‘We are a challenge seeking species, we like doing things that are difficult. However, no-one wants to be made to feel stupid! There are plenty of examples where we do difficult things such as crosswords, Sudoku, word, and maths puzzles, by way of relaxation. The great thing about these is that we can do them in our own time, without any pressure.

We want to make sure that our classrooms have an atmosphere of high challenge and low threat, and to make sure that we shift away from high challenge and high threat. The high challenge takes the form of demanding work, the low threat comes from reassuring pupils that they don’t need to know all the answers because we are going to scaffold the ways in and support them, primarily through talk.’

(https://www.marymyatt.com/blog/how-high-challenge-and-low-threat-can-help-pupils-to-learn-the-curriculum)

Creating a “high challenge, low threat” classroom involves balancing ambitious tasks with a supportive and safe learning environment. When students feel secure, they are more willing to take risks, learn from mistakes, and persist with difficult work. 

High challenge: Raise the academic bar

• Design for deep thinking. Create tasks around “big questions” or problems with no immediate, obvious answer. This pushes students to deepen their understanding through trial and error rather than simply recalling information.
• Encourage higher-order thinking. Use questions that require students to analyse, synthesise, and evaluate, moving beyond simple knowledge and comprehension.
• Use demanding texts. Introduce challenging and authentic texts but provide the necessary scaffolding and support through classroom discussion.
• Give students choice. Offer students different pathways to demonstrate their understanding. This includes selecting activities, choosing different texts, or presenting their work in a preferred format. 

Low threat: Build a safe, supportive culture

• Separate ideas from people. When a student gives an incorrect answer, avoid phrases like “your idea” and instead use language like “that idea.” This distances the error from the student’s self-worth and turns it into a teachable moment for the whole class.
• Welcome mistakes as learning opportunities. Normalise and even celebrate mistakes by sharing your own stories of failure and what you learned from them.
• Praise effort, not ability. Instead of saying “You’re so clever,” praise the hard work and strategies students use to overcome difficulties. This builds a growth mindset and values perseverance over innate talent.
• Provide clear scaffolding and support. While the task is hard, the support system should be strong. Use methods like paired discussion, thinking time before answering, and targeted instruction to help students reach the material.
• Offer low-stakes practice. Allow students to practice difficult concepts without the pressure of high-stakes evaluation.

This blog was written by Bretta Townend-Jowitt, Education Consultant and Trainer.