David Morkunas
David Morkunas is a classroom teacher at Bentleigh West Primary School, and a former Council member for Learning Difficulties Australia. He is a passionate advocate of evidence-based instruction and explicit teaching, and aims to use these philosophies to improve outcomes for all.
David has spoken at a number of recent conferences and teacher events, including the 2019 AUSPELD Language, Learning and Literacy Conference in Perth, the ResearchED Conference in Melbourne in 2019, the Sharing Best Practice event in Melbourne in 2019, and at INVESTEd in Inverloch in February 2020.
Explicit Maths Instruction in the Primary Classroom
Session Outline
Literacy has enjoyed a renewed focus in the Australian zeitgeist over the last few years, but what about mathematics? Recent research suggests that it is not just our younger students who suffer from maths anxiety – it also affects university students, adults, and even our teachers. But this need not be the case! This session aims to bust the myth that some students or teachers “just aren’t any good at maths” and will prove that any teacher can become comfortable teaching mathematics to a high standard.
Join David Morkunas as he unpacks the elements that have led Bentleigh West Primary School to be recognised as a high-performing school for mathematics. This session will demonstrate how David and his colleagues use approaches including Explicit Direct Instruction and Cognitive Load Theory in order to craft and teach lessons which give their students the greatest possible chance of success in mathematics.
Introducing…
The Maths Network
A place to connect and share research-aligned practice with fellow teachers and educators.
Access the recording and slides
Our network convenors
Sacha Giurietto is the Leading Teacher at Pleasant Street Primary School in Ballarat, Victoria. She is passionate about leading evidence-based teaching in Literacy and Numeracy and driving whole-school school change. Sacha has been involved in the Science of Learning Leadership Accelerator, Ochre Education and Bastow Unlocking Potential.
Dr Nathaniel Swain is a teacher, instructional coach and researcher. He works in the primary school sector supporting schools to continue their Science of Learning journeys. With expertise in linguistics and cognitive science, Dr Swain’s mission is for all students to develop “life-changing” language and literacy skills, through effective and engaging teaching. To this end, he founded Think Forward Educators, a national community of educators who see “education for all” as a means to social equity.