Academic Conversations Christina Carlson Megan Anderson Reilly Hand out books, Calendar of meetings posted Post it: Why are you here? What caused you to sign up for this course? Clock Hours ELL Sign in Sheets Time Sheets

Overall Objectives Identify characteristics of Academic Conversations (WHAT) Determine when to have Academic Conversations (WHEN) Implement strategies for supporting academic conversations (HOW) CHRISTINA

Today’s objectives Discuss the difference between talk and conversation Identify which English Language Proficiency Standards correlate with Academic Conversations Define reasons for students to talk in school Rehearse strategies that can be used in the classroom Draft a lesson plan to incorporate Academic Conversations in the next week CHRISTINA

NORMS (page 30) We listen to each other We respect one another’s ideas even if they are different We let others finish explaining their ideas without interrupting Rehearse strategies that can be used in the classroom CHRISTINA

What is student talk? Is conversation different? If so, why? If not, why not? Discuss the difference between talk and conversation MEGAN Partner chit chat Link to first outcome or language objective

CHRISTINA We argue, nicely, that it is different! This is NOT conversation

Academic Conversation requires… Prompting and responding Good listening A destination (core thinking skills and key principles of content) Explicit instruction MEGAN

Think, Pair, Share What are some of the successes you have experienced with students engaged in academic conversation? What are some of the struggles you have experienced with getting students engaged in academic conversation? Rehearse strategies that can be used in the classroom CHRISTINA Note what happened in this conversation- did people just give a one word response? Did they ask more questions- add on to what others said- paraphrase Compare to what happens when students get a prompt like this. What do they do?

In linguistically diverse classrooms, unstructured small group and partnering activities continually fail to produce substantive L2 oral language growth. Merely increasing student interaction without explicit, coached language instruction and accountability for application leads to discussions with minimal cognitive or linguistic challenge and negligible academic content. Rehearse strategies that can be used in the classroom Gersten & Baker, 2001 Saunders and Goldenberg, 2010 MEGAN

Language Modalities Are these language modalities exclusive? Domains Reading Listening Writing Speaking Receptive X Productive Interactive Are these language modalities exclusive? MEGAN

English Language Proficiency Standards Receptive Productive Interactive ELPS 2 ELPS 5 ELPS 6 Identify which English Language Proficiency Standards correlate with Academic Conversations MEGAN

Strategy to support ELLs with meeting standard The ELPS essence One or two word title Picture ELPS # MEGAN Strategy to support ELLs with meeting standard Way to assess the ELPS Rehearse strategies that can be used in the classroom

ELPS 1 Let’s Practice Understanding Graphic organizer MEGAN OLM Model the Frayer Model Graphic organizer Retells and Summaries

Strategy to support ELLs with meeting standard Your turn! One or two word title Picture ELPS 2 MEGAN Strategy to support ELLs with meeting standard Way to assess the ELPS

Sheltered Classrooms= Content AND language objectives Read Write Speak Listen CHRISTINA

Honestly, Went through and from our first set of Objectives I took the verbs from the right column and was able to add them to the objectives to make them more explicit.

Examples and non-examples Let’s practice Examples and non-examples Decide whether these are appropriate content and language objectives. Be ready to explain your thinking. MEGAN

Why do we need to converse in school? Skim pages 7-11 Share with your partner a key finding Select one ‘advantage of conversation’ page 11-25 Use the template to record thoughts Circles and lines: (page 28) Elaborate and Clarify Record your partner’s thoughts Rehearse strategies that can be used in the classroom Define reasons for students to talk in school Handout of all the advantages of conversation

Elaborate and Clarify (page 34) Prompting: Can you elaborate on…? What do you mean by…? Tell me more about… Responding: I think it means… In other words… It is important because… Rehearse strategies that can be used in the classroom MEGAN Call out 6 numbers. Ask participants to stand up.

Five Core Skills of Academic Conversation Elaborate and clarify Support ideas with examples Build on and/or challenge a partner’s idea Paraphrase Synthesize conversation points MEGAN Handout map or placemet

Five Core Skills of Academic Conversation Quotation Negotiation (Page 36) Strategy for logically supporting ideas from the text Rehearse strategies that can be used in the classroom CHRISTINA Charts up around room, 40 odd quotes read and share with three others BEFORE placing on chart Model the task and place on correct chart

Jigsaw Stand by YOUR chart Read that skill section with your group. Highlight where you see your skill in the History dialogue provided Join with members from other skills (group of 5) and share what you learned and where you found evidence in the dialogue. Rehearse strategies that can be used in the classroom CHRISTINA

Conversation generalizations 10:2 Conversation generalizations Rehearse strategies that can be used in the classroom MEGAN Frames may be a tool to get there but the REAL goal is to have kids use them without the frames Text is very complex and incorporates all skills that flow naturally, go back and forth etc. Use this is a model to demonstrate what a conversation could look like

Conversation practice Find a trio What would be the best vacation? If you couldn’t be in education, what job would you have? Rehearse strategies that can be used in the classroom MEGAN Conversation with partners. Third person listens carefully to hear when the partner says and notes when they use the 5 skills. Use your conversation counter to note the use of the skills. Could have placemats available to help teachers listen carefully.

Now what? Plan a lesson where you ask students to have an academic discussion. Choose a strategy from Academic Conversations (chapter 1-2) that we did today or that you read on your own. Teach that strategy within the language objective Assess the skills students use and don’t use. Bring evidence to discuss next week: Template provided Draft a lesson plan to incorporate Academic Conversations in the next week

Today’s objectives Discuss the difference between talk and conversation Identify which English Language Proficiency Standards correlate with Academic Conversations Define reasons for students to talk in school Rehearse strategies that can be used in the classroom Draft a lesson plan to incorporate Academic Conversations in the next week CHRISTINA

Next session: December 9 Read Chapter 3: Lesson Activities for Developing Core Conversations Bring your Language Objective for Evidence of academic conversations: Template Provided Thank you! Rehearse strategies that can be used in the classroom MEGAN Gots Wants