1. The Language of the Classroom
6 Language Moves That Shape Classroom Culture
Identified by
Ron Ritchhart, 2010

2. The Language of Community
We are learners in a group.
We make sense collectively.

3. Or it can deliver a message of division, separateness and control
Pronoun choice can communicate a sense of inclusiveness, collaboration, community
we, us, our
Or it can deliver a message of division, separateness and control
I , you

4. The Language of Identity
As learners we step into the role rather than passively learn.

5. authors mathematicians thinkers
Invite students to step into new identities:
scientists
authors
mathematicians
thinkers
Communicate that learning is about doing and acting authentically vs. learning about the subject

6. Language of Personal Agency (vs. Rescuing)
Learners take initiative and control their own actions.

7. Letting students know that they are active decision makers when they might be experiencing difficulty, invites them to take initiative:
“How are you planning on…”
“What are you wondering about?”
“What did you decide to do about that?”
Stepping in with:
“What you need to do next..”
will rescue a student and remove initiative

8. Language of Naming and Noticing
Reinforce thinking by naming it.

9. Provide students with specific and sophisticated language for their thinking:
“That’s an interesting
connection.”
“You have generated some new
ideas.”
“That’s a new theory.”
Naming and noticing thinking allows students to make connections between their actions and academic success.

10. Conditional vs. Absolute
Language of Knowing
Conditional vs. Absolute
Open the possibilities of ideas.

11. Open the possibilities of learning by presenting ideas and information as evolving, complex and conditional
“What’s a perspective on this?”
“What might this be?”
“One way to solve the problem might be….”
Language can frame ideas as being fixed and absolute:
“The answer to this problem is…”

12. Language of Feedback and Praise
Give feedback that values actions rather than ability.

13. Effective feedback is specific, descriptive and guides future learning:
“You didn’t give up!”
“You put a lot of effort into that.”
“You found a lot of evidence for
your thinking.”
“Your questions helped guide your
learning.”
Feedback such as:
Good job! Nice work! You are so smart!
judges and values ability rather than effort and might have the consequence of limiting student willingness to explore new learning territory.

14. Consider the language of your classroom…
Which language move(s) is firmly established in your classroom?
Which language move(s) will you make a conscious effort to incorporate into your daily routines?