Adaptive teaching takes centre stage at staff development day in Magherafelt

The Magherafelt and Rural Learning Partnership Staff Professional Development Day, hosted at St. Mary’s Grammar School, Magherafelt, brought together educators from across the Magherafelt area for a vibrant day of collaboration, innovation, and evidence-informed practice.

The conference focused on adaptive teaching, a key strategy for meeting the diverse needs of learners in today’s classrooms.

Delegates were inspired by keynote speakers Jon Eaton, Director of Kingsbridge Research School and EEF Research Lead, and Dr Michael Callaghan from Ulster University, who explored the evolving role of generative AI in education and the importance of situational awareness in teaching.

Staff benefitted from the expertise of their colleagues, many of whom shared their knowledge through a carousel of interactive workshops, covering topics such as neurodiversity and universal design for learning, hinge questioning, inquiry-based teaching, assessment and feedback, and the integration of AI tools to personalise learning.

Alongside the partnership’s teaching staff were contributors from Middletown Centre for Autism, ETI and Texthelp.

Feedback from participants highlighted the value of subject-specific collaboration and the opportunity to share best practice across schools.

“It was energising to connect with colleagues from other schools and explore practical strategies that can make a real difference in the classroom,” noted one delegate.

Mr Paul McClean, principal of St. Mary’s Grammar School and Chairperson of the MRLP stated: “Today marks the culmination of months of planning, designed to bring classroom practitioners, from right across our Area Learning Community, together. Around 8,000 young people attend our schools, each with their own skills, talents and abilities, and our goal today was to continue to equip teachers to meet the needs of every child as effectively as possible. We were delighted to have in-house talent from our own area presenting to colleagues, as well as expert practitioners from both local and international backgrounds – the atmosphere of collegiality and development was very tangible and I would like to thank all those involved in helping make it a success.”

The event’s emphasis on adaptive learning highlights the commitment to inclusive, evidence-based teaching across the learning partnership and the enthusiasm and professional generosity displayed throughout the day signal a strong foundation for continued collaboration and innovation.