Students will have varying interpretations of a text. As you respond to students, show that their perspectives and ideas are valued.
The more open-ended a question, the richer the discussion: Who can say more about that?
Use facilitative language that models and supports collaborative thinking and interpretation of the text: What's another way to think about that? Do you agree?
Keep the discussion grounded in the text: Give some examples of where you noticed that in the text.
Use facilitative language to help students notice new vocabulary and the language of the book: The writer used the word ___________; what does the writer mean?
Develop in students the ability to support their comments with personal experience or evidence from the text.
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.