Substantive Conversations in the Classroom. e5-Elaborate-The teacher engages students in dialogue, continuously extending and refining students’ understandings Capabilities 1.Facilitates substantive conversations 2. Cultivates higher order thinking 3. Monitors progress F.Brown

The Elaborate Domain- profile statements Level 1 The teacher uses strategies to involve all students in focussed conversations to generate student thinking about the key concepts. Level 2. Teachers incorporate wait time to allow the students to consider the ideas and construct their responses. The teacher structures conversations, acknowledging the value of students ideas and using these to build individual and collective understanding. They group children according to the purpose of the conversation. Level 3. the teacher negotiates conversational protocols which support all students to make meaningful contributions built on and challenging one another’s ideas. Level 4. The teacher structures opportunities for students to sustain a conversation, deepening individual and collective understanding. They support students to critique the intellectual rigour of the conversation. F.Brown

Why are Conversations So Important? Conversations engage learners. Conversations allow us to engage the children in their own learning. Engaging children in conversations and listening to their ideas gives them a voice in our classrooms. Conversations show we value and respect children’s thinking and learning. Children feel more connected to and therefore participate more fully in all kinds of learning experiences. Talking allows ideas and vocabulary to grow. When children listen to others their thinking grows. Participating in substantive conversations gives children the opportunities to practise and use skills in questioning, reflecting, planning, evaluating and to make connections to essential skills for learning. Conversations allow children to develop a view of themselves as people who have positive contributions to make to the world around them. Children find more purpose in learning experiences that explore their own ideas about things through conversations. Children are motivated, through conversations, to search and find answers to their questions to build their own understanding. Teachers benefit from conversations by increasing insight into children’s understandings, ideas and confusions. Teachers use this knowledge to help plan an engaging and challenging learning environment for the children in their class. F.Brown

When we allow children to have substantive conversations we have classrooms that:- Learners voices are heard the most Teachers talk to seek to discover children’s ideas Children talk to each other. Conversations stretch children’s thinking Children’s interests, explorations and questions are connected. F.Brown

To allow substantive conversations to take place we need to:- Provide time and space for conversations throughout the day. Encourage conversations between children as well as between teacher and child/ren. Share interest in children’s thinking and ideas by listening intently. Document conversations and use them to reveal learning. REMEMBER Talk organizes thinking Language reveals prior knowledge Conversations provide a context for social learning. F.Brown

Conversations can be Facilitated Spontaneous 1. Help make connections 2. Allow children to explore ideas more fully 3. The teacher takes amore active role 4. Allows teacher to talk and listen to conversations / ideas around a particular topic Spontaneous This form of conversation is more useful in conversations around experiences. F.Brown

Conversations can be Whole group Children’s ideas are stretched by listening to the experiences and ideas of others. Children are drawn into conversations by listening to others. Children use talk to organize their learning and to organize their learning environment. Teachers discover possibilities for future learning from listening to children Children and teacher have a planned structure for conversation Immediate responses to questions/ concerns Children demonstrate a greater respect for others ideas and work. Children interact more with one another and co operation increases Children seek help from one another. F.Brown

Conversations can be Small group One to one Allows for greater participation by all children Easier to organize Easier to look deeper into children’s ideas Provides closer link between conversation and experience Provides a safe environment for children unsure of large groups Allows for greater participation for more children One to one Allows for a closer relationship between teacher and individual child Allows time to discover more information child may not have shared in group situation Is supportive of children having difficulties Allows teacher to model positive attitude and interactions with a child F.Brown

Facilitating conversations 1.Listen carefully Listen intently Give up control of conversation to children Honour children’s ideas Start small 2.Embrace silence Allow children time to collect their thoughts This may allow another child an opportunity to contribute Breaks the cycle of teacher-child-teacher 3. Ask good questions Ask open ended or fat questions that delve deeper into children’s thinking Allow for multiple answers Connect experiences or ideas Clarify and focus ideas F.Brown

Facilitating conversations 4.Help children develop good conversational skills Thinking aloud building vocabulary for conversations Taking turns Staying on topic 5.Summarize conversations Keep conversations on track and focussed 6. Use memory tools Reading scribed conversations to children Recording conversations Photographs Objects as reminders ex. A shell to remind a child of an excursion to the beach. 7. Bring conversations to a close. F.Brown