What is Talking?

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 February 12, 2022

    What a great question! What is talking? What does it mean to talk? When I think about talking in the classroom, it's interesting to reflect and determine who is talking. As teachers, we tend to do a lot of talking. I like to think about how much students are actually talking. In fact my goal is to get students talking in the classroom more than the teacher. When I say talking, I'm talking about both social and productive talking. 

    Many times in the classroom we say "Raise your hand if you can tell me..." I have found this to be a challenged within my classroom. One reason is there is always more than one student who wants to talk (as there should be). By raising hands, there is a limit on who gets to talk and share their thoughts. Another reason is the other students check out, give up and agree with their classmate, or feel defeated when only one person gets a chance to talk. This happens because their thoughts were not the same or they were unable to share their thoughts. In my classroom, I do my best to find the positive and let every student be heard. School should be encouraging and fun. 

    Therefore, I have found a different strategy to get my students engaged and boost their confidence. In my classroom, students don't have to be limited on thoughts. They also don't have to wait to speak. There is a strong learning atmosphere the more my students are talking in the classroom. I have found by avoiding the "raised hand" situation, my students have the confidence to think and share those thoughts. In fact, I don't ever say this in my classroom unless we are voting on something.

    In my classroom, I ask students to take a minute and share their thoughts with a partner every time I ask a question. It is very much a turn and talk, but it happens ALL the time in my classroom. As students talk, I am able to walk around and listen to their thoughts. The magic happens when students feel they have the chance and time to talk. It also gives them confidence as they hear others thinking as they talk. It allows them to see who has the same or different thoughts. Students are completely engaged because no one has to sit and wait to share their thinking. It also encourages students to continue thinking because there is no limit to talking. 

    Think about it like this... how many times have you sat in a conversation or in a meeting where you had something to say but had to wait your turn? It's frustrating because sometimes we lose our thoughts before we are able to share them. Now, think about our students.... Can you imagine them learning something new, having something to share, but never being able to share their thinking on the subject matter? Heartbreaking!!! Our students deserve and need time to talk. The more time they get to talk is better than sitting and listening ALL day. 

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Who is talking in your classroom? 

How often do students talk?




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