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Teaching is a constantly changing profession, and initial teacher training cannot prepare educators for every challenge they may encounter in the classroom. As pupil needs become more diverse, technology continues to develop and expectations around teaching evolve, teachers need opportunities to build new skills throughout their careers.
Professional development, therefore, should not be viewed as a one-off activity completed at the beginning of a teaching career. Ongoing training and support can help teachers respond confidently to changing classroom demands, understand different learning needs and strengthen the way they support their pupils.
But which areas of teaching deserve the greatest focus? From supporting pupils with additional needs to managing behaviour, using technology effectively and promoting inclusion, some areas require continued development more than others. This article explores the key areas where teachers may benefit from further training and support, highlighting why good teaching involves more than simply having strong subject knowledge.
Do Teachers Need More Training in Supporting Pupils with SEND?
Yes. Teachers need ongoing SEND training to understand individual needs, adapt teaching and create inclusive classrooms. General teaching knowledge alone may not prepare teachers for the wide range of learning, communication and sensory needs pupils may have.
Understanding Different Learning Needs
Training helps teachers understand needs such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, communication difficulties and sensory differences, allowing them to provide appropriate support.
Neurodiversity and Inclusive Teaching
Understanding neurodiversity helps teachers recognise different ways of thinking and learning and avoid relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.
Adapting Lessons and Resources
Teachers can adapt instructions, resources, activities and classroom environments to remove barriers while maintaining appropriate expectations.
Scaffolding Learning
Visual prompts, task breakdowns, examples and guided support can help pupils understand tasks and gradually develop independence.
Supporting Communication and Interaction
Teachers may need clear language, visual cues, predictable routines and additional processing time to support communication and participation.
Working with SENCOs, Parents and Specialists
Effective SEND support requires collaboration with SENCOs, parents, teaching assistants and specialists to understand needs and provide consistent support.
How Can Better SEND Training Create More Inclusive Classrooms?
Better training helps teachers recognise needs, adapt teaching, remove barriers and support participation. Since SEND is an area where teachers have identified a need for additional training and support, strengthening these skills can benefit both pupils and teachers.
How Much More Training Do Teachers Need in Behaviour Management?
Teachers need ongoing behaviour-management training that goes beyond basic discipline. The focus should be on understanding behaviour, preventing disruption and responding consistently and calmly.
Should Behaviour Training Focus More on Understanding Behaviour?
Yes. Teachers should learn not only how to manage unwanted behaviour but also why it may be happening. Behaviour can sometimes be linked to emotional difficulties, communication challenges or additional needs. Understanding these factors can help teachers choose an appropriate response while maintaining clear boundaries.
What Behaviour Management Skills Need More Training?
- ♦ Managing challenging behaviour: Respond calmly and appropriately to difficult situations.
- ♦ Preventing disruption: Recognise early warning signs and intervene before behaviour escalates.
- ♦ Setting clear expectations: Establish understandable and consistent behaviour standards.
- ♦ Maintaining classroom routines: Use predictable routines to create structure and reduce disruption.
- ♦ Using de-escalation strategies: Reduce tension through calm communication and appropriate responses.
- ♦ Understanding emotional and additional needs: Recognise factors that may influence behaviour without excusing inappropriate conduct.
- ♦ Building positive relationships: Develop trust, respect and communication between teachers and pupils.
Why Is Ongoing Training Important?
Government guidance recognises the connection between pupil mental health and behaviour, while professional development research identifies behaviour and classroom management as important areas for teacher training.
The goal should not simply be to control behaviour, but to help teachers understand, prevent and respond to behaviour effectively.
Are Teachers Receiving Enough Training to Support Pupil Mental Health?
Teachers are often the first to notice changes in a pupil’s behaviour, emotions or engagement. However, recognising concerns requires appropriate training, clear boundaries and access to specialist support.
Can Teachers Recognise When a Pupil Is Struggling?
Teachers should recognise signs such as anxiety, withdrawal, sadness, poor concentration, attendance changes or unusual behaviour. Training helps staff identify when additional support may be needed.
Do Teachers Understand Emotional Wellbeing?
Teachers need to understand how emotional wellbeing, stress and mental health can affect behaviour and learning. DfE guidance highlights the importance of recognising this relationship and identifying pupils who need further support.
Can Teachers Create Supportive Classrooms?
Training can help teachers create safe and supportive classrooms through positive communication, respectful relationships, predictable routines and a non-judgemental approach.
Do Teachers Know Their Limits?
Teachers can listen, identify concerns and provide classroom support, but they should not diagnose conditions or provide specialist mental health care. Understanding professional boundaries is essential.
When Should Pupils Be Referred?
Teachers should know when and how to refer concerns to pastoral teams, SENCOs, safeguarding staff or external professionals, following the school’s procedures.
Are Teachers Being Asked to Do Too Much?
Teachers should support pupil wellbeing without becoming responsible for specialist mental health care. Strong teamwork and clear referral pathways ensure pupils receive appropriate help.
So, Are Teachers Receiving Enough Training?
Teachers need sufficient training to recognise concerns, respond appropriately and access specialist support. Schools should provide ongoing development, clear guidance and effective professional support.
Continue Your Professional Development
Interested in developing your SEN knowledge? Explore our SENCO – Special Educational Needs Coordination course and discover more professional development courses to support your career goals. Browse all courses at One Education.
Does Teacher Training Need to Focus More on Adaptive Teaching?
Can one lesson genuinely meet the needs of every learner? Probably not. Pupils have different abilities, prior knowledge, learning needs and barriers, making adaptive teaching an important part of effective teacher training.
Teachers should learn how to:
- ♦ Adapt teaching without lowering expectations through clearer explanations, modelling and targeted support.
- ♦ Differentiate resources appropriately using scaffolding, examples and accessible instructions where needed.
- ♦ Support pupils who need additional explanation by identifying misunderstandings and providing further guidance.
- ♦ Stretch pupils ready for greater challenge through deeper questioning, reasoning and more complex tasks.
- ♦ Use questioning effectively to check understanding and identify misconceptions.
- ♦ Adjust teaching based on assessment by reteaching, supporting or extending pupils when necessary.
- ♦ Remove barriers to learning, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.
Current Ofsted guidance for initial teacher education identifies adaptive teaching and preparing teachers to meet the needs of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND as important areas of teacher preparation.
The aim is not to create a different lesson for every pupil, but to help teachers respond effectively to learners while maintaining high expectations for all.
Do Teachers Need Better Training in Assessment and Feedback?
Yes — teachers need better training in assessment and feedback, but not necessarily more marking. The priority should be helping teachers use assessment to understand learning, identify misconceptions, adapt teaching and give pupils useful guidance for improvement.
How Can Formative Assessment Support Learning?
Formative assessment helps teachers check understanding during learning through questioning, discussion, observation and short tasks. Training should focus on using these methods to decide what pupils need next.
How Can Teachers Identify Misconceptions?
Teachers need to recognise not only wrong answers but why pupils are making mistakes. Understanding misconceptions allows teachers to revisit difficult concepts and adjust their explanations.
Are Teachers Asking Effective Questions?
Effective questioning can reveal how pupils are thinking. Training should help teachers use probing and diagnostic questions rather than relying mainly on simple recall questions.
What Makes Feedback Useful?
Useful feedback should clearly show pupils what they have done well, what needs improvement and what they should do next. Pupils should be able to use feedback to improve their learning.
Does More Marking Mean Better Feedback?
No. More marking does not automatically mean better feedback. Teachers should focus on assessment and feedback that have a meaningful impact on learning rather than producing unnecessary written comments.
Government workload guidance encourages schools to consider whether marking is proportionate to its impact, helping prevent unnecessary workload.
How Should Assessment Information Change Teaching?
Assessment only becomes valuable when teachers act on the information. Teachers should use assessment findings to revisit concepts, address gaps, provide support or move learning forward.
How Can Pupils Understand How to Improve?
Teachers should help pupils understand what successful work looks like, recognise their own gaps and identify the next steps they need to take.
What Should Better Assessment Training Achieve?
The aim should be a simple cycle:
Assess → Identify misconceptions → Adapt teaching → Give useful feedback → Help pupils improve → Assess again
The goal is not to assess more, but to assess better and use the information effectively to improve learning.
Is Teacher Workload a Training Problem — or a Support Problem?
Teacher workload is not simply a training problem — it is often a support problem. Training can improve skills and confidence, but it cannot solve every cause of excessive workload.
Teachers may struggle with:
- ♦ Lesson planning and adapting resources for different needs
- ♦ Marking and assessment demands
- ♦ Administration, emails and record keeping
- ♦ Meetings that reduce planning and recovery time
- ♦ Data requirements and reporting
- ♦ Additional responsibilities beyond classroom teaching
- ♦ Staff shortages that increase existing workloads
- ♦ Challenging behaviour and insufficient specialist support
DfE research has identified administrative work, marking, staff shortages, challenging behaviour and insufficient specialist support as factors linked to teacher workload and wellbeing concerns.
Can Training Reduce Teacher Workload?
Yes, when a genuine skills or knowledge gap is causing the problem. For example, targeted training can help teachers improve behaviour management, assessment methods or the use of technology.
However, training cannot compensate for a lack of time, staff or resources. A teacher may already know how to plan effectively but simply have too little time to do so.
Can Training Add to Workload?
Yes. Professional development requires time for attendance, reflection and applying new knowledge. Adding training to an already overloaded timetable can make teachers feel more pressured rather than supported.
What Support Do Teachers Really Need?
Depending on the problem, teachers may need:
- ♦ Protected planning time
- ♦ Reasonable marking expectations
- ♦ Reduced unnecessary administration
- ♦ Adequate staffing
- ♦ Specialist support
- ♦ Better behaviour support
- ♦ Clearer data requirements
- ♦ Dedicated time for professional development
The key question should not be “What training do teachers need?” but “What is causing the workload, and what support will actually address it?”
Training should be part of the solution, not the automatic solution. Sometimes teachers need training; sometimes they need more time, staff, resources or specialist support.
How Can Teachers Receive Better Training in Technology and AI?
Teachers need technology and AI training that goes beyond learning how to operate digital tools. They should understand when, why and whether technology should be used to improve teaching and learning.
1. How Can AI Support Lesson Preparation?
Training should show teachers how AI can help generate lesson ideas, create activities, develop questions, differentiate resources and reduce routine preparation time. Teachers should still check all AI-generated content for accuracy and suitability.
2. How Can Digital Tools Improve Learning?
Teachers should learn how to choose digital tools based on their educational value, rather than simply using the newest technology. Training should cover interactive platforms, digital collaboration, multimedia and online learning tools.
3. How Can Technology Support Assessment?
Teachers can use technology for quizzes, formative assessment, automated feedback, progress tracking and identifying learning gaps. Training should also explain that automated results cannot replace professional judgement.
4. How Can Assistive Technology Support SEND Pupils?
Training should cover tools such as text-to-speech, speech-to-text, screen readers, visual supports and communication technology. Teachers need to understand which technology can remove specific barriers to learning.
5. Do Teachers Receive Enough Digital Safeguarding Training?
Teachers need guidance on privacy, data protection, online communication, cyberbullying, inappropriate content, deepfakes and AI-related risks. Digital safeguarding should be part of regular technology training.
6. How Should Teachers Check AI-Generated Resources?
Teachers should check AI-generated materials for accuracy, curriculum relevance, age appropriateness, bias, accessibility and misleading information before using them with pupils.
7. Do Teachers Understand the Limitations of AI?
AI can produce inaccurate information, invented sources, bias and unsuitable content. Teachers therefore need AI literacy and critical judgement, not just technical skills.
8. Can Technology Reduce Rather Than Increase Workload?
Training should help teachers identify which tasks technology can genuinely simplify. Teachers should also recognise when a simple non-digital approach is more effective.
9. What Should Effective Technology Training Look Like?
Training should be ongoing, classroom-focused and role-specific, rather than a one-off workshop. A useful approach is:
Learn → Practise → Apply → Review → Improve
10. Should Teachers Be Trained to Use AI—or Know When Not to Use It?
This should be the central question. Teachers need to understand what AI can do, but professional judgement determines what AI should do.
The goal is not to make every teacher an AI expert. It is to help teachers become confident, critical and responsible users of technology.
Do Teachers Need More Support for Their Own Wellbeing and Professional Development?
Yes. Teachers need stronger support for both wellbeing and professional development. Heavy workloads, professional pressure and limited support can affect motivation, job satisfaction and retention, particularly among early-career teachers.
How Can Teachers Manage Professional Pressure?
Teachers need manageable workloads, clear expectations and supportive leadership to handle professional demands without becoming overwhelmed.
Why Are Healthy Boundaries Important?
Healthy boundaries help teachers protect their time and energy. Schools should support realistic working hours, manageable communication expectations and sufficient time for planning and assessment.
Could Mentoring and Peer Support Help?
Yes. Mentoring and peer support give teachers opportunities to discuss challenges, share ideas and learn from colleagues. This can be especially valuable for early-career teachers.
What Role Does Coaching Play?
Coaching provides personalised support for specific classroom challenges, professional goals and career development.
Why Is Reflective Practice Important?
Reflective practice helps teachers consider what works, identify areas for improvement and recognise what support they need.
Should Professional Development Be More Personalised?
Professional development should be relevant, accessible and connected to teachers’ actual needs. Research has found that workload can make training difficult to access, while some teachers feel training is too general or insufficiently connected to their roles.
How Can Leadership Support Teachers?
School leaders can support wellbeing by listening to staff concerns, managing workload, encouraging collaboration, providing mentoring and making professional development realistic and relevant.
Can Better Support Prevent Burnout?
Yes. Consistent mentoring, coaching, peer support and manageable expectations can help teachers feel valued and supported, potentially reducing burnout and early-career attrition.
What Should Teacher Professional Development Look Like?
Professional development should be:
- ♦ Relevant – linked to genuine teaching needs.
- ♦ Accessible – manageable alongside workload.
- ♦ Personalised – suited to individual development goals.
- ♦ Supported – reinforced through mentoring and coaching.
- ♦ Reflective – allowing teachers to apply and evaluate learning.
- ♦ Career-focused – supporting long-term progression.
FAQs — What areas of teaching deserve more training and support?
Which areas of teaching deserve more training and support?
Teachers often need more training in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), behaviour management, mental health and wellbeing, inclusive teaching, classroom technology, assessment, safeguarding and supporting diverse learners.
Why is SEND training important for teachers?
SEND training helps teachers recognise different learning needs, adapt teaching approaches and provide appropriate support so pupils can participate and progress.
Do teachers need more training in behaviour management?
Yes. Training in behaviour management can help teachers respond consistently to challenging behaviour, establish positive classroom expectations and create a supportive learning environment.
How can mental health training support teachers?
Mental health training can help teachers recognise signs that a pupil may be struggling, respond appropriately and understand when additional support or referral may be needed.
Why does inclusive teaching require more support?
Inclusive teaching helps teachers meet the needs of pupils with different abilities, backgrounds, learning preferences and circumstances, ensuring everyone has meaningful opportunities to learn.
Does technology require additional teacher training?
Yes. Teachers increasingly need support to use digital learning tools effectively, maintain online safety and use technology to enhance rather than distract from learning.
Why is assessment an important area for teacher development?
Training in assessment helps teachers use questioning, feedback and progress information more effectively, allowing them to identify learning gaps and adjust teaching accordingly.
Article by
Sam Walker
Aug, 29, 2026 
