CONTINUING An academic conversation What is an academic conversation? How do you keep one going? Copyright © 2015 The Teacher Writing Center, a division of SG Consulting, Inc.  www.grammargallery.org

What are these students doing? Warm-Up Look at the picture. What are these students doing? Copyright 2015

What do you think they are talking about? What are the clues? Discuss Response What do you think they are talking about? What are the clues?

Academic or Social?

Academic Conversations Focus on a school subject or ideas Often started by a teacher who asks a question about something you are studying Sometimes, prompted by a student Also referred to as an “academic discussion”

How do you keep an academic conversation going? Answer questions Expand on others’ responses Seek clarification

Example Student 1 Student 2 In The Fault Is in Their Stars, the main characters meet at a support group. That “support group” setting is an important part of the story. What do you think? Student 2 I agree. The support group setting is important to the plot because it establishes the characters and what brought them together originally. What did you think of the boy’s explanation for putting an unlit cigarette in his mouth?

Ways to Continue an Academic Conversation Statements Follow-Up Questions I agree/disagree with _____ because _____. On the other hand, the main idea might be _____. I wonder if _____. I can infer that _____ because _____. Do you think _____? Was anyone else confused about _____? Did anyone else notice that _____? What do you mean when you say _____?

Ways to Continue an Academic Conversation - continued Statements Follow-Up Questions I can relate/connect to that statement because _____. I’d like to go back to what _____ said about _____ . One lesson I think we can learn from this is _____. I think you can predict that _____. What evidence supports the idea that _____? I’m confused about what you mean by _____. How do you think that relates to the issue of _____? What is your prediction?

Tips to Continue an Academic Conversation

For Reference and More Practice … Refer to the Continuing an Academic Conversation Student Reference Sheet. www.grammargallery.org Copyright 2015