Strategy Spotlight
Strategies for 2018-2019
April 2019 Strategy
Conversation Cards for Supporting Pair Work
It helps to have an observer (teacher or student) be able to help a pair during academic conversations, but without getting too involved orally. The observer can put the card in front of either partner or out in the middle, when appropriate. This should happen when it is clear that they need help: they are not talking, they are off topic, they are arguing un-academically, etc.
Students can watch you model how to observe and support conversations with the cards like the ones illustrated in the spotlight strategy video. It actually helps the observers, who act like conversation coaches, as much as the participants. Observers get a chance to meta-analyze how conversations work so that they can do well in their own conversations. Some teachers simply have triads rotate roles (Student A, Student B, Observer) throughout a unit of study. Other teachers have pairs use several cards without coaches. Students can refer to the cards and even “play” them as they converse.
You can download a set of cards here.
Jeff Zwiers (2011). Academic Conversations. Stenhouse Publishers.
Conversation Cards for Supporting Pair Work
It helps to have an observer (teacher or student) be able to help a pair during academic conversations, but without getting too involved orally. The observer can put the card in front of either partner or out in the middle, when appropriate. This should happen when it is clear that they need help: they are not talking, they are off topic, they are arguing un-academically, etc.
Students can watch you model how to observe and support conversations with the cards like the ones illustrated in the spotlight strategy video. It actually helps the observers, who act like conversation coaches, as much as the participants. Observers get a chance to meta-analyze how conversations work so that they can do well in their own conversations. Some teachers simply have triads rotate roles (Student A, Student B, Observer) throughout a unit of study. Other teachers have pairs use several cards without coaches. Students can refer to the cards and even “play” them as they converse.
You can download a set of cards here.
Jeff Zwiers (2011). Academic Conversations. Stenhouse Publishers.
March 2019 Strategy
Categorías
Categorías is a great way to see what vocabulary students can recall and use in discourse related to a topic, or unit of study. In the world of linguistics, we call these groups of related words, lexicons. I originally created this activity for my high school students taking Spanish courses, but quickly began using it with my English learners and native English speakers in content classes. To begin the activity, students each receive a Categoría Sheet. The teacher tells students what the category, or topic, on which they will focus. Students then brainstorm, for one minute, all the related words they can recall on the topic. Typically, I ask students to recall from memory and then allow an additional minute to add to their list using their notes. Students then partner up and share their lists with one another, adding any additional words they may not have. Next, students face one another and take turns monologuing, on the Categoría topic, for one minute. They must use the academic vocabulary, from the lexicon they brainstormed, in complete sentences. This is a very difficult task! Requiring students to monologue allows them to muster up linguistic stamina, decide how words are related, and think about sentence syntax . . . just to name a few. This activity could be paired with “lines and circles” to give students additional opportunities to practice academic discourse.
Rowe, C. (2019). Personal Communication.
Categorías
Categorías is a great way to see what vocabulary students can recall and use in discourse related to a topic, or unit of study. In the world of linguistics, we call these groups of related words, lexicons. I originally created this activity for my high school students taking Spanish courses, but quickly began using it with my English learners and native English speakers in content classes. To begin the activity, students each receive a Categoría Sheet. The teacher tells students what the category, or topic, on which they will focus. Students then brainstorm, for one minute, all the related words they can recall on the topic. Typically, I ask students to recall from memory and then allow an additional minute to add to their list using their notes. Students then partner up and share their lists with one another, adding any additional words they may not have. Next, students face one another and take turns monologuing, on the Categoría topic, for one minute. They must use the academic vocabulary, from the lexicon they brainstormed, in complete sentences. This is a very difficult task! Requiring students to monologue allows them to muster up linguistic stamina, decide how words are related, and think about sentence syntax . . . just to name a few. This activity could be paired with “lines and circles” to give students additional opportunities to practice academic discourse.
Rowe, C. (2019). Personal Communication.
February 2019 Strategy
Question and Comments
Students receive four index cards. They write the word "comment" on two, and the word "question" on the other two. The teacher divides the class into groups of three or four students and then poses a discussion prompt. One person takes the lead. Students must listen intently to the speaker in order to build off of what the speaker has said. Each group member may build upon the conversation by asking a question or making a comment related to what has already been said. It's amazing how students begin to listen so that they do indeed add to the thought that was initially posed
Rowe, C. (2012). Personal Communication.
Question and Comments
Students receive four index cards. They write the word "comment" on two, and the word "question" on the other two. The teacher divides the class into groups of three or four students and then poses a discussion prompt. One person takes the lead. Students must listen intently to the speaker in order to build off of what the speaker has said. Each group member may build upon the conversation by asking a question or making a comment related to what has already been said. It's amazing how students begin to listen so that they do indeed add to the thought that was initially posed
Rowe, C. (2012). Personal Communication.
January 2019 Strategy
QSSSA
QSSSA is a strategy that can be used across all content areas. Teachers pose an open-ended question from the content being taught. They provide students with enough wait time and a total participation signal for the students to show when they are ready to respond. The teacher provides students with a sentence stem to help when they share with a partner or small group. The teacher brings the group together to assess the student learning from the discussions.
Michelle Gill created this great script to help as you learn the process of implementing QSSSA in your classroom.
Salva, C., & Matis, A. (2017). Boosting achievement: Reaching students with interrupted or minimal education. Irving, TX: Seidlitz Education.
QSSSA
QSSSA is a strategy that can be used across all content areas. Teachers pose an open-ended question from the content being taught. They provide students with enough wait time and a total participation signal for the students to show when they are ready to respond. The teacher provides students with a sentence stem to help when they share with a partner or small group. The teacher brings the group together to assess the student learning from the discussions.
Michelle Gill created this great script to help as you learn the process of implementing QSSSA in your classroom.
Salva, C., & Matis, A. (2017). Boosting achievement: Reaching students with interrupted or minimal education. Irving, TX: Seidlitz Education.
December 2018 Strategy
Pick-up-Words
Do you remember playing the game “Pick-up-Sticks” as a child? The object was to strategize ways to accurately pick up as many sticks as possible, one at a time, as to not move any other sticks in the process. I created the vocabulary activity, “Pick-up-Words” as a way to ensure that students were using a rich variety of content academic vocabulary. Students either create, or are given, related content academic vocabulary words on index cards. These cards are placed face-up on the students’ desk. Working in pairs the students take turns responding to a prompt. As they answer they are challenged to use as many of the content academic vocabulary words as possible in their response and/or conversation. As they use the word in their speech, they pick up the card and show it to their partner. In order to complete the task, they must strategize ways in which they will use the words accurately in context. This activity may be done in a variety of ways. One student may monologue as long as possible, picking up cards, until he or she gets stuck. Another option is to have students dialogue, alternating turns between students in conversation fashion, building upon each other’s ideas.
Rowe, C. (2012). Personal Communication.
Pick-up-Words
Do you remember playing the game “Pick-up-Sticks” as a child? The object was to strategize ways to accurately pick up as many sticks as possible, one at a time, as to not move any other sticks in the process. I created the vocabulary activity, “Pick-up-Words” as a way to ensure that students were using a rich variety of content academic vocabulary. Students either create, or are given, related content academic vocabulary words on index cards. These cards are placed face-up on the students’ desk. Working in pairs the students take turns responding to a prompt. As they answer they are challenged to use as many of the content academic vocabulary words as possible in their response and/or conversation. As they use the word in their speech, they pick up the card and show it to their partner. In order to complete the task, they must strategize ways in which they will use the words accurately in context. This activity may be done in a variety of ways. One student may monologue as long as possible, picking up cards, until he or she gets stuck. Another option is to have students dialogue, alternating turns between students in conversation fashion, building upon each other’s ideas.
Rowe, C. (2012). Personal Communication.
November 2018 Strategy
Conversation Journals
Conversations journals are an excellent way to keep track of thoughts around conversations. Teachers can give the discussion prompt and give students time to complete a quick write in a journal in order to collect their thoughts before orally discussing the prompt. At the end of the classroom discussion, students can then go back into their journal to reflect on their learning as a result of the discussion. Conversation journals partner well with Think-pair-shares.
adapted from Zwiers, J., & Crawford, M. (2011). Academic conversations: Classroom talk that fosters critical thinking and content understandings. Portland, ME: Stenhouse
Conversation Journals
Conversations journals are an excellent way to keep track of thoughts around conversations. Teachers can give the discussion prompt and give students time to complete a quick write in a journal in order to collect their thoughts before orally discussing the prompt. At the end of the classroom discussion, students can then go back into their journal to reflect on their learning as a result of the discussion. Conversation journals partner well with Think-pair-shares.
adapted from Zwiers, J., & Crawford, M. (2011). Academic conversations: Classroom talk that fosters critical thinking and content understandings. Portland, ME: Stenhouse
October 2018 Strategy
Conversation Lines, Circles, and More
Students get to practice new language patterns with different partners. They get repetition of grammar and vocabulary as they listen and express themselves. As they switch partners to share their response to a prompt, they improve upon their responses.
adapted from Zwiers, J., & Crawford, M. (2011). Academic conversations: Classroom talk that fosters critical thinking and content understandings. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Conversation Lines, Circles, and More
Students get to practice new language patterns with different partners. They get repetition of grammar and vocabulary as they listen and express themselves. As they switch partners to share their response to a prompt, they improve upon their responses.
adapted from Zwiers, J., & Crawford, M. (2011). Academic conversations: Classroom talk that fosters critical thinking and content understandings. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
September 2018 Strategy
I Want to Say...., and Yet
In an effort to help students learn a formal, academic register, keep a chart that helps students “translate” casual speech into formal speech. It stresses the importance of using a more formal register at school and work, and it allows everyone to hold each other accountable. As teachers, we need to model this language and help students re-frame their register based on their environment (casual or formal).
adapted from Zwiers, J., & Crawford, M. (2011). Academic conversations: Classroom talk that fosters critical thinking and content understandings. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
I Want to Say...., and Yet
In an effort to help students learn a formal, academic register, keep a chart that helps students “translate” casual speech into formal speech. It stresses the importance of using a more formal register at school and work, and it allows everyone to hold each other accountable. As teachers, we need to model this language and help students re-frame their register based on their environment (casual or formal).
adapted from Zwiers, J., & Crawford, M. (2011). Academic conversations: Classroom talk that fosters critical thinking and content understandings. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.