Conversation skills are not exclusively for ELs – We are ALL language learners. Use supports to create opportunities for successful discussions among students. Affirm their current level of speaking and expose students to higher levels of discourse by using language supports.
Discussion Board
Use a discussion board to hold students accountable for their conversations and to give you a window into their conversations.
Conversation Prompts
These prompts provide students with sentence starters to show whether they agree, disagree, or need clarification.
When to use it?
Book Club Discussions: Students bring their "stop and jots" to place on their name, ready to use within the conversation. Students place their post-its in the conversation cloud as they use them within the conversation.
Guided Reading Groups/Prewriting: Students can be given a question inside the conversation cloud to answer verbally as a pre-writing exercise.
Social Studies/21st Century Skills: Students can be given a current event in their conversation cloud to discuss within a group.
Discussion Board
Use a discussion board to hold students accountable for their conversations and to give you a window into their conversations.
Conversation Prompts
These prompts provide students with sentence starters to show whether they agree, disagree, or need clarification.
When to use it?
Book Club Discussions: Students bring their "stop and jots" to place on their name, ready to use within the conversation. Students place their post-its in the conversation cloud as they use them within the conversation.
Guided Reading Groups/Prewriting: Students can be given a question inside the conversation cloud to answer verbally as a pre-writing exercise.
Social Studies/21st Century Skills: Students can be given a current event in their conversation cloud to discuss within a group.