Don’t Raise Your Hand!: Boost Comprehension and Engagement with Meaningful Talk

International Reading Association, May 2014

Amy Broemmel (University of Tennessee)Robin Griffith (Texas Christian University)

Elizabeth Swaggerty (East Carolina University)

Comprehension

1/3 of the teacher-identified “successful” readers struggled

with comprehension

Direct Comprehension

Strategies

Meaning-based Discussion about

TextVs.

McKeown, Beck, and Blake (2009): focusing on the content of text through

meaning-based questions/discussion was

more effective than a procedural comprehension strategies-based approach.

Reading lots of books and texts Meeting in pairs and small

groups to engage in interesting, engaging conversations about

the textParticipating in whole class

discussionsTaking stances for and against

the views they find in booksEngaging in accountable-talk

interactions.

Talk about text

Pick Two

11:20-12:00 Breakout 1

12:05- 12:45Breakout 2

Noticers and Questioners

Robin

Noticers and Questioners

Real Talk about Real Stuff

Moving Toward Common

Conversations with Older Readers

Robin: Noticers & QuestionersAmy: Nonfiction DialogueElizabeth: Older Readers

11:20-12:00 Breakout 1

12:05- 12:45Breakout 2

Wrap Up

purposeful dialogic

conversations

Amy BroemmelUniversity of Tennesseebroemmel@utk.edu

Robin GriffithTexas Christian Universityr.griffith@tcu.edu

Elizabeth SwaggertyEast Carolina Universityswaggertye@ecu.edu