Peer Learning Event in Shanghai.

Designing for Learning Variability

Saturday, March 6, 2027
Wellington College International Shanghai

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Date

Saturday
March 6, 2027

Time

12:00PM - 5:00PM

Location

Wellington College International Shanghai

Cost

Early Bird: CNY 630 (Expires on Feb 6)
Free for ACAMIS Leading Inclusion Symposium attendees

This event is possible thanks to our host school, Wellington College International Shanghai, and the generous sponsorships of (sponsor name). Their support makes it possible for us to bring together educators and school administrators for an afternoon of shared learning and collaboration, at a reduced cost to you.

  • In today’s international schools, we see diverse student learning needs in every classroom, requiring teachers to adapt instruction in meaningful and sustainable ways. This Peer-to-Peer event invites educators to explore practical strategies and approaches for designing instruction that supports a wide range of student needs, while avoiding teacher overwhelm. Through structured dialogue, active participation, and the sharing of practical strategies, participants will examine what is working in practice to design for learning variability across international school settings.  

  • How are schools adapting instruction for diverse learners without overwhelming teachers? What classroom strategies actually work in practice?

  • By the end of this event, participants will leave with an enhanced toolkit of strategies to strengthen inclusive teaching practices and try out in their own classrooms.

  • This is a highly collaborative, job-alike experience for teachers, curriculum leaders and learning support staff to come together:

    • to share challenges, practical ideas, strategies, and resources

    • for peer-to-peer discussion and knowledge exchange

    • to connect with like-minded professionals across schools and regions

Agenda

12:00PM - 12:15PM

Registrations (15 min)

Welcome & Framing  (15 min)

12:15PM - 12:30PM

12:30PM - 1:00PM

Keynote (30 min)

1:10PM - 1:40PM

Presentations (30 min)

3:45PM - 4:15PM

Market Place (30 min)

Breakout Room Discussions (2.5 hr)

1:45PM - 3:15PM

Refreshments Break (30 min)

3:15PM - 3:45PM

Panel and Closing Remarks (45 min)

4:15PM - 5:00PM

Breakout Rooms*

*Topics may be subject to change.

Micro-Differentiation: Low-Prep Strategies for Busy Classrooms

Explore sustainable, realistic ways to adapt daily lessons for diverse learners on the fly, moving away from labor-intensive lesson planning toward high-impact, small-scale adjustments.

    • Shifting from "three different lesson plans" to "one plan with flexible entry/exit points."

    • Using choice boards and open-ended tasks to naturally accommodate learning variability.

    • Quick verbal and visual scaffolding techniques that require zero prep time.

  • A shared bank of 5 "quick-win" micro-differentiation strategies that teachers can implement in under two minutes of prep.

Building Executive Functions: Shifting the Burden to Student Agency

Lighten the teaching load by explicitly embedding self-regulation, time-management, and organizational tools directly into your curriculum, helping students become independent managers of their own learning differences.

    • Scaffolding long-term projects using visual checklists and backwards-planning templates.

    • Teaching micro-routines for starting tasks, managing distractions, and organizing digital workspaces.

    • Normalizing self-advocacy tools so students can articulate what they need to succeed.

  • A collection of student-facing templates, schedules, and scaffolding tools ready to be deployed across multiple grade levels.

Sensory-Friendly Spaces: Designing Environmental Supports

Examine how small changes to the physical classroom environment and daily routines can reduce anxiety, support sensory needs, and improve focus for neurodivergent learners.

    • Identifying common sensory triggers in standard international school classrooms (lighting, noise, visual clutter).

    • Creating predictable, low-cost "sensory reset stations" within the room.

    • Designing smooth transition routines that reduce cognitive overload between subjects.

  • A practical classroom sensory audit checklist to help teachers instantly evaluate and optimize their physical spaces.

The Co-Teaching Co-Op: Maximizing Specialist and General Ed Synergy

A dedicated space for homeroom/subject teachers and learning support specialists to design streamlined communication loops and shared instructional models that make the most of limited co-planning time.

    • Moving beyond the "one teach, one assist" model toward parallel and station teaching.

    • Quick-communication hacks (digital templates, audio notes) for aligning before a lesson.

    • Clearly defining roles during live instruction to avoid duplicate effort.

  • A 15-minute co-planning protocol template designed to align teaching partnerships efficiently without adding extra meetings to the week.

Facilitator

Jana van Zyl

Director of Safeguarding and Inclusion for YCYW Schools (China Mainland)

Jana van Zyl 万茹兰 is the Director of Safeguarding and Inclusion for YCYW Schools (China Mainland). She has extensive experience in, and a passion for training, and working with adults to support children in the areas of child protection, safeguarding, mental health, social/emotional development, character development, positive discipline, and special education needs.

Learn with Peers at
Wellington College International Shanghai

No. 1500 Yao Long Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai 200124 China

Julian Jeffrey

Master & CEM

Connect and Learn with Your Peers

CNY 630

Early Bird Expires on Feburary 6, 2027.

Free

for ACAMIS Leading Inclusion Symposium attendees

Please use your exclusive coupon code when registering to enjoy the free ticket.

Register Now