Co-designing the English classroom: Amplifying adolescent voice, agency, and belonging
Presentation Withdrawn
Background: Adolescents’ participation in decisions that affect their learning is central to inclusive education. Secondary classrooms often have tightly prescribed curricula, making student voice and agency especially important.
Aim: This presentation explores how listening to student voices through co-design in senior English classes can inform teaching practice and enhance adolescent agency, engagement, and classroom culture.
Method/approach: The study is conceptual, drawing on a four-year practitioner inquiry at a secondary high school. It reports on the decision to include Year 11 and 12 English students to make decisions about what is studied in class. Focused on my practice as a teacher and leader, the presentation reports on how iterative reflection on these contributions shaped classroom practice and culture.
Results/findings: Incorporating student input through co-design led to increased engagement, richer learning choices, and greater collaboration among students. Classroom culture became more inclusive and responsive, with students demonstrating ownership, responsibility, and the confidence to contribute meaningfully to learning discussions.
Conclusion: Co-design provides a framework for reflective teaching that amplifies adolescent voice and agency, showing how participatory approaches can transform secondary classrooms into collaborative and socially meaningful learning environments.
Implications for children and families: You will hear how students’ ideas and choices can influence learning, making school more interesting, relevant, and meaningful.
Implications for practitioners: You will hear about how you can use student input to adapt teaching, broaden learning options, strengthen engagement, and foster inclusive, collaborative classrooms.
Keywords: agency, voice, co-design, curriculum, secondary English
This presentation relates to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: