2. Going Deeper with Academic Talk
April 17, Presenter: Meg sundseth

3. Introductions
Take a minute to introduce ourselves. Name and where and who we teach.

4. Objectives
We will understand the importance of academic conversations.
We will practice strategies that support academic conversations.
We will discuss barriers to academic talk in the classroom.

5. Lines of Communication
If you have a Cat 🐈 on your name tent, line up on one side.
If you have a Dog 🐕 on your name tent, line up facing a Cat 🐈.
In 1 minute tell your partner as many things as you can about yourself that they might not know.
“Something you might not know about me is …”
Let’s get started getting to know each other a little better

6. So why do students need academic conversations?
Conversations develop:
Language and literacy
Cognitive ability
Content
Social and cultural
Psychological

7. Builds Language and Literacy
Academic language
Vocabulary
Reading and writing
Oral communication
Argumentation
Group discussion
Listening
Valuing talk and clarity
Crawford, M. & Zwiers, J., (2011)

8. Builds cognitive skills
Critical thinking
Promotes different perspectives and empathy
Fosters creativity
Fosters skills for making meaning and focusing on a topic
Crawford, M. & Zwiers, J., (2011)

9. Content Learning Cultivates connections
Helps students co-construct understandings
Helps teachers and students assess learning
Crawford, M. & Zwiers, J., (2011)

10. Social and Cultural Builds relationships Builds academic ambience
Makes lessons more culturally relevant
Fosters equity
Crawford, M. & Zwiers, J., (2011)

11. Psychological Benefits
Develops inner dialogue and self-talk
Fosters engagement and motivation
Builds confidence and academic identity
Fosters choice, ownership, and control over thinking
Builds academic identity
Fosters self-discovery
Builds student voice and empowerment
Crawford, M. & Zwiers, J., (2011)

12. And then there’s the standards.
ELP Standards
ELA Speaking and Listening

13. Barriers
In your star color group, write down barriers that you feel keep you from having more academic talk in your classroom.

14. Setting the Stage Build relationships
Safe environment for making mistakes
Conversation rules are understood and posted
Groupings are intentional
Powerful pairs

15. Norms Listen to each other Share own ideas and explain them
Always respect others ideas, even if they are different
Clarify, challenge, summarize each other’s ideas
Let others finish what they are saying without interrupting.
Invite someone to contribute by asking a question.
Take turns talking

16. Behaviors of Effective Conversations
Make appropriate eye contact
Face one another with your whole body
Lean toward your partner
Nod head to show understanding
Appropriate gesturing
Crawford, M. & Zwiers, J., (2011)

17. Start at 0:12 and end at 2:50

18. Your students might have the prompt… do you think one culture is better than another. Partners think of their ideas and present them to each other

19. Adapted from Zwiers, J by Irwin, D., (April 11, 2015)

20. Adapted from Zwiers, J by Irwin, D., (April 11, 2015)

21. Adapted from Zwiers, J by Irwin, D., (April 11, 2015)

22. Stronger and Clearer Activity
Using Google makes you less intelligent.
On a continuum from negative to positive, where does your opinion fall?
Mark where you are on the continuum.
Begin with your treat partner.
Exchange your ideas and build on them. Use sentence frames for support.
Have your partner write their name on your continuum
Find a partner with a different colored star. Repeat.
If you are a dog find a cat and visa versa and repeat.

24. Reflect

25. Argument Scale Choose a question.
With your partner discuss reasons for and against.

26. Reflect

27. Suggestions Go back to your barrier lists with your star group.
Write any suggestions you have thought of that address the barriers.

28. Videos to learn more...
strategies-effective-talk
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29. References
Crawford, M. & Zwiers, J., (2011). Academic conversations: Classroom talk that fosters critical thinking and content understanding. Portland Maine: Stenhouse Publishers.
Irwin, D., (April 11, 2015). Academic conversations, strategies and practice. Powerpoint, content/uploads/2014/04/ WABE-AC.pdf
Oracyclassroom:Strategies for effective talk. Retrieved 4/16/17. classroom-strategies-effective-talk

30. Thank you!
Please be sure to fill out your online evaluation of this workshop!