Australia's teachers are not equipped to deal with rising levels of disruption in classrooms, a Senate inquiry has found, while calling for students to be taught how to behave.

The inquiry's interim report into disruption in Australian classrooms has found issues such as substance abuse, threats and physical violence are a growing problem.

Senators have also called for structural changes, like an end to open-plan classrooms — where a number of classes are located in one large room — in favour of going back to traditional classroom designs. 

The inquiry was launched about 12 months ago with a key focus on Australia's declining spot in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) rankings for the "disciplinary climate" in schools, based on student reports.

In 2018, Australia ranked 69 out of 76 countries, meaning it had some of the worst rates of classroom disruption.

Other data from an OECD survey of teachers, known as TALIS, showed 37 per cent of Australian principals reported weekly intimidation and bullying among students, more than twice the OECD average.

It also found Australian teachers and school staff were facing rates of intimidation and verbal abuse by their students at four times the rate of the OECD average.

Do you know more about the issues teachers are facing in classrooms? Contact Specialist.Team@abc.net.au.

'Staff have had furniture thrown at them'

The inquiry heard from public school teachers who were under strain from not being resourced to deal with disruption or protected from dangerous behaviour.

"Staff have been hit, staff have had furniture thrown at them: staff have had the windows next to their heads punched in," said one, who was anonymised in the report.

"Staff are harassed, they have had their cars keyed, they have had their wallets stolen, they have had students punching the walls of their classrooms.

"Staff have been forced frequently to deal with vaping, drug use and alcohol use on school grounds, staff have been forced to deal with drug selling and distribution on school grounds."

Data backs up these experiences, with an Australian Principal Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Survey finding 37.1 per cent of school leaders are exposed to threats of violence from students.

The Australian Teachers' Perceptions of their Work in 2022 report also found an increase in the number of teachers feeling unsafe at work, from 18.9 per cent in 2019 to 24.5 per cent in 2022.

Senators recommend 'behaviour curriculum'

The inquiry found teachers are not equipped to manage low-level disruption — such as distracting their peers, chatting and talking out of turn — or deal with high-level disruption — including undermining a teacher's authority or abuse.

It called on the federal government to fast-track improvements to the quality of teacher training and ensure educators learn evidence-based methods for classroom management as recommended by the government's recent Quality Initial Teacher Education Review.

"Many submitters strongly suggested that behaviour management skills must be developed and honed in classroom settings, not just learned from a course," the interim report said.

"Core content should include best practice teaching methods of classroom management and behaviour."

 

The inquiry said increasing disruption was disadvantaging students and contributing to poor literacy and numeracy results.(Unsplash: Sam Balye)

Senators also called for students to be taught these behaviours via a new "behaviour curriculum".

"[It would] explicitly teach behaviour to help students understand their school's behavioural expectations and values, allowing them to navigate their school's social environment successfully while ensuring that the best possible learning climate is achieved," the group said.

If the federal government follows the inquiry's recommendations to the letter, it will mean negotiating with their state and territory counterparts to make change, with senators calling for the issue to be prioritised.

Open plan? Not a fan

The recommendations also include a call for changes to the physical environment in class, specifically an end to open-plan classrooms.

Disability Discrimination Legal Service chief executive Julie Phillips welcomed the suggestion, saying it would make a big difference for students with disability, who could struggle with auditory processing and distraction.

"The research has been out on that for quite some time and it probably stands to reason for most people the loud, noisy, open-plan classrooms don't really help anyone," she said.

Recommendations for teachers to prioritise direct instruction were also welcomed.

WATCH

Duration: 1 minute 51 seconds1m 51s

 

Watch the story: Research finds disabled students endure bullying and exclusion.

But Ms Phillips was disappointed senators did not address foundational issues that can lead to or be seen as disruptive behaviour, such as when children with disability were denied the reasonable adjustments or support they need.

"In the absence of greater funding and support for kids with disabilities, suspension and expulsion are the tools being used and have no benefit to anyone whatsoever," she said.

A 2021 survey from the Australian Education Union (AEU) found 89 per cent of public school principals were having to divert funds from other parts of school budgets because they did not have the resources to support students with disabilities.

Here are some of the inquiry's recommendations:

· Fast-track recommendations from the Teacher Education Expert
Panel, such as improving university-level training

· That the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and
Reporting Authority introduce a "Behaviour Curriculum"

· Requiring government and non-government education
authorities to invest in the professional development of teachers

· Education ministers should introduce "evidence-based instructional models, such as explicit instruction" 

· Construct future school buildings in formats such as traditional classrooms, as opposed to open-plan classrooms

AEU president Correna Haythorpe said the inquiry missed an opportunity to help bring down rates of classroom disruption.

"The report frames behaviour as a problem for teachers in a simplistic manner by focusing on student discipline and narrow one-size-fits-all approaches," she said in a statement.

"The report cites figures that show public schools do not have the funds to support all students with disabilities but fails to propose an increase in funds that might help address this."

The union also rejected calls for more "direct instruction" in teaching and an end to open-plan classes, describing them as a recipe for worsening behaviour.

"The priority should be delivering the resources, time and support that teachers need to meet the individual needs of each student rather than retrograde changes that deskill teachers and attempt to standardise teaching and learning," she said.

Greens say inquiry misses 'socio-economic and psychosocial' challenges

 

Senator Penny Allman-Payne says the report doesn't adequately address how issues like disadvantage can affect student behaviour.(ABC News : Russel Talbot)

The recommendations are not unanimous, with Greens senators filing a dissenting report separate to their colleagues from the government and opposition.

"From the outset, the framing of this inquiry has had the potential to demonise children and young people and punish parents and carers," Greens education spokesperson Senator Penny Allman-Payne said.

"Instead of considering the real issues that lead to students struggling and disengaging in classrooms, it has engaged with the topic in ways that are wholly detached from socio-economic and psychosocial challenges."

Unlike the rest of the inquiry panel, the Greens made just one recommendation — to fully fund public schools at the beginning of the next National School Reform Agreement in 2025.

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Duration: 6 minutes 46 seconds6m

 

In an attempt to combat disruption, one school tries a new approach: teaching students how to behave in class.(Lucy Kent)