Academic Conversations

Session Two for Surry County Schools January 23, 2014

by Pam Glover and Sarah Torresby Pam Glover and Sarah Torres

Essential Questions for Today’s Session

oWhat are the 5 Core Skills for academic conversations?

oWhat are the characteristics of an effective conversation task?

oHow can conversations build academic grammar and vocabulary?

Review1. Review your notes and handouts from last session. If you still have

questions, please post them on the parking lot now.

2. Each person has two minutes to answer the following questions:

What was your main take-away from the last session?

What did you try in your classroom?

How did it improve student conversation? What did you learn?

Choose one person to share their experience. Not the most successful perhaps, but which one

the group learned the most from.

Core Skills of Academic ConversationChapter 2 of Academic Conversations

Elaborate and clarify

Support ideas with examples/ Fortify

Build on and/or challenge a partner’s idea

Paraphrase

Synthesize conversation points

Learning and language target: I can discuss a prompt using one of the core conversation skills. Prompt: How do we incorporate conversation to help students learn?

Review the reading selection for the core skill assigned to your table

Create a group poster summarizing the skill, with samples of both prompts and response starters

Create a conversation to discuss the above prompt(3 turns each) using both prompt and response frames for your assigned skill .

Model the conversation for the whole group.

Taking it to your classroom

DISCUSS conversations with your students. What is expected of them?

Model AND analyze good and bad conversations.

Model and teach each skill as needed.

Establish norms for conversation as a class, and post them.

(Sample poster for norms)

I can use the 4Ls+ R in a conversation.

Listen to my partner.

Look at my partner.

Lean in toward my partner.

Lower my voice.

Respond to what my partner said.

Effective conversation tasks…

require both partners to talk

require critical thinking (zoom in, dissect, evaluate) and creative thinking (generate ideas and possible solutions)

take advantage of controversy, conflicting opinions

recognize and reduce ambiguity

encourage thinking based on discipline’s principles and laws

apply knowledge and skills to new situations

provide students opportunity to shape and direct the conversation

Learning target: I can analyze and evaluate conversation

transcripts for examples of effective conversation tasks.

Use the transcripts on your table. Analyze them for examples of effective conversation tasks. Use the matrix provided.

Evaluate the samples for strongest and weakest examples.

feature sample 1 sample 2 your own

both partners talk

critical and creative thinking

take advantage of controvery

recognize andreduce ambiguity

encouragedisciplinary

thinking

opportunities totransfer

knowledge

provide choiceand ownership

“It’s all about the prompt. If you give them a prompt that doesn’t have a clear connection

to the learning you want them to take away, it is difficult to elicit quality discussion.”

–Detta Willson-Hogan, teacher

“In fact, the prompt shapes the strength of

student interaction. If students see the prompt as relevant and having a real purpose other than preparing for

exams or pleasing the teacher, they become more involved and

produce more language.”

– Joanne Marino, former NC DPI ELL specialist

Conversation Analysis Tool (CAT)

DIMENSION 2: Turns focus on the knowledge or skills of the lesson’s objectives

4 Half or more of the turns effectively focus on the lesson’s objectives and show depth or fostering of the intended learning.

3 Half or more of the turns sufficiently focus on the lesson’s objectives, but this focus may be superficial or lack clarity.

2 Few turns focus on the lesson’s objectives.

1 Turns do not focus on the lesson’s objectives.

Conversation Analysis Tool (CAT)

DIMENSION 1: Turns build on previous turns to build up an idea.

4 Half or more of the turns build on previous turns to effectively build up a clear and complete idea.

3 Half or more of the turns build on previous turns to adequately build up an idea, which may be incomplete or lack clarity.

2 Few turns build on previous turns to build up an idea.

1 Turns are not used to build up an idea.

Apply the CAT to one of the sample conversations.

If it wasn’t a 3 or 4, is the problem with the prompt or the student responses?

How could the prompt be changed to help students achieve a more constructive conversation?

Apply the CAT to the sample you brought from your own classroom.

How would you rate this conversation?

What is the main problem?Prompt: Discuss with your partner an important thing that happened during the Westward Expansion. (5th grade ESL students, WIDA level 3)

Student A: immigrants moved to new landStudents B:  indians lived thereStudent A: they traveled a long timeStudent B: many people killedStudent A: the u.s. was bigger Student B: yeah....

Chapter 4 “Designing Effective Conversation Tasks”

Turn to p. 72 in the text. Form groups of 3-4.Complete activity #2. You have 20 minutes.

Refer to Bloom’s taxonomy, using the“Applying” through “Creating” categories.

http://ww2.odu.edu/educ/roverbau/Bloom/blooms

_taxonomy.htm

Refer to Bloom’s taxonomy, using the“Applying” through “Creating” categories.

http://ww2.odu.edu/educ/roverbau/Bloom/blooms

_taxonomy.htm

Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy Verbs

Chapter 6Developing Academic Grammar and Vocabulary

I can build in academic function words, grammar, and content vocabulary into my lessons with academic conversations.

You’re an apple expert.

You will be assigned an area of expertise: mathematician, nutritionist, etc

Your group (4-5) people will have 2 minutes to prepare an academic mini-lecture to peers about an apple.

Remember: You are trying to impress your audience with your knowledge.

As experts lecture we will create two lists, one of specific academic vocabulary, another of

“cohesion devices”. We have referred to those previously as process words and phrases.

Carousel

Each group will use the colored marker assigned. You will brainstorm a list of words to fit the category on the chart paper.

Rotate when time is called.

Posters are labeled academic processing words, transitions and connectors, phrasal clusters,

sophisticated and specific words (tier 3), homophones, indicators for cause and effect, words which indicate sequence, indicators for adding ideas and evidence, qualifiers.

Connect the Words, p. 106

In grade level groups (no more than 4), choose a concept from science, math or social studies. Write it on an oval card.

Brainstorm 4 key vocabulary words for the topic. Write them on the rectangular cards.

Discuss the relationship between 4 pairs of words and write a sentence explaining the connection on the diamonds.

Reflect: How will this help your students process important vocabulary?

Constructive

conversation

a solid prompt oral practice

listening skills

(background)

knowledge

Promptsdetermine the quality of

oral practice

Constructiveconversations

requirelistening and oral

practice.

Listening helps students addto their knowledge

base.

A solidprompt directly draws

on studentknowledge.

18

Tiers of Vocabulary

Each person choose 3 words off of the tier 2 academic

word list on p.103.

Identify tier 1 words (familiar, general vocabulary)

which match words.Example: “ access” is roughly the same as “find”

Form two lines facing each other.

Tell your face partner one way to work the tier 2 words into your instruction and the

students’ language. Use one of the words you chose as an example.

Form two lines facing each other.

Tell your face partner one way to work the tier 2 words into your instruction and the

students’ language. Use one of the words you chose as an example.

Sentence Building Activity

Learning target: I can help students expand sentences.

Teachers in 2-5, use Figure 6.5 , p. 101

K-1: Find a substitute for each word in a simple grade level sentence. Ex: Dogs sleep outside. Puppies nap in the doghouse.

Homework for next session, April 8.We will work in grade level groups and by

discipline tocreate language objectives for academic

conversations.

Transcribe another conversation which focuses on one of the skills in chapter 3.

Read the appropriate discipline chapter 7-9, plus the article specific to your grade level and/or discipline.

For those who teach math, “The Academic Language of Mathematics”

For those who teach science, “A Primer on Productive Classroom Conversations”

ticket out

Complete the exit card.

Pair-up for a conversation about your reflection. Focus on using elaboration and clarification skills.

Thank you for yourhard work today.