How does classroom discussion and questioning affect students’ learning?

Key issue addressed by the study   This US study investigated the links between teachers’ use of dialogue and students’: – –participation in dialogue – –effort in assignments

The effects of particular approaches to using dialogue for learning  Different forms of dialogue had different effects  Some specific uses of dialogue to promote learning: –helped to improve the motivation and effort of low achieving and less vocal students –event though they didn’t necessarily increase students’ participation in learning conversations

Students’ participation in dialogue  An increase in teachers’ whole class questions led to: –more students being involved in exchanges –more students engaged in more extended discussion - although the overall number of students engaged fell –a small number of students dominating discussion

Teachers’ talk in different contexts  In individual and small group settings teachers tended to use open questions to create and sustain discussion  In whole class settings teachers tended to use more closed and evaluative questions

Teachers’ discussion strategies that were helpful to low achievers  Use of questions to explore students’ thinking rather than seeking the right answer was helpful  Management of dialogue – eg partnering vocal and quiet students and ruling that they must take turns also helped

Teachers’ discussion strategies that were helpful to low achievers  Giving students time to become more familiar with the task before talking  Balancing open- endedness with sufficient task direction, ensured low achievers knew what to do

Mixing different types of questions  The researcher identified two types of question and suggested a mix of both to involve students more in discussion  Embedded question cycles, where teachers probe for more detail on a single theme  Conjunctive question cycles, where teachers ask students to provide a range of responses/examples to the same question and focus on the breadth rather than the depth of response.

Who were the students in the study?  The study is based on data from 2,051 students and 117 teachers in the US

How was the information gathered?  The researchers observed classroom practice four times over one year  Students and teachers completed questionnaires towards the end of the school year

How can FE lecturers use this evidence?  The study identified two different types of questioning cycles; embedded and conjunctive.  Could you work with a colleague to plan questions of both types which you could use in a lesson? You might want to involve students in thinking about how often they are asked the different types of questions and the impact of these on their participation.

How can FE leaders use this evidence?  The study suggests that teachers need practice to improve their skills in helping students use dialogue for learning  Would it be helpful for lecturers in your college to observe discussion activities in each other’s classes and write up a description?  The analysis of the observations might help you identify good practice which you could compare with the outcomes of this study

Follow-up reading  Study reference: Kelly, S (2007) Classroom discourse and the distribution of student engagement Social Psychology of Education (2007) Vol. 10,  You might like to read a more detailed summary about dialogue: GTC RfT summary Raising achievement through group work, accessible at: mentoflearning/groupwork_nov06/ mentoflearning/groupwork_nov06/

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