WEBVTT

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[Music] Welcome to the
overview on Talking About Text:

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Discussion-Based Approaches
to Reading Instruction.

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Ms. Trindle really wants to
engage her U.S. History students

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in thoughtful discussion

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around the reading she
assigned for homework.

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She knows that she can count on
two or three students to talk,

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but most students
won't participate.

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Even when she poses what she
thinks are intriguing questions,

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she can't seem to get
answers that are more

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than a few words long.

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She really wants her students to
get more involved with the text,

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but she's having
trouble engaging them.

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Giving students opportunities
to dig deeper into texts

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through pair work, whole-class,

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or small-group discussions
engages students more

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in the learning process and
helps them make new connections

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with what they are reading.

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Talking about text is
something all students can do.

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Reading instruction with
adolescents should provide them

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with strategies that
will allow them

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to go beyond literal
understandings

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and become proficient
readers and thinkers.

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The National Assessment

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of Educational Progress defines
eighth-grade reading proficiency

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as being able to "summarize
major ideas, provide evidence

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in support of an
argument, analyze

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and interpret implicit
causal relations,

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analyze character
motivation, make inferences,

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and identify similarities
across texts."

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By engaging in regular,
extended discussions

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about what they are reading,
students are provided practice

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in all of these important
skill areas.

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In fact, studies
show that classrooms

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that frequently incorporate
extended discussions show

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greater literacy gains than
classes that have little

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or no opportunity
for discussion.

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Text discussion in the classroom
can range from partner work

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where students discuss
a section of text

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to an extended whole-class
discussion.

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Starting with pair work can
give students valuable practice

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in talking about what
they are reading.

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In extended class discussions,

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there should be sustained
exchanges among students

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and with their teacher.

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Students should have the
opportunity to: question

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and summarize what they've
read, reference relevant parts

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of the text, use background
knowledge to make connections,

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and listen to the points of view

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of others participating
in the discussion.

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Through discussion,
students are exposed

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to the ways effective readers
think about what they read,

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and they will begin to
apply these strategies

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as they read independently.

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Well-selected texts are crucial

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to increasing student
engagement.

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Choosing topics that
students are interested

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in will increase
their motivation

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to engage with the content.

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Students can even
choose their own texts,

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such as in the context
of a book club.

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Texts should be open to
multiple interpretations

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or may be supplemented
by other materials

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that prompt reasoned
arguments and debate.

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Challenging texts and materials

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that contain ambiguity
can be extremely useful

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for pushing student thinking and
highlighting various viewpoints.

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However, not even the
best-selected texts will ensure

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a useful discussion unless
the instructor has prepared

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questions that encourage
and facilitate conversation.

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Effective questions don't
generate quick and pat answers.

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Instead, they mirror the
questions active readers are

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likely to ask themselves and
lead students back to the text

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in order to defend their
arguments and positions.

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Another important aspect
of the teacher's role,

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especially when engaging
in whole-class discussions,

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is to ask follow-up questions
to further the exchange.

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For example, a teacher
might ask students

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to provide different
interpretations,

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explain their reasoning, or
look for evidence in the text.

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Creating an encouraging and
supportive environment is key

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to successfully involving
students in text discussions.

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Teachers should be clear about
expectations and guidelines

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for student behavior, such as
accepting divergent viewpoints,

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avoiding negative comments,
and active listening.

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They can set goals with students
for improving discussions

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and give feedback on their
progress as they practice.

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Teachers should be careful

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to monitor their own
behavior as well.

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When teachers limit
themselves to actions

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like providing summaries,
asking follow-up questions,

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and reminding students
of agreed-upon norms,

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students are encouraged
to carry the weight

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of the discussion
rather than participating

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in a question-answer
session with the teacher.

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Breaking the class up into
smaller discussion groups is

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another way to motivate students
to engage in discussion.

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Shy students are more
likely to contribute,

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and all students have a greater
opportunity to actively delve

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into the text in small groups.

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Assigning roles to students

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in groups can give them
direction and focus.

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One student may lead
the discussion,

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while another identifies
confusing words and passages

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or generates summaries.

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These tasks can be
regularly rotated,

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keeping students focused,
motivated, and engaged.

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Many teachers are
not familiar with how

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to effectively direct extended
discussions and would benefit

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from engaging in their own
small-group discussions.

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Such experiences can
help teachers understand

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and practice facilitation
techniques.

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Teachers may find it difficult
to find the time for regular,

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extended classroom discussion.

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In such circumstances,
teachers are encouraged to plan

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for discussions by
identifying one or two key texts

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that are particularly
challenging

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or central to the curriculum.

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Ms. Trindle practiced
leading some discussions

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with her colleagues,
concentrating

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on asking follow-up questions

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so that she didn't
dominate the conversation.

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She began with partner
work, pairing students

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for textbook discussion and
giving them guiding questions.

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Later in the year she divided
her class into groups of six,

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assigning roles to each student.

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Students who had barely talked

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at all during the semester were
actively discussing the text

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with their groups, and
the whole class was alive

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with the sound of discussion.

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[Music] To learn more about
Discussion-Based Approaches

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to Reading Instruction, please
explore the additional resources

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on the Doing What Works website.