Students’ talk about reading reveals and expands their thinking. A set of learned behaviors and talk structures provide rich opportunities for deep thinking about texts. Consider these ways to build a culture of thoughtful talk in your classroom.
-
Help students understand that reading is thinking and that when they talk, they share their thinking.
-
Teach students to turn and talk effectively with each other.
-
Give students wait time and guide them to give others wait time as well.
-
Demonstrate the use of language that fosters participation, respect for others’ thinking, and promotes building on the ideas of others.
-
Set the norm that everyone listens attentively and respectfully to each other.
From The Literacy Quick Guide: A Reference Tool for Responsive Literacy Teaching by Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell. Copyright (C) 2018 by Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell. Published by Heinemann.
