Research School Network: Nobody Changed the Music: Reflections on Inclusive Teaching Inclusive Teaching

Last week, Taylor Swift launched a new video at the VMA Awards to mark the latest chapter of The Life of a Showgirl. The announcement unexpectedly took me back to when the original album was released in 2025. While friends enthusiastically embraced the Eras phenomenon, sequins and all, I simply didn’t understand what all the fuss was about.

Two things got in the way.

> Auditory Processing Difficulties: I struggle to hear lyrics in music. Whether this is linked to auditory processing difficulties or forms part of my autistic experience is unclear. The label matters less than the reality: I simply can’t access music in the same way as many others.

> Lack of Background Knowledge: Because I had never really engaged with music, much of that world was hidden to me. I missed the references, humour, creativity and storytelling that others seemed to enjoy so effortlessly.

Something that appeared simple and accessible to everyone else actually wasn’t accessible to me.

It made me think about pupils who arrive in our classrooms carrying barriers to learning. Like me, they may look as though they are participating whilst privately feeling confused, excluded or unsure what everyone else seems to understand so naturally. When learning feels inaccessible, belonging can feel inaccessible too.

Experiencing this as an adult challenged my thinking about what inclusion really feels like. It prompted me to consider how many pupils spend their school day navigating similar barriers, and what it takes for them to feel genuinely included in their learning, their classroom and their wider school community.

During the album launch in the following October, there were some key experiences that made me think about inclusion and the extent to which simple adaptations can give access to something that felt previously impossible.

A key message from the EEF’s Guide to Inclusive Teaching is that inclusion relies on both universal approaches and adaptation and additional support working together, overlapping and complementing each other.

The guidance challenges some myths around supporting our learners with SEND:

> Inclusive teaching is all about what schools do differently for pupils with additional needs.

> Interventions are the most important way to support pupils with additional needs.

It makes powerful connections to the Universal Provision as part of the SEND graduated response which places Quality First Teaching as the bedrock of the offer we make to our pupils, especially for those with additional needs.

Our biggest take away as leaders is to build the strongest possible foundation for inclusion by considering what you do every day that is especially important for pupils with additional needs.

For fear of missing out, I persevered. During the opening week of The Life of a Showgirl, I joined in as best I could, nodding along to the music and recognising the occasional chorus.

The turning point came at a cinema launch event for the album’s first official release. Alongside the premiere, Taylor shared personal reflections and explained the inspiration behind each song. I confess I went along wanting to join in, wear the sequins and experience the atmosphere. Imposter syndrome was strong. My approach of mumbling a few words from the chorus was unlikely to convince anyone I belonged there. Yet as I watched, I found myself thinking less about the music and more about the learning.

1. Explicit Instruction: Each song had a ​‘pre-teach’ helping break down and explain the storytelling.

a. Establishing Background Knowledge: Important context for both the album and individual songs was shared in advance, allowing new understanding to build on secure foundations.

b. Think-Aloud Narrative: each song’s ​‘story’ was shared, linked to real life experiences. Attention was guided to important features, language choices such as metaphors and analogies broken down and made explicit.

c. Front-Loading Vocabulary: when literary features were discussed, important language was introduced and explained

d. Chunking and Sequencing: Each song was unpacked one by one, sequenced with an opportunity to apply the new knowledge immediately as each song was revealed.

2. Scaffolds:

a. Transcription and Visual Scaffolds: each song was revealed following the narrative walk through and the video included on-screen lyrics and minimised distracting visual elements.

b. Repetition and Revisiting: the lead song which had a music video was repeated twice giving the audience a chance to process a second time, draw links to the explanation and offering a second chance to make connections and spot those hidden Easter eggs in the visual clues

Let’s be honest. I’m not competing with the die-hard Swifties. However, the experience helped me understand how something that appears effortless to some can feel completely inaccessible to others and simple adjustments can make all the difference.

1. I felt included and I could actively enjoy the experience. It was as if someone had pulled back the veil on something that felt out of reach and a complete mystery.

2. I ​‘got’ it – for the first time I could follow, understand and appreciate what the songs were communicating.

3. I enjoyed the storytelling… though I know a die-hard Swifty would say that there are stronger examples of her writing elsewhere in her discography. I was just excited.

What struck me most was that nobody changed the music. The songs remained exactly the same. What changed was access.

Often our journey as teachers stems from one of success in the school system and so it’s hard to put ourselves in the shoes of pupils who are struggling. So, this experience as an adult gave me a different perspective, allowing me to really think of the power of those universal approaches.

Through thoughtful explanations, carefully sequenced information and appropriate scaffolds, I was able to participate fully in an experience that had previously felt closed to me. As teachers, we are not lowering expectations when we provide these supports. We are increasing access.