The Leading, Language and Literature Podcast

Chris Jordan
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A podcast for leaders, teachers and potential educators looking to teach at home or abroad

  1. MAR 5

    Costas Constantinou - How to Provide Effective Professional Development - London

    In this episode, I’m speaking to Costas Constantinou. Costas is the co-founder and Director of Education at Veema Education, an organisation that provides professional development and school improvement programs internationally. A former London-based school leader, he specialises in training, coaching, and supporting educators globally. He is also the author of "A School Leader’s Guide to Leading Professional Development". Professional development is a fascinating phenomenon, given those in charge are tasked with building a shared language of excellence for staff, who might have ten different definitions of what a "good lesson" even looks like. On top of this, it’s culturally and contextually complex, and is arguably one of the most interesting design challenges in education right now. So, getting Costas into discuss best practice was a real privilege. We discuss: How and why schools should move from one-off events to multi-year CPD that establishes whole-school priorities while still being relevant at the department levelHow can leaders can make CPD meaningful for both early career teachers and experienced subject specialistsHow we foster 'disciplined inquiry,' where teachers identify their own professional needsMoving from measuring teacher satisfaction to measuring its actual impact on student learningAnd finally, how to simplify engagement with evidence so it feels practical rather than a chore Thanks again to Costas, someone who’s spent years truly deconstructing the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of school improvement, for his insights into the rigorous, evidence-backed architecture PD can offer. If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better. Links: Costas’ book: A School Leader's Guide to Leading Professional Development Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter

    46 min

  2. FEB 20

    Gina Davies - English and Science’s interdisciplinary links - Hong Kong

    In this episode, I am speaking to Gina Davies. Gina is an experienced educator of Science with expertise in instructional leadership, coaching and serves the charity WomenEd as regional lead here in Hong Kong. Our chat is the fifth conversation in a series of discussions designed to learn more about secondary subjects and their possible interdisciplinary links with English. My intrigue in doing these is to see whether there are possibilities for connections across subjects that are at least shared in passing during class or actually and more excitingly, the basis of complex interdisciplinary units. We discuss: The products, processes or texts that are at the heart of studying ScienceThe deep concepts that an expert in Science uses to make meaning from these phenomenaThe potential links that Science and English share from a conceptual or disciplinary point of viewAnd lastly, possible projects that students could work on to better understand both subjects, simultaneously. Thanks so much to Gina for explaining the organising principles of Science in such a clear and concise way as well as offering numerous ways in which our two subjects intersect. If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better. Links: Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter

    24 min

  3. FEB 5

    Li Bin - English and Chinese’s interdisciplinary links - Hong Kong

    In this episode, I’m speaking with Li Bin. Bin is a Deputy Head of School here in Hong Kong and formerly Asia-Pacific Regional Manager for the International Baccalaureate’s Middle Years Programme. On top of that, she is a deeply experienced teacher of Chinese and has worked with many schools that offer bilingual instruction. Our chat is the fourth conversation in a series of discussions designed to learn more about secondary subjects and their possible interdisciplinary links with English. My intrigue in doing these is to see whether there are possibilities for connections across subjects that are at least shared in passing during class or actually and more excitingly, the basis of complex interdisciplinary units. We discuss: The products, processes or texts that are at the heart of studying Chinese Language and LiteratureThe deep concepts that an expert in Chinese uses to make meaning from these phenomenaThe potential links that Chinese and English share from a conceptual or disciplinary point of viewAnd lastly, possible projects that students could work on to better understand both languages, simultaneously. Thanks so much to Bin for providing me with incredibly substantial but eloquent answers that did so much to enlighten my understanding of Chinese and the similarities it might share with English teaching. If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better. Links: Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter

    24 min

  4. JAN 26

    Shanice Welsh - English and Design’s interdisciplinary links - Hong Kong

    In this episode, I’m speaking with Shanice Welsh. Shanice is a director of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum here in Hong Kong and an active sharer of good teaching practice on the likes of X where she posts under the handle @Edu_byCreation. She is an experienced Middle Years Programme teacher and has done lots of work to integrate the framework into her own department’s output but also across the school as a whole. My chat with her is the third conversation in a series of discussions designed to learn more about secondary subjects and their possible interdisciplinary links with English. My intrigue in having these chats is seeing whether there are possibilities for connections across subjects that are at least shared in passing during class or actually and more excitingly, the basis of complex interdisciplinary units. We discuss: The products, processes or texts that are at the heart of studying DesignThe deep concepts that an expert in Design uses to make meaning from these phenomenaThe potential links that Design and English share from a conceptual or disciplinary point of viewAnd lastly, possible projects that students could work on to better understand both subjects, simultaneously. Thanks so much to Shanice who speaks with an excellent clarity, which speaks to both experience with interdisciplinary planning as well as a deep expertise in her subject. If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better. Links: Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter

    21 min

  5. JAN 22

    A Zoom with a View #6

    In this episode, I’m talking to Eoin MacCarthaigh. This is the latest in a running series of conversations between Eoin and I, where we share 3 things each from the world of education that have been causing us some consideration. We discuss: 1. Eoin’s pedagogical priorities for the new year 2. Why everything is downstream from a concept-led curriculum 3. How schools should approach the challenge of inclusion 4. Why ‘Read Alouds’ are a great gauge of text suitability 5. The role of homework in English 6. And finally, why teachers benefit from learning things that are cognitively demanding If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on X @chrisjordanhk and Eoin @EMCTeach Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better. Links: Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter

    1h 31m

  6. JAN 7

    Tama Karena - English and Music’s interdisciplinary links - Hong Kong

    In this episode, I am talking to Tama Karena. Tama is a Director of Music at an international school here in Hong Kong and has 30 years of experience in the classroom, twenty of which have been spent in international schools. My chat with him is the second conversation in a series of discussions designed to learn more about secondary subjects and their possible interdisciplinary links with English. My intrigue in having these chats is seeing whether there is possibilities for connections across subjects that are at least shared in passing during class or actually and more excitingly, the basis of complex interdisciplinary units. We discuss: The products, processes or texts that are at the heart of studying MusicThe deep concepts that an expert in Music uses to make meaning from these experiencesThe potential links that Music and English share from a conceptual or disciplinary point of viewAnd lastly, possible projects that students could work on to better understand both subjects, simultaneously. Thanks so much to Tama for speaking with his customary soul and passion for the subject and allowing me to consider the less obvious connections that are two subjects share. If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better. Links: Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter

    34 min

  7. 12/11/2025

    Louis Wong - English and STEM’s interdisciplinary links - Hong Kong

    In this episode, I am talking to Louis Wong. Louis is a STEM Coordinator, DP Physics teacher, IB Examiner, author and speaker. My chat with him is the first conversation in a series of discussions designed to learn more about secondary subjects and their possible interdisciplinary links with English. My intrigue in having these chats is seeing whether there is possibilities for connections across subjects that are at least shared in passing during class or actually and more excitingly, the basis of complex interdisciplinary units. We discuss: The products, processes or texts that are at the heart of studying STEMThe deep concepts that an expert in STEM uses to make meaning from these phenomenaThe potential links that STEM and English share from a conceptual or disciplinary point of viewAnd lastly, possible projects that students could work on to better understand both subjects, simultaneously. Thanks so much to Louis, who is nothing short of a local legend in STEM circles. I was somewhat nervous going into the conversation given my limited appreciation of the field but he does an incredible job of explaining his field in a clear and accessible way. If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better. Links: Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter

    38 min

  8. 10/22/2025

    Richard Bustin - Powerful knowledge and the capabilities students need - West Sussex

    In this episode, I’m speaking with Richard Bustin. Richard is a Geography teacher as well as being Director of Pedagogy, Innovation and Staff Development at Lancing College in the UK. Most recently, he has authored a book entitled: What Are We Teaching? Powerful Knowledge and a Capabilities Curriculum. It was an interview I’d heard between Richard and James Mannion that led me to Richard’s work and reading his book was of great interest to me as someone who works within the IB framework. Although nominally a Geography teacher, Richard’s book takes a broad look at the way we approach subjects in the secondary curriculum and considers where our priorities lie and what this means for what students actually learn. We discuss: How self-aware teachers are about their priorities when designing and teaching the curriculumWhat Richard understands ‘powerful knowledge to be’ and how it should be implemented in the curriculumWhat the term ‘capabilities’ covers for students’ educationAnd finally, whether there is a way to overcome the binaries of traditional progressive pedagogies in the age of social media Thanks so much to Richard for taking the time to chat to me about striking a balance between the rigorous drive to provide students with empowering subject knowledge at the same time as recognising the role that interdisciplinary ideas and collectively achieved academic capabilties. If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn or X @chrisjordanhk Additionally, if you would like a head start on how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or the top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing. Links: Richard’s book What Are We Teaching? Richard’s conversation with James Mannion for the the Rethinking Education podcast Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter

    1h 5m
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A podcast for leaders, teachers and potential educators looking to teach at home or abroad

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