This installment of “Turn and Talk” takes us through detailed talk moves that center the students in classroom discussions. If you’re looking for quick tips to use in preparation for the state tests, the points excerpted from “Adding Talk to the Equation: Discussion and Delivery in Mathematics” will do the job.

More Talk Moves

• Infuse Language. When students use colloquial language instead of academic language, restate what the student has said, infusing academic language and writing the new term on the board. Then ask someone to restate so that the new terminology starts to be used organically during the conversation. 

• Check for Understanding. When students’ explanations are not clear, try paraphrasing what you think they mean and ask them to confirm that you are correct. Maybe ask them to try again to help you and the class understand their perspective. Sometimes, when a student is having difficulty understanding, you can ask whether anyone in the class thinks they understand and can paraphrase the idea for the rest of the class. Then be sure to check with the original speaker to see whether the restatement is accurate. 

• Encourage and nudge. When students understand a part of an idea, are on the right track, offer an idea, and then back away, encourage them to stay with it. Nudge them to restate what they thought they heard and check for understanding. Then nudge them to explain their thinking and let them know that taking these type of risks is what learner’s do. Recognize and acknowledge their courage. 

• Reroute questions. When students ask you questions, reroute them to the class. What do the rest of you think?

• Feign confusion. To keep conversations going, to highlight discrepancies in thinking, or to get students to become more articulate, pretend you aren’t following their reasoning. Get them to try again, and ask others to help explain. Then summarize the idea. In this way, you model what learning looks and feels like while at the same time making it safe for students to speak up when they don’t understand. 

• Set up arguments. When there is more than one answer or when there are different perspectives being expressed, write down the different points of view and then ask students to take a stand. This is a good time to use simultaneous thumb signals (agree, disagree, not sure). Give each group a role: Students who are unsure will need to be convinced by other groups who will need to express their arguments to the students who don’t yet know what to think. Call on a student to defend his or her point of view and then turn to a student who doesn’t yet understand and ask whether he or she has been convinced. If not, why not, and if so, why?

• Allow struggle. When a student has difficulty explaining, allow him or her to struggle a bit but not to the point of frustration. Leave him or her with something to think about or to puzzle through, rather than giving the answer or explanation. Encourage them to keep thinking and tell them you will check back with them. Make sure to come back and check in to see where they are in their thinking, and, if needed, ask the class to explain. 

• Rehearse with reluctant students. When you are aware that particular students rarely contribute to small – or whole – group discussions, talk with them privately before a whole-group discussion and ask them to tell you something they know about the topic.Then tell them you would like to share that knowing with the class, and you will call on them first to do so. Or if they say they don’t know anything, help them shape a question they can pose to start a class discussion. Have them rehearse the question with you and then encourage them to ask their question to the class.