After our school closure day earlier this term, teaching teams chose a ‘Talk Move’ to focus on during a Maths session. These will be implemented and then fed back to the rest of the staff next term.
Talk Moves are a wonderful instructional routine that cultivates discussion and dialogue. This is a routine that can be used during any part of the day! It does not need to be used just for Maths. Some of the routines staff are using with the students are…
Title
Purpose
What might it sound like?
Think Time/Wait time
Allows time for students to organise their thinking
Allows for more considered responses.
“Take some time to think.”
“I’m going to give you some time to think about your answer before I ask you to respond.”
“Be prepared to share your thinking with a partner.”
Turn and Talk
Provides opportunities for students to share ideas and build confidence
Students rehearse and clarify their responses before sharing with the whole group.
“Turn and talk to the person next to you.”
“Share your thinking about …”
“How is your thinking similar or different?”
“What strategy did you use to …?”
‘Be prepared to share your discussion with the group. I may ask you to share what your partner said as well as your own thinking.”
Repeating
Slows the pace of a lesson when concepts are complex or deserve extra attention.
Adds emphasis to important ideas.
“Can you repeat or rephrase what ____ said about ___?”
“ I think we should go back to what ____ said about ____. It was important. Can you repeat what ____ said please?”
“How could you summarise that discussion?”
Revoicing
Useful for clarifying meaning.
Used to highlight an important idea or reveal a misunderstanding.
Assists students in linking everyday language with more precise and sophisticated language.
“So you are saying … Do I have that correct?”
“Are you saying that …?”
“I think I could also explain your thinking by saying… Do I have that right?”
Reasoning
Encourages students to justify or elaborate their own thinking, providing evidence.
Exposes students to the thinking of others, expanding their own perspectives.
Useful for clarifying meaning.
“Can you explain that further?”
“What evidence did you use?”
“Do you agree or disagree with ____ idea? Why?”
“Can you convince____ that …?”
Revising
Indicates to students that it is acceptable to change thinking once new knowledge is understood.
Provides an opportunity to reflect on and review new learning.
“Has anyone revised their thinking? Why?”
“Would anyone change their strategy/thinking now? Why?”
“How has your thinking/understanding changed? What was your ah-ha moment?”
Adding on
Invites students to participate in the discussion by building on the ideas of others.
Helps build substantive conversation and promotes deeper reasoning.
“Does anyone have something else to add?”
“I agree with ___ because ...”
“I disagree with ___ because ...”
“Can you say some more about that please? What else do you ....?
Maybe you can try some of these sentence starters when you are having discussions at home!
