Unlocking The Power Of Classroom Talk

Shana Frazin and Katy Wischow passionately believe in the need to help students develop strong talk skills across the school day, in every subject, to prepare them for their academic lives and lives as active citizens outside of school. Using a unique "cycle" for talk that's similar to the writing process (generating, choosing, developing, acting, and reflecting), they name the predictable things we do most times we engage in a conversation, and show us how we can teach into those parts. Shana and Katy provide practical strategies for teaching four important purposes for talk that exist both in the classroom and in the real world: - talking to build relationships - talking to play with ideas - talking to clarify, analyze, and argue - talking to report. They offer a clear description of each purpose, the "when and how" to teach into those purposes, and what to do when things go awry. Classroom video brings the content to life showing what the talk looks and sounds like in action.

“Reading and writing float on a sea of talk” declared James Britton – and yet in our current education system, where the pressure is on for students to pass written exams, it is all too easily left adrift. How then, as teachers and educators, can we turn the tide and harness the power of talk in our classrooms? This is not just an educational choice but rather, given students’ vastly different experiences of language, a moral imperative. Amy Gaunt and Alice Stott’s must-read book serves as a detailed and engaging guide to get talking in class. It blends the academic research and evidence, with first-hand classroom experiences and practical strategies to enable you to unlock the power of oracy in your classroom and equip your students with the speaking skills they need to thrive in the twenty first century. Transform Teaching and Learning Through Talk describes how to: Identify and teach good talk (and listening!) Build a classroom culture which values talk Create meaningful and authentic contexts for oracy Support your quietest students to speak up too! This book is a rich resource for teachers, drawing upon key academic research and outlining what this could look like in your classroom. Throughout, the authors share personal insights, engaging anecdotes and tried-and-tested approaches drawn from their experience teaching in primary and secondary classrooms. Whether you teach college-age students or those just starting their journey through school, this book will challenge you to think deeply about what you can do integrate oracy into your practice.

This enlightening book helps educators use everyday language to create more equitable school environments, and offers exercises that strengthen communication and leadership skills.

This volume addresses the pivotal role of feedback in enhancing students' motivation and learning. Through a series of innovative studies, it uncovers the intricacies of how students perceive and utilize feedback, offering practical strategies for educators while bridging the gap between feedback research and classroom practice. The book showcases six outstanding studies that offer unique insights into how teacher feedback influences student learning and achievement, all from the perspectives of students. Chapters delve into various meaningful explorations of the paramount role of feedback in education, offering readers profound insights into its pivotal significance, the nuanced ways students respond to it, and the intricate mechanisms governing its influence on student achievement and engagement. The volume uncovers key mediators such as growth-oriented goals, feedback beliefs, and school identification, shedding light on how these factors shape the impact of feedback. It also introduces practical strategies, like rebuttal writing, and emphasizes the need for personalized feedback aligned with students' cognitive styles. Additionally, the book provides a comprehensive comparison across grades and feedback comments, all while serving as a practical guide for educators, researchers, and policymakers, thereby facilitating the implementation of evidence-based feedback practices grounded in students' voices and perspectives, ultimately enriching their learning. This book will be a key resource for researchers and academics in educational psychology, student learning, and assessment, while also appealing to educators, teachers, school administrators and policymakers seeking to enhance their understanding of feedback's role in education and to improve their feedback practices. It was originally published in Educational Psychology.

TEACH YOUR STUDENTS TO READ WITH PRECISION AND INSIGHT The world we are preparing our students to succeed in is one bound together by words and phrases. Our students learn their literature, history, math, science, or art via a firm foundation of strong reading skills. When we teach students to read with precision, rigor, and insight, we are truly handing over the key to the kingdom. Of all the subjects we teach reading is first among equals. Grounded in advice from effective classrooms nationwide, enhanced with more than 40 video clips, Reading Reconsidered takes you into the trenches with actionable guidance from real-life educators and instructional champions. The authors address the anxiety-inducing world of Common Core State Standards, distilling from those standards four key ideas that help hone teaching practices both generally and in preparation for assessments. This 'Core of the Core' comprises the first half of the book and instructs educators on how to teach students to: read harder texts, 'closely read' texts rigorously and intentionally, read nonfiction more effectively, and write more effectively in direct response to texts. The second half of Reading Reconsidered reinforces these principles, coupling them with the 'fundamentals' of reading instruction—a host of techniques and subject specific tools to reconsider how teachers approach such essential topics as vocabulary, interactive reading, and student autonomy. Reading Reconsidered breaks an overly broad issue into clear, easy-to-implement approaches. Filled with practical tools, including: 44 video clips of exemplar teachers demonstrating the techniques and principles in their classrooms (note: for online access of this content, please visit my.teachlikeachampion.com) Recommended book lists Downloadable tips and templates on key topics like reading nonfiction, vocabulary instruction, and literary terms and definitions. Reading Reconsidered provides the framework necessary for teachers to ensure that students forge futures as lifelong readers.

Facilitating students' unique paths towards identity development is the key to teaching young teens. Students face pressures that undermine the development of a solid sense of self, jeopardizing success in school and in life: Family issues, economic concerns, media influences, social pressures, physical changes, and more influence how students feel about themselves. When these go unnoticed, even the best teaching methods fall short. Reach Before You Teach shows educators how to form the nurturing, individualized connections that make students feel worthy, fulfilled, and ready to flourish as learners. The book details: Practical, empowering information about how a sense of self comes to be, and what threatens it. Interventions that soften the myriad defenses students develop to protect themselves. How to address the often-overlooked connections between physical, social, and emotional health and classroom performance. Packed with real-life examples and results-delivering exercises, Reach Before You Teach supplies educators with the all-important skills to connect with students so academic and life success feels more attainable.

Simple changes in a teacher's language can bring about profound changes in students and classrooms. By paying attention to your words and tone of voice, you will: Increase students' engagement with academicsBuild positive communityMore effectively manage your classroom That is the message of The Power of Our Words, a book that has changed the teaching lives of tens of thousands of educators since it was first published in 2007. In this updated second edition you will find practical information to help you: Lead students in envisioning themselves achieving successUse questions that encourage deep and creative thinkingListen to students in ways that support their growthReinforce students efforts and remind or redirect them when they go off track. Throughout, you will find an increased emphasis on using teacher language to support academic engagement and critical thinking skills as called for in the Common Core State Standards. And an updated, livelier format makes this second edition even easier to read.

"Sleep is one of the most important but least understood aspects of our life, wellness, and longevity ... An explosion of scientific discoveries in the last twenty years has shed new light on this fundamental aspect of our lives. Now ... neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker gives us a new understanding of the vital importance of sleep and dreaming"--Amazon.com.