Instructional Strategies

 

I am continuing my “Instructional Strategy” series with an engagement technique that involves student discourse. Student discourse is important because you can only get so far talking AT your students. When the conversation only flows in one direction with students contributing simple responses, you miss out on a valuable opportunity to dive deep into a topic.

That's why it’s really important to teach students how to have a meaningful and valuable conversation with you, as well as with their peers. This instructional strategy is called ACCOUNTABLE TALK!

WHAT IS ACCOUNTABLE TALK?

Accountable Talk is an intentional open-ended conversation where participants listen, add on to each other's comments, and use clarifying questions to make sure they are understanding what others are saying.

WHY USE ACCOUNTABLE TALK?

Accountable talk requires students to take an active role in their learning. It requires students to focus on what other students are saying, so they can actively participate.

   1.  It gives students an opportunity to participate in healthy debating. In accountable talk, students are encouraged to challenge and even disagree (respectfully, of course) with what their peers are saying. In return, students learn to back up their opinions and ideas with facts and details.

   2.  It supports reluctant talkers. It's easy for students to respond with "yes," "no," or other short responses - or even saying nothing at all. We all know those students who just blend in to the conversation, not adding anything of real value to the group's discussion. Accountable talk prompts provide a scaffolded approach for students who may not know how to effectively engage in a conversation.

HOW TO GET STARTED WITH ACCOUNTABLE TALK?

Just like everything else you teach in your classroom, students have to be explicitly taught how to have these conversations with a lot of modeling and practice.

One way to introduce the concept of accountable talk is to model for students with just one or two different phrases. These may seem a bit scripted, but it provides the necessary support for students who are just learning how to have these conversations. Phrases like:

     ·    Does anyone think... 

     ·    I agree/disagree because…

     ·    Could you explain…

You might first use Accountable Talk during a conversation about a book that you are reading together as a class. Begin the conversation by using one of the phrases "What do you think about (a character....an event...). Invite other students to add on to the conversation using other phrases.

It may feel a bit robotic at first, but it's important to keep at it, and as you do, the conversations will begin to flow smoother and more naturally. I suggest keeping posters visible like these. The more the students see these phrases, the more likely they will begin using them.

The next step is to have students try out accountable talk on their own in a small group and use more advanced phrases by using these elementary and/or middle school cards. You'll know students are ready when YOU are doing less coaxing of the accountable talk phrases and find the conversations to flow more naturally.

If you haven't already discussed with your students appropriate and inappropriate behavior during small group discussion, you will definitely want to do that before using this instructional strategy. Use a simple "Looks Like/Sounds Like" T-chart where you list behavioral expectations.

See this instructional strategy being done effectively below.