What is a Dialogic Classroom?
As we charge through the 21st century, we are at a transitional time in education. There is an active shift from teacher-lead instruction to student-centered learning and I whole-heartedly support this shift for our students and future leaders (click here to read more about my teaching philosophy). If you walk into our classroom during our reading block, you usually won't see me standing at the front of the room giving direct instructions. Instead, you may see students sprawled out in pairs reading together or a group of five or six students gathered at a table working together with me. You may also see me reading to the whole class with lots of conversation throughout the reading. In our classroom, I promote productive conversations -- or interactive, strategic and meaningful dialogue -- to promote student learning. This strategy used to encourage such conversations is called dialogic teaching and the goal is to release responsibility to the students by removing teacher supports or scaffolds. When architects and construction workers build a building, they construct scaffolds to support the structure. The scaffolds in reading instruction are the supports students need to increase their understanding and the goal is to remove the supports when students can work at their own comfortable level. Click here to read a short article about the whats, hows and whys of dialogic teaching.
It's more than just talk.
The conversations we have around text in our classroom is more than just talk. We engage in authentic conversation to discuss the story, make predictions, solve problems and connect to self, text and world. We do this is a number of different formats depending on the type of text, students' needs and learning objectives. Listed below are some of our activities that foster our dialogic classroom. Watch the videos or click the links to learn more about these various strategies.
Teacher Resources
Interactive Read-Alouds (IRAs)
IRAs are a popular and effective whole-group strategy in reading instruction. They are a literacy standard in lower elementary grades where students may be developing skills for independent reading. Here are a list of learning outcomes for IRAs:
--model comprehension skills
--build fluency
--learn new vocabuary
--understand print concepts
--make predictions
--foster discussion to share ideas and identify with social-emotional themes
--develop phonological and phonemic awareness
--entertain, engage and motivate...reading is fun!
IRAs are a popular and effective whole-group strategy in reading instruction. They are a literacy standard in lower elementary grades where students may be developing skills for independent reading. Here are a list of learning outcomes for IRAs:
--model comprehension skills
--build fluency
--learn new vocabuary
--understand print concepts
--make predictions
--foster discussion to share ideas and identify with social-emotional themes
--develop phonological and phonemic awareness
--entertain, engage and motivate...reading is fun!
Literature Circles
Literature Circles can be compared to what adults know as a book club. In this case, students are at the center of their own learning. Using this dialogic strategy, text selections and individual roles can be decided on by the students and participation is encouraged by all. Alternatively, depending on the students' reading abilities, the text selection and roles can also be differentiated by the teacher. A significant benefit of literature circles is the versatility and scalability of this strategy. Keep students on-task and aware of their individual roles by cutting out, laminating and distributing these helpful bookmarks.
Literature Circles can be compared to what adults know as a book club. In this case, students are at the center of their own learning. Using this dialogic strategy, text selections and individual roles can be decided on by the students and participation is encouraged by all. Alternatively, depending on the students' reading abilities, the text selection and roles can also be differentiated by the teacher. A significant benefit of literature circles is the versatility and scalability of this strategy. Keep students on-task and aware of their individual roles by cutting out, laminating and distributing these helpful bookmarks.
Small Group Instruction
An effective alternative to whole-group reading instruction is the small-group format. The primary benefit of working with a small group is that it provides teachers an opportunity to differentiate instruction based on student need. Supports that the teacher provides can vary and can be represented as the selected leveled texts, the amount of time spent with the groups and the visuals used to guide students. Small group instruction meets the individual needs with differentiated supports in a collaborative setting.
An effective alternative to whole-group reading instruction is the small-group format. The primary benefit of working with a small group is that it provides teachers an opportunity to differentiate instruction based on student need. Supports that the teacher provides can vary and can be represented as the selected leveled texts, the amount of time spent with the groups and the visuals used to guide students. Small group instruction meets the individual needs with differentiated supports in a collaborative setting.
Partner Reading & Peer Talk
As the scaffolding (teacher supports) and the responsibility gradually releases to students, partner reading, or peer talk, is another dialogue-based strategy that teachers may use to promote independence in reading. Students can learn a lot from each other when they share ideas, make connections and even struggle or disagree. These disagreements lead to constructive conversation and problem solving. In our classroom, it's ok to disagree as long as the students respectfully work together to find common ground. Here are some helpful prompts we use to get the conversations about text started. As the school year progresses and we continue to practice peer talk, students often no longer need these prompts and naturally start the conversations on their own.
As the scaffolding (teacher supports) and the responsibility gradually releases to students, partner reading, or peer talk, is another dialogue-based strategy that teachers may use to promote independence in reading. Students can learn a lot from each other when they share ideas, make connections and even struggle or disagree. These disagreements lead to constructive conversation and problem solving. In our classroom, it's ok to disagree as long as the students respectfully work together to find common ground. Here are some helpful prompts we use to get the conversations about text started. As the school year progresses and we continue to practice peer talk, students often no longer need these prompts and naturally start the conversations on their own.
Strategic Conversations
Organized lesson plans with adherence to the curriculum are critical in our classroom. However, it is the perceived idle time between those well-planned lessons where learning in everyday settings continues to take place. We are always learning! During this downtime in the classroom, I find opportunities to conduct meaningful and purposeful conversations. Often times, the purpose is to introduce or practice a new vocabulary word. I also implement these purposeful conversations during IRAs and have found these guidelines helpful:
--Choose a read-aloud based on the unit theme.
--Decide on a purpose for the read-aloud and choose five vocabulary words.
--Develop open-ended prompts on a sticky note and place them inside the book.
--Remember to help students use the new vocabulary words in various daily activities (like those idle and transitional times).
--Scaffold the conversations to expand children's responses.
--Allow children to "think big," which gives them time to respond.
Consistent meaningful conversation builds not only vocabulary, but trust, openness, respect and social graces. In our class, we talk. A lot!
Organized lesson plans with adherence to the curriculum are critical in our classroom. However, it is the perceived idle time between those well-planned lessons where learning in everyday settings continues to take place. We are always learning! During this downtime in the classroom, I find opportunities to conduct meaningful and purposeful conversations. Often times, the purpose is to introduce or practice a new vocabulary word. I also implement these purposeful conversations during IRAs and have found these guidelines helpful:
--Choose a read-aloud based on the unit theme.
--Decide on a purpose for the read-aloud and choose five vocabulary words.
--Develop open-ended prompts on a sticky note and place them inside the book.
--Remember to help students use the new vocabulary words in various daily activities (like those idle and transitional times).
--Scaffold the conversations to expand children's responses.
--Allow children to "think big," which gives them time to respond.
Consistent meaningful conversation builds not only vocabulary, but trust, openness, respect and social graces. In our class, we talk. A lot!
Parents & Children, read together and talk together!
One of the most important things you can do for your child's long-term educational success is read to them. Just 15 minutes a day gathered around a book can give your child innumerable social, emotional and academic benefits. While picture books may seem too easy for your second graders, hearing an adult read-aloud to them helps build their fluency (reading text with speed, accuracy and proper expression) and vocabulary. After a few readings of the book, ask your child to read to you. Or have them practice with siblings -- younger kids are an eager audience! In addition to building their fluency, reading aloud can help build their comprehension of the text when you have meaningful discussions before, during and after reading. We call this text talk -- talk about your text! Education.com offers some helpful tips in getting the most from your text talk.
Here's a list of some of my favorite picture books:
Here's a list of some of my favorite picture books:
There's a Monster Under My Bed by James Howe
The Three Little Pigs by James Marshall There's an Alligator under My Bed by Mercer Mayer Flossie and the Fox by Patricia McKissack Black Cat by Christopher Myers The Giant Jam Sandwich by John Vernon Lord Abiyoyo by Pete Seeger The Wolf's Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasaza A Pocket for Corduroy by Don Freeman Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse by Leo Lionni Amos & Boris by William Steig |
Social-emotional themes:
Frederick by Leo Lionni Matthew and Tilly by Rebecca C. Jones Swimmy by Leo Lionni Jamaica's Find by Juanita Havill The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus Margaret and Margarita by Lynn Reiser Stellaluna by Janell Cannon Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak |
Classroom Rules for Literature
All of the productive conversations encouraged and practiced in our class are not possible without some guidelines in place. Each child in the classroom is an important member of our learning community and deserves to be treated that way. Early in the school year, we worked together to create these six important rules that we follow during our literacy block.
Additional Resources
Want to learn more about how to foster a love of learning in your students or children? Check out the links below.