Teacher Tip: 5 Keys to Thoughtful Talk

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.