We can all envision the ideal state of conversation in our classrooms:  Kids are in pairs or small groups discussing a topic.  Members represent diverse language proficiencies, yet everyone is participating.  They care about what they’re discussing and the teacher can tell by the students’ postures and comments. The students know how to take turns talking, how to actively listen, and how to respond to one another. They self-regulate. Each comment deepens the group’s understanding of the topic. Each comment extends the language used to discuss the topic (and everyone makes attempts to speak in the “designated” language of instruction). The kids are the owners of the conversation, and have a way to hold each other accountable. Most importantly, kids like being a part of the discussion!

If the above describes your classroom’s desired state and not its current state, you are not alone! Oral language, the foundation of biliteracy, is developed through student conversations. Yet teaching our students to engage in high-quality academic conversations requires thoughtful planning. A first step is laying the foundation for how we talk with one another, focusing on the social-emotional behaviors related to speaking and listening.

In his book, Academic Conversations: Classroom Talk that Fosters Critical Thinking and Content Understanding, Jeff Zwiers outlines certain agreements that can be proposed for kids to engage in small group or partner discussion.  He states “Conversation is more than talking and listening. There are many manners, behaviors, and nonverbal signals that play key roles” (Zwiers and Crawford 2011). I’d like to share some key strategies for teaching the shared norms and behaviors of conversation that my colleagues and I have realized in our work this fall.

    1.Explicitly teach the norms

Kids benefit from watching a task modeled, sharing the task, applying the task with support, and gradually being released to independence.  At our school, many teachers have modeled a certain behavior through a “fishbowl” and co-constructing with students how our bodies and faces look when we are active members of a conversation. We have found it most effective to present one behavior at a time.

2. Practice the norms

These behaviors take time to establish! Get started by keeping the conversation prompt simple, engaging, and inviting language that’s already been developed. For early grades, consider trying on the norms in pairs without any words at all! Props can make this fun. Kindergarten teachers used “los amigos silenciosos” as “talking pieces” to practice following conversation norms, including facing a partner with eyes and bodies as well as taking turns to talk, listening attentively to the partner who has the talking piece.

3. Self-reflect on the norms

How will teachers know students got it? How will students know they got it? Observing the norms of conversation can call for creativity. Many teachers have developed a simple rubric to gather information about how kids are applying the agreed upon behaviors. Students can be encouraged to take responsibility by self-reflecting on their own application of the norms. Self-reflections might be an exit slip (¿Cómo te fue con las normas hoy? ¿Por qué?), a student copy of the class rubric to complete, or a whole group conversation on the rug about what kids noticed with regards to the norms.

In our plight to engage our students in academic conversations, there is value in beginning with teaching the social-emotional behaviors related to student talk.  Next month’s blog will build upon these ideas and move into teaching the actual conversation skills.

Readers, what strategies or activities have you found helpful for getting your students started with academic conversations? Post a comment to share your thinking!