Topics 2
Talking to learn
Introduction:
In this article, we will outline our guiding principles for engaging students in thoughtful, participatory classroom discussions. These broad underlying principles or macro-strategies strike a balance between structure and creativity central to orchestrating participatory, student-centered dialogue.
The Principles:
1-Engage participants in focused discussions drawing from their experiences.
2-Create multiple opportunities for participants to prepare.
3-Keep the conversation horizontal.
4-Focus on meaning and value active listening.
5-Align progressively more demanding dialogue with student's goals and expectations.
Explanation:
1-Engage participants in discussions out of learners' experiences
A potential theme for discussion might focus critically on the gendered roles that define women and men in their homes and communities. Questions generated around such a theme might include, “What are the roles of fathers
and mothers in raising children?” or “Should children be raised equally by both parents?” Other theme-based questions may include, “What is the difference between having only one working parent as opposed to two?”;
“What can be done to stem crime in our neighborhoods?”
2-Create multiple opportunities for participants to prepare
We recommend that teachers encourage all participants to write their ideas on paper first and to bring that writing to the discussion. In this way we can
be certain that all participants have something to say or, if necessary, to read. Pre-discussion preparation might engage students in well-known cooperative learning practices such as think-pair-share, three-step interview, or round-robin brainstorming.
3-Keep the conversation horizontal
The teacher raises awareness of group dynamics and individual levels of participation. How? For example, ask participants to identify a contribution they made to a discussion and contributions others made to the discussion. Articulate questions that the discussion generated and identify behaviors that encouraged or discouraged participation. Asking students questions such as “What did you do to encourage a classmate to share his opinion.Students can also provide feedback to their teachers, letting them know how they felt during the discussion because of their teachers’ interventions and observations regarding their performance.
4-Focus on meaning and value active listening
Once the dialogue begins, the focus should be on meaning making. When students are talking thoughtfully together about something that they care about, teachers should concentrate on understanding and helping them clarify or elaborate their points of view. As opposed to correcting student language, teacher-talk might sound something like, “Is there another way that we might think about friendships?” Dialogue depends on both talking and good “listenership.” Teachers promote active and thoughtful listening by assigning certain students the role of observers. Observers might take notes on content and participant strategies and behaviors that either stimulate or block the dialogue.
5-Align progressive dialogue that suits students' expectations
Parker proposes two models for progressive discussion: deliberation and seminar. Through deliberation, participants’ discussion centers on resolving a common dilemma or controversial issue such as “Should website providers be responsible for the quality and usage of material on the site?” or “Which of the main tenants of democracy is more important: freedom or equality?”
Seminar, rather than resolving issues, attempts to expand understanding of an idea or concept. Frequently associated with inquiry and questioning strategies, seminar formats challenge students to question their own assumptions and understandings. Both deliberation and seminar provide students the opportunities to become critical consumers of their own language acquisition through advanced, engaged discourse.
Three formats for classroom dialogue
1. Gallery Walk
Develop a set of written or visual images around a theme or concept and use chart paper to post the images or texts on tables or on the wall. A gallery walk structured around the theme of friendship might include pictures or artistic renderings of friendship; quotes about friendship such as “A friend to all is a friend to none”; or even simple words such as enemy or friend.
2. Rating agreement/disagreement
Teachers should choose a theme that allows for a variety of opinions— some potentially controversial. We suggest, for example, value-oriented topics that address the lived experiences of students and encourage a wide range of responses, e.g., a ranking activity that elicits opinions about gendered roles in family and society; friendship; honesty, etc.
3. Scenarios for role play
Choose a short narrative to read and identify participants who will take on the perspectives of the various characters. Thinking about the theme of friendship, teachers might select a short reading such as The Giving Tree by Silverstein (1964)—the poignant tale of a tree who gives a little boy all she has until she is nothing but a stump for the boy-turned-old-man to sit on. Allow characters to prepare with the support of a small-group opening statement explaining their motivation and point of view:
View Other Resources:
1-Topics 2
The Principles:
1-Engage participants in focused discussions drawing from their experiences.
2-Create multiple opportunities for participants to prepare.
3-Keep the conversation horizontal.
4-Focus on meaning and value active listening.
5-Align progressively more demanding dialogue with student's goals and expectations.
Explanation:
1-Engage participants in discussions out of learners' experiences
A potential theme for discussion might focus critically on the gendered roles that define women and men in their homes and communities. Questions generated around such a theme might include, “What are the roles of fathers
and mothers in raising children?” or “Should children be raised equally by both parents?” Other theme-based questions may include, “What is the difference between having only one working parent as opposed to two?”;
“What can be done to stem crime in our neighborhoods?”
2-Create multiple opportunities for participants to prepare
We recommend that teachers encourage all participants to write their ideas on paper first and to bring that writing to the discussion. In this way we can
be certain that all participants have something to say or, if necessary, to read. Pre-discussion preparation might engage students in well-known cooperative learning practices such as think-pair-share, three-step interview, or round-robin brainstorming.
3-Keep the conversation horizontal
The teacher raises awareness of group dynamics and individual levels of participation. How? For example, ask participants to identify a contribution they made to a discussion and contributions others made to the discussion. Articulate questions that the discussion generated and identify behaviors that encouraged or discouraged participation. Asking students questions such as “What did you do to encourage a classmate to share his opinion.Students can also provide feedback to their teachers, letting them know how they felt during the discussion because of their teachers’ interventions and observations regarding their performance.
4-Focus on meaning and value active listening
Once the dialogue begins, the focus should be on meaning making. When students are talking thoughtfully together about something that they care about, teachers should concentrate on understanding and helping them clarify or elaborate their points of view. As opposed to correcting student language, teacher-talk might sound something like, “Is there another way that we might think about friendships?” Dialogue depends on both talking and good “listenership.” Teachers promote active and thoughtful listening by assigning certain students the role of observers. Observers might take notes on content and participant strategies and behaviors that either stimulate or block the dialogue.
5-Align progressive dialogue that suits students' expectations
Parker proposes two models for progressive discussion: deliberation and seminar. Through deliberation, participants’ discussion centers on resolving a common dilemma or controversial issue such as “Should website providers be responsible for the quality and usage of material on the site?” or “Which of the main tenants of democracy is more important: freedom or equality?”
Seminar, rather than resolving issues, attempts to expand understanding of an idea or concept. Frequently associated with inquiry and questioning strategies, seminar formats challenge students to question their own assumptions and understandings. Both deliberation and seminar provide students the opportunities to become critical consumers of their own language acquisition through advanced, engaged discourse.
Three formats for classroom dialogue
1. Gallery Walk
Develop a set of written or visual images around a theme or concept and use chart paper to post the images or texts on tables or on the wall. A gallery walk structured around the theme of friendship might include pictures or artistic renderings of friendship; quotes about friendship such as “A friend to all is a friend to none”; or even simple words such as enemy or friend.
2. Rating agreement/disagreement
Teachers should choose a theme that allows for a variety of opinions— some potentially controversial. We suggest, for example, value-oriented topics that address the lived experiences of students and encourage a wide range of responses, e.g., a ranking activity that elicits opinions about gendered roles in family and society; friendship; honesty, etc.
3. Scenarios for role play
Choose a short narrative to read and identify participants who will take on the perspectives of the various characters. Thinking about the theme of friendship, teachers might select a short reading such as The Giving Tree by Silverstein (1964)—the poignant tale of a tree who gives a little boy all she has until she is nothing but a stump for the boy-turned-old-man to sit on. Allow characters to prepare with the support of a small-group opening statement explaining their motivation and point of view:
View Other Resources:
1-Topics 2
2-The role of Assessment in Language Teaching.
3- Twenty Testing mistakes to avoid.
4-Imaginative approach to"Teaching Writing".
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