adaptive teaching and coaching in action, where continuous assessment, flexible responses and high expectations ensure that all pupils are supported, stretched and able to succeed.