1. Adaptations made by Westport Advisory Committee
Sample Lessons on Accountable Talk for Student Use (G. Constantin, 6th Grade ELA) *Must be adapted to YOUR content area and YOUR students*
Adaptations made by Westport Advisory Committee

2. What do we have here…. ?
Day 1: What is accountable talk? What do students need to know? What are the four tenets and what do they look like in the classroom? Take time to have rich class discussion through turn and talk, and open conversation.
Day 2: Recap notes, practice conversation, time for students to create conversations and practice.
Day 3: Debate and Poster creation – norms and sentence starters to hang around YOUR classroom.

3. Warm Up Why is talk important in a classroom? What kind of talk?
Today is:
Warm Up Why is talk important in a classroom? What kind of talk?
LEARNING TARGET
I can explain the purpose of using Accountable Talk.

4. Accountable Talk: What is it?
AT is a way of speaking in our classroom and in our school that helps us to be better critical thinkers, and to remain respectful to one another.
Code-Switching – we all have different ways of communicating, but in the classroom, we need to be respectful and open to others’ differences through the way that we speak and interact.
TURN AND TALK: Think of a time when you have felt frustrated during a partner/group discussion. What causes you to feel left out or disrespected?

5. When do we use AT? TURN AND TALK: What is “accountability”?
All of the time! AT is a way of maintaining respect and accountability through discussion in class.
TURN AND TALK: What is “accountability”?
But… accountable to what?

6. Accountable Talk
For classroom talk to promote learning it must be accountable-to the learning community, to accurate and appropriate knowledge, and to rigorous standards of thinking and reasoning. (Resnick, 1999)

7. Two Main Parts:
Answers and comments in a discussion must be positive and when appropriate, use a sentence starter to show respect and attention (See Resource Sheet).
Everything you say MUST be supported by evidence. There is always a because _____.

8. Standards of Accountable Talk
Accountable to the Learning Community
Accountable to Knowledge
Accountable to Rigorous Thinking
Accountable to Social Behaviors
Vocabulary note: Participants – anyone who is involved in a conversation.

9. Accountable to The Learning Community
Creating a safe, engaging classroom environment.
Participants are engaged in talk and are listening to one another.
Talk remains related to text/subject/issue
“I think the conversation is getting off-topic, let’s refocus”
Talk is about issues rather than participants
I disagree with your idea NOT I disagree with you.
Participants work to get everyone involved.
“Dimani, we haven’t heard from you in our group. Do you have an opinion?”
Classmates make an effort to ensure they understand one another by asking questions to clarify terms/topic under discussion.
“So what I hear you saying Zion is that you disagree with ____? Is that correct?”

10. Accountable to Knowledge
Go back to a text to support arguments and ideas.
Participants provide evidence for claims and arguments.
“As you can see on page 12 of ‘The Gold Cadillac’, _____”
Examples or claims using outside knowledge are accurate, accessible, and relevant.
Unsupported claims are questioned and investigated by discussion participants.
“Could you give us some support for that answer, Trinity?” instead of “That didn’t happen in the story!”

11. Accountable to Rigorous Standards of Thinking and Reasoning
Students refer to a variety of texts as sources of information and connect ideas within and between texts.
Students redefine or change explanations.
“At first, I agreed with you Rafael. However, now that I’ve re-read the passage, I think that the author was really trying to say ___.”
Students draw comparisons and contrast among ideas.
Students indicate to what degree they accept ideas and arguments.
“I strongly agree with your answer, Destiny, because there is more evidence to support___ than ____.”
Students use examples, analogies, and hypothetical “what if” scenarios as challenging questions or supporting explanations.
“Ok, Aubrey, I see your point but what if the main character lived _____. Wouldn’t the setting have an impact on his life then?”

12. Accountable to Social Norms and Behaviors
Social skills are very important for us to learn and practice everyday. The Fourth standard of Accountable Talk is being Accountable to Appropriate Social Behaviors.

13. Appropriate Social Behaviors
Group formation is done in a timely manner.
Participants exhibit positive body language by making eye contact and facing the other group member.
Participants listen attentively with limited over talk or side talk.
Participants communicate in the appropriate tone and volume.
TURN AND TALK: Out of these norms, which will be the hardest to follow? (Ex. It’s hard for me to make eye contact because in my culture…)

14. Pair/Group Activity:
With a partner, make these sentences more accountable.
“You’re wrong that never happened in the book!”
“I don’t agree.”
“Man you play too much you don’t ever help our group.”

15. EXIT SLIP
EXIT SLIP: Imagine this situation: Your elbow partner tells you that they really don’t like your shoes. However, you are positive that they are the best shoes around. Using accountable talk, describe how you would politely disagree with them.

16. I can identify and use accountable talk.
Today is:
LEARNING TARGET
Warm Up Describe the two key parts of accountable talk. Ex. When using accountable talk you need…. and …..
I can identify and use accountable talk.

17. Recap Discussion: Why do we use accountable talk?
How do you see accountable talk fitting into our class discussions?
How does speaking with accountable talk make you feel?

18. Notes: What is Accountable Talk? Copy the following on to your handout.
Accountable talk is a way of speaking, usually in debate, where each person is held accountable for their opinions.
Accountable talk forces the speaker to share their idea or opinion, and then support it with evidence.
Accountable talk is polite, sophisticated, and makes the classroom a safe speaking environment.

19. Practice Conversation:
Directions: Highlight examples of accountable talk in the following conversation (ie: connecting to other students’ responses and giving evidence for their opinions.) Rewrite any sentences that DO NOT show accountable talk, making them into correct, accountable sentences.
Rewrite sentences on the back of the paper.

20. Let’s check our answers
Let’s check our answers! Let’s break down the text further, showing where we see accountable talk sentence starters AND evidence.
REMEMBER THE TWO PARTS OF ACCOUNTABLE TALK
Sentence starter
Evidence (Support)
Above each example of accountable talk sentence starters write AC.
Above each example of evidence write E.

21. Discussion: Questions/Concerns about Accountable Talk?
Do you know the purpose?
Do you know the two parts?
Can you describe a situation where you would use accountable talk?
Where can you look to find sentence starters? (Cheat sheet)

22. Creative Extension Create your own accountable talk scenario.
Just like the one we did together, you can have different examples of students using or not using accountable talk.
You can act your conversation out like a skit to the class, or just explain it.
GO!

23. Exit Slip
What is the purpose of using accountable talk in a classroom?
Do you think it will be difficult to use accountable talk when you are speaking?

24. Warm Up How can accountable talk help the community in the classroom?
Today is:
LEARNING TARGET
Warm Up How can accountable talk help the community in the classroom?
I can use and explain accountable talk.

25. Remember there is no right or wrong!
1. We will divide into groups of 4.
2. 3 of you will use your Accountable
Talk Reference Sheet to debate a topic –
Remember there is no right or wrong!
3. The 4th member of your group will use
the Accountable Talk: Criteria for Success
to give your debate a score.

26. What do you think? The United States should provide
chocolate and ice cream to
every person in the country.
What do you think?

27. Which came first, the chicken
or the egg?
What do you think?

28. Children should make
all the rules.
What do you think?

29. Accountable Talk Posters
With your group, create a visual to hang in our classroom based on the part of accountable talk you have been given (accountable to the learning community, to accurate and appropriate knowledge, and to rigorous standards of thinking and reasoning. )
With your group, make sentence starters for the type you have been given (see resource sheet)

30. Exit Slip: How will you use
accountable talk to help
you be successful in the
classroom.