The Power of Conversation

Many of our Reading Workshops are currently engaged in (or are just finishing up) their first book club cycle. Other teachers have established a literacy block that includes daily, interactive read alouds. Still others have established reading partnerships in their workshops. These practices inevitably create opportunities for fostering deep, thoughtful conversation in our classrooms.

When I visited the Teachers College two summers ago, Kathy Collins used a wonderful analogy for building conversation. She compared a deep conversation to the "balloon game" many young kids play. You've seen it before, I'm sure. After a birthday party or celebration, kids pick up a balloon that's losing its helium and toss it into the air. They each scurry around trying to make sure the balloon doesn't drop to the floor. This is what it is like to keep a conversation going. When a reader shares an idea, we don't want that idea to drop (like the balloon). We want to to stick with an idea and keep the conversation going, back and forth. This analogy (with gestures or even an actual balloon) effectively illustrates how to have deep, thoughtful conversations.

One of the ways that we can build deep conversation in our classrooms is by providing language models for students. Some examples of language models are:
I'm thinking...
I'm noticing...
That makes me think...
At first I thought...but now I'm thinking...
I agree/disagree...because...
When you said...it made me think...

This language should be modeled during Reading Workshop minilessons and daily interactive read alouds. The beginning of the year will likely promote simpler partner talk (see chart). As we progress through subsequent units of study, we might add more advanced language models to anchor charts and raise our expectations for discussions. We might expect students to provide evidence from the text to support their thinking. We could also build on options for conversation throughout the year and revisit how to build conversation in a series of minilessons.

Initially, you might find that students have not transferred this language over into their own independent conversations. Being mindful of the gradual release of responsibility model is important. We will need to use these language models and support our readers through the use of anchor charts, prompting, and small group instruction. We will need to scaffold our instruction. Prioritizing daily, interactive read alouds will give opportunities to use language models and practice proficient talk. Immersing students by using these language models consistently and constantly is important. Additionally, providing environmental support through the use of anchor charts will foster independent thoughtful conversation.

Promoting thoughtful conversation will spill over into other parts of our learners' lives, as well. For grades 3-5, building deep conversation will establish a foundation that will benefit your upcoming unit of study on essay writing. Many of these language models used in partnerships, read alouds, and book clubs are the same language models we use during our essay unit to push our thinking. Building deep conversation in reading will hopefully lift the level of our students' essay writing, as well. In addition to Writing Workshop, deep conversation about our thinking will also be evident during science experiments, social studies discussions, word study explorations, and even at home!

I look forward to hearing how you build authentic and thoughtful conversation in your classrooms not only during Reading Workshop but throughout your day!