Module 1: Unit 2, Session 3

MODULE 1: ADOLESCENT READING, WRITING, AND THINKING

Adolescent Literacy – Professional DevelopmentUnit 2, Session 3

Module 1: Unit 2, Session 3

USING DISCUSSION STRUCTURES TO ENRICH STUDENT ACADEMIC LANGUAGE

1.2.3

Module 1: Unit 2, Session 3 3

Module 1: Unit 2, Session 3

Essential Questions

Module 1 QuestionWhat do we know about how teens learn from text

and how can we use that knowledge to improve our practice?

Unit 2, Session 3 QuestionsHow does peer conversation support reading

comprehension?How can we have and support good discussion in our

classes?4

Module 1: Unit 2, Session 3

How Much Discussion Is Really Going On?

How much real discussion do you think happens per 60 minutes in an “average” content area academic class session in middle schools and high schools?

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Module 1: Unit 2, Session 3

How Much Discussion Is Really Going On?

How much real discussion do you think happens per 60 minutes in an “average” content area academic class session in middle schools and high schools?

2 minutes per hour

Applebee, A., Langer, J., Nystrand, M., & Gamoran, A. (2003)

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Module 1: Unit 2, Session 3

Discussion Predicts Improved Learning

Discussion time and small-group time correlated with incidence of authentic reading and writing tasks (Nystrand and Gamoran, 1991)

Authentic teacher questions, open discussion, and curricular conversations predicted higher literacy scores (Applebee, Langer, Nystrand, and Gamoran, 2003)

How do we support rich student to student academic talk related to content texts?

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Module 1: Unit 2, Session 3

Discussion StructuresAspect Key Question

Topic What are students supposed to be talking about?What is the guiding question for the group?

Air Time How much time is each student allotted to talk?Is there a timer?

Talk Order Is there a designed order for contributing to the dialogue?

Cognitive Perspective

Do students have assigned roles (such as making predictions, summarizing, word catching)?

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Module 1: Unit 2, Session 3

Example: Debate vs. Open DiscussionAspect Debate Open Discussion

Topic Assigned by teacher Often assigned with a guiding question

Air Time Assigned time limits for members of each team

Often none; some students can dominate discussion

Talk Order Assigned Not Assigned

Cognitive Perspective

Can Be Assigned Not Assigned

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Module 1: Unit 2, Session 3

http://myamazingfact.blogspot.com/2009/12/10-pics-of-historys-most-influential.htmlhttp://picdit.wordpress.com/2008/11/22/the-messy-desk-of-albert-einstein-1955/

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Module 1: Unit 2, Session 3

Debrief Continuum Dialogue

What aspects of topic, air time, talk order, or cognitive perspective did the facilitator control?

How would this conversation have been the same or different if we had an “open discussion”?

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Module 1: Unit 2, Session 3

Looking into Classrooms

Here is an example of how a teacher begins a debate by having students signal their position on the topic with the position they take in the room…

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Module 1: Unit 2, Session 3

Looking into Classrooms

Here is an example of how a teacher begins a debate by having students signal their position on the topic with the position they take in the room…

What aspects of topic, air time, talk order and cognitive order does the teacher control or distribute?

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Module 1: Unit 2, Session 3

Gradual Release of Responsibility(Campione, 1981)

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4

•Think about conversational register as a class. What is appropriate with friends? In the gym? In the classroom?

•Create classroom guidelines for respectful conversation and cooperation.

•Facilitate a highly-structured discussion protocol like “Turn and Talk” or the “Continuum Dialogue.”

•Debrief it with your students, referring to the classroom guidelines.

•Do a brief mini- debate between small teams of students with the majority of the class acting as the judges. Collect their decision at the end of class with a paper ballot.

•Hold a classroom debate with multiple positions available for students to take.

There are many resources for different discussion ideas in the Participant’s Resource Packet. Remember to go slowly and debrief each structure with the students; often they are not used to holding academic discussion and they need time and support.

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Module 1: Unit 2, Session 3

Further Study

Additional Video Footage of debate

http://www.wordgeneration.org/observe/hibbsW1.html

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Module 1: Unit 2, Session 3

ReferencesApplebee, A., Langer, J., Nystrand, M., & Gamoran, A. (2003). Discussion-based approaches to

developing understanding: Classroom instruction and student performance in middle and high school English. American Educational Research Journal, 40(3), 685.

Campione, J. (1981). Leaning, Academic Achievement, and Instruction. Paper presented at the second annual conference on Reading Research of the Center for the Study of Reading.

Gamoran, A., & Nystrand, M. (1991). Background and instructional effects on achievement in eighth-grade English and social studies. [Article]. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 1(3), 277-300.

Langer, J. (1985). Levels of questioning: An alternative view. Reading Research Quarterly, 21(5), 586-602.

Lawrence, J., & Snow, C. (2010). Oral discourse and reading comprehension. In M. Kamil, D. Pearson, E. Moje, P. Aflerback & P. Mosenthal (Eds.), Handbook of Reading Research (Vol. IV). London: Routledge.

Nystrand, M. (1999). Classroom language assessment system (CLASS 3.0). Madison, WI: Center on English Learning and Achievement.

Nystrand, M., & Gamoran, A. (1991). Instructional discourse, student engagement, and literature achievement. Research on the Teaching of English, 25(3), 261-290.

Pearson, D. (1985). Changing the face of reading comprehension. The Reading Teacher, 38(8), 724-738.

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