Talk Partners Booklet

Introduction

Philosophy

Getting started: Traditionally, children talk only in response to teachers’ questions by putting their hands up and waiting to be chosen. This can often result in: - the same children answering questions each time; - children waiting so long that they forget what they want to say; - shy children not contributing; - all interaction being between the child and the teacher; - the teacher dominating the talk time. The time taken up with ‘hands-up’ sessions could be devoted to paired talking! This will result in: - greater involvement by all; - less time spent waiting; - more opportunities for language development; - reluctant or shy children being involved; - more focused learning; - increased interaction between children; - more interaction between all children and teacher; - more opportunities for creative and exciting discussion.

Organisation: Introducing talk-partners requires careful preparation and planning. To engage in meaningful and purposeful dialogue children need guidance on: - the courtesies of speaking and listening; - the skills of speaking and listening; - topic appropriate language; - how to elaborate upon the partner’s contributions; - how to report clearly and succinctly the points discussed; - how to stay on task.

Steps to introducing talk partners: Teachers find that the use of talk-partners is most effective when they: - identify opportunities for talk partners at the planning stage; - consider the dynamics of the class and think how to pair the children – same ability; mixed ability; friendship; gender; same first language. (Research has shown that frequently changed, random pairings work best. This system is considered to be fair by the children). - establish speaking and listening ground rules with the children; - build up the talk-partners skills in small steps; - be prepared for unexpected avenues that may enhance the quality of the talk; - model speaking courtesies; - model the vocabulary to be used; - model questioning; - model responding. Opportunities: Across the curriculum, whenever the children would normally be asked to respond to questions with ‘hands-up’! Introduce talk-partners in literacy with a topic such as a character profile or a recount using who? what? where? when? why? as the scaffold questions. When children are confident with the techniques and rules, use talk-partners across the curriculum. See Speaking and Listening materials and Excellence and Enjoyment resources for cross-curricular ideas for Speaking and Listening.

(NEW SECTION) Questions to enhance talk

Skilled questioning can maximise the potential of the learning opportunity and generate high-level thinking and discussion. It also provides an excellent model for pupils who need to adopt self-questioning strategies. The best questions are open-ended and give pupils scope for a variety of answers. There is no right or wrong answer, merely different interpretations of the issues. This raises confidence as children feel that what they have to say has value. It is useful and illuminating to ask children how they arrive at their answers and to justify their conclusions.

Skilful questioning demands a range of responses.

 Questions prompt pupils to inspect their existing knowledge and experiences to create new understandings.  Questions focus pupils on the key issues.  Questioning model for pupils how experienced learners seek meaning.  Questioning is a key method of differentiation.

See question squares Appendix ? Prompt Sheets for Guided Reading Sessions  Can you think of another story that has a similar theme e.g. good over evil, weak over strong, wise over foolish?

3. Application Questions:

  What mDaokeess itth wiso ark s?uccessful story? What evidence do you have to justify your opinion?

6. Evaluation Questions: Appendix ?    Which other sWtohriiecsh hoathver o apuethnDoinrog hsya olniukde kle nthso iwtsim? aen ointh tehris s wtoary? th Ea.tg d. eflalssh wbaithck tsh,e d sreaammes i.ssues e.g. social, cultural, or moral issues?

  Which is better and why?Could it be better? Is it as good as…?    What might this mean?What happened in the story?What do you think is happening here?

2. Simple Comprehension Questions:

 What is your opinion? What evidence do you have o support your view?

5. Questions requiring synthesis:    Which words and/or phrases Wdoh tihcihs ?part of the story best describes the setting?Through whose eyes is the story told?

  Given what you know about…what do you think?Using all the evidence available, can you tell me what you feel about…?  What part of the story do you like the best?

  What would this character think about…? (PHoosws ibwloy uald p trhees evniet wdas yp iusts aucer)oss in these texts affect your views on…?     Who was s/he/it?What did s/he/it look like?When did the story take place?Where does the story take place?

1. Recall Questions:

   How do you feel about…?What words give you that impression?What makes you think that?

4. Analytical questions:    Where in the book would you find….?Who are the key characters in the book?Where did s/he/it live?

   I wonder what the writer intended?Do you agree with ---‘s opinion?Can you explain why…?   What was in the author’s mind?I wonder why the writer has decided to…?    Why did the Hauotwh ohra csh tohoes aeu tthhiso rs uestteindg a?djectiveWsh taot mdoa kteh ethseis wcohardras cmteera fnu nannyd? why do you think the writer chose them? top left corner.top They left areuseful teachers, prompts teachingfor assistantsand children. These can be photocopied onto coloured card, cut andinto squares collated a pinsplitwith the in

  Are there any familiar patterns you notice e.g. familiar story structure, images?Can you support your view with evidence? A range of questions to develop different types of thinking and responding. The following is a list of different types of questions with useful prompts/ response stems that children can use during talk-partner time or responding whole-class. Some teachers find that enlarging and displaying the response speech bubbles provides a useful addition to the working wall. The teacher can indicate the most appropriate stem with which to start a response.

Questions to develop: Classifying Response stems for Classifying

These go together  Which of these go together? Why? because . . . These can be  Can any of these be put together? put together These things are  How are these things alike/similar/ because . . . different? alike/similar/different  What could you call these groups? because . . .  What are the characteristics of all the things in this group? These  What criteria have been used to groups could All of the classify these? The criteriabe called . . . things in this  How could you rearrange . . .? used to  How could you compare . . . group have . . . classify these and . . .? are . . .  Can you find another way to . ?

You could You could rearrange Another way compare these by . . . to . . . these by . . .

Questions to develop: Describing Response stems for Describing

This is We  What is . . . like? We can see like . . notice  What can you see? . . . We would . that . . .  What did you notice about . . .? describe this  How would you describe . . .? as . . . Questions to develop: Evaluating Response stems for Evaluating

 Do you think this is a good/bad We think this We agree/disagree thing? Why? is a good/bad with this because . . .  Do you agree with this? Why?  How do you feel about this? Why? thing because .  Is there anything you would have . . done differently? Why? If we had done  Why was this done? Do you think it this we would was a good idea? This makes us have . . . feel . . . because . . . This was done because . . . We think it was a good/bad idea because . . . Questions to develop: Explaining Response stems for Explaining

 Why does . . .? This We think This was  How do you . . .? happened that this . . . caused by . . .  Why did this happen . . .? because . .  Why do you think that . . .? .  What caused this? The result Another reason  What might be the result of . . .? It’s Why do you think so? of this could or explanation possible  Can anyone think of another reason/ be . . . could be that . . . that . . . explanation ? because . . .  Can you explain. .?

Questions to develop: Generalising Response stems for Generalising

 What is true What is What is true about all of these? This tells  What can you tell us about . . .? about all of generally true us that . . .  What have you found out about . . .? these is . . . about this is . . .  What seems to be generally true about . . .?  What have you learned about . .? We have We have We have  What conclusions can you draw learned found out concluded now? that . . .  What does this tell you about . . .? this about . . that . . . . Questions to develop: Inference Response stems for Inferring

This could explain  Can you explain from this We think that What might that . . . how . . .?/why? what is have caused  What do you think might be happening here this is . . . happening here? Why? is . . .  What do think might cause this? We think they  Why do you think they did this? did this because . . . We think they  How do you imagine they are because . . . must be feeling . . . We don’t feeling? because . . .  Can anyone think of a different agree . . . we idea? think . . .

Questions to develop: Predicting and Response stems for Predicting and Hypothesising Hypothesising

We think If this that we will  What are we going to see at . . .? happens we see . . .  What would/might happen if . . .? would . . .  If . . . , what do you think will be the This would result? If this happen if . . .  What would it be like if . . .? happens, we  What would you do if . . .? think that . . .

Questions to develop: Recalling information Stems for Recalling information

 How many . . .? There . . . is This happened  Where is . . .? are . . .  In which year did..? in . . .  Why did . . .? . . . did this because . . . From Pauline Gibbons ‘Learning to Learn in a Second Language’. Guided Talk

Guided talk is a structured session, led by an adult with a clear focus to develop spoken language. It provides an ideal opportunity to develop talk- partners and teach the skills of speaking and listening.

Guided sessions in Literacy are part of the teaching sequence for writing and should be positioned in the sequence in the same way, and with the same status, as guided writing – after shared writing and before independent work. The talk will be ‘presentation talk’ - oral rehearsal for writing.

Guided sessions in mathematics will focus on the language of problem solving including word problems and ‘finding all possibilities’. The aspect of speaking and listening will be group interaction and the talk ‘process talk’.

Steps for carrying out a guided talk session:  Introduce the topic to the children and the learning objective.  Briefly go over ground rules for good speaking and listening.  Give children a question or prompt for them to discuss and brainstorm ideas, in order to activate prior knowledge and build upon previous experience;  Use a Talk planner as a guide to scaffold the language which children should aim to use in their responses, e.g. I think that…… If we did this then…..etc  Model correct language structures using the children’s ideas.  Summarise points made and discuss how they will be used to look at the written piece

Guided talk should: - be lead by a TA or teacher with a group of about six children - last approximately 20 minutes - initially be conducted as part of the daily literacy or maths lesson but can be used across the curriculum - can be used for learners who require additional language support or any other group you wish to target - involve the use of speaking frames/talk planners for scaffolding talk.

The characteristics of well-planned opportunities for talk as a process are: - Clear learning intentions and outcome; - Opportunities to activate prior knowledge; - Modelling (activity, roles and language); - Explicit teaching of speaking and listening courtesies; - Explicit teaching of how to collaborate; - A real purpose for collaboration and for talk; - Active engagement; - Attention to groupings; - A role for everyone; - Time limited, well paced, stages; - Opportunities for reflecting (plenary or mini-plenary). See the Lancashire Literacy Website for lots more Speaking and Listening prompts. These can be laminated and used to remind children about the courtesies and skills of Speaking and Listening.

www.lancsngfl.ac.uk - Primary National Strategy – Literacy – Speaking and Listening

Talking is for two people – listen to your partner Talk-Partners’ Agreement

I will try to:  listen carefully to my partner;  look at my partner when they are talking to me;  take an interest in what they are saying;  use encouraging body language and facial expressions;  let my partner say what they wish to say;  listen to, and think about my talk-partner’s ideas;  be patient;  not to interrupt;  give reasons for my opinions, ideas or arguments;  accept that my partner might not agree with me;  respond to what my partner says;  share and explain my ideas and what I already know;  compromise if our opinions differ;  accept responsibility for decisions;  not claim credit for all the good ideas;  blame my partner for any mistakes.