ACCOUNTABLE TALK PRESENTATION Local District G Elementary Principals

ACCOUNTABLE TALK PRESENTATION Local District G Elementary Principals’ Team Meeting October 16, 2002

Accountable Talk Warm-Up Activity n n Student Talk Indicators Teacher Moves and Practices Directions Two groups of participants will divide statements reflecting each of the areas above into: a) Accountability to the Learning Community b) Accountability to Knowledge c) Accountability to Rigorous Thinking

Accountable Talk Features and Indicators Accountability to the Learning Community Active participation in classroom talk. n Listen attentively. n Elaborate and build upon each other’s ideas. n Work to clarify or expand a proposition. n

Accountable Talk Indicators Continued Accountability to Knowledge Specific and accurate knowledge n Appropriate evidence for claims and arguments. n Commitment to getting it right. n

Accountable Talk Indicators continued Accountability to Rigorous Thinking Construct explanations and test understanding of concepts. n Formulate conjectures and hypotheses. n Employ generally accepted standards of reasoning. n Challenge the quality of evidence and reasoning. n

Introduction to William’s Doll This is the story of a young boy who has asked for a doll. His father tries to dissuade him by offering to give him a basketball or other toys traditionally associated with boys.

Read excerpts from William’s Doll.

William’s Doll Cover Page

William’s Doll Excerpt Page 1

William’s Doll Excerpt Page 2

William’s Doll Excerpt Page 3

William’s Doll Excerpt Page 4

Preparation for Videotape Viewing

Task: AT is Talk That Promotes Comprehension n n Become familiar with the indicators of Accountable Talk Identify/record examples of specific words that students used in their Accountable Talk with each other. Identify/record teacher moves that helped to facilitate Accountable Talk among the students. Identify ways that Accountable Talk promotes academic rigor and a higher level of comprehension of the text.

Task Continued Questions for Discussion n n Identify/record teacher moves that helped to facilitate Accountable Talk among the students. Identify ways that Accountable Talk promotes academic rigor and a higher level of comprehension of the text?

First Observation of Videotaped Lesson on William’s Doll n n n View Videotaped Lesson Identify student behaviors that support Accountable Talk List specific statements used by students that exemplify Accountable Talk

Videotaped Lesson Observation I

Summary Points Accountable Talk indicators evident in this video example: Active participation in classroom talk. n Listen attentively. n Elaborate and build on each other’s ideas. n Work to clarify or expand a proposition. n Specific and accurate knowledge. n

Summary Points continued Accountable Talk indicators evident in this video example: Appropriate evidence for claims and arguments. n Synthesize several sources of information. n Construct explanations. n Formulate conjectures and hypothesis. n Employ generally accepted standards of reasoning. n

Discussion

Summary Points of Student Accountable Talk Specific Examples of Student Accountable Talk: “They’re sort of different in a few ways. ” n “I disagree. ” n “The problem is…. ” n “I want to compare Frank to William. ” n “I remember what you said. ” n

Summary Points of Student Accountable Talk continued Specific Examples of Student Accountable Talk: “It’s sort of like my life. ” n “I have two things to say. ” n “I disagree with you a little bit. ” n “I’m sort of changing the subject. ” n “I disagree with what Mathew said a long time ago. ” n “When Allegria said, …. ” n

Summary Points of Student Accountable Talk continued Specific Examples of Student Accountable Talk: “I agree with him because I was going to say that, also. ” n “Leo is like Franklin because he is trying to read and Franklin is trying not to be afraid of the dark. ” n “His grandmother knows that it doesn’t matter if boys play with girls’ things. ” n

Summary Points of Student Accountable Talk continued Specific Examples of Student Accountable Talk: “William’s father may be nice because he knows William would be teased if he got a doll. ” n “There’s a problem doing something and a problem getting something. ” n “William’s Doll shouldn’t be in the Trying Center because he has a different kind of problem. ” n

Discussion

Second Observation of Videotaped Lesson on Williams’ Doll n n n View videotaped lesson again. Identify specific teacher moves and practices used to promote Accountable Talk. List specific statements teachers use to promote Accountable Talk.

Summary Points of Teacher Moves and Practices n n n What teacher moves helped facilitate A. T. ? Reminds about previous work/many ways to compare books. Provides wait time while students gather their thoughts. Calls on wide range of students. Who can start us off?

Summary Points of Teacher Moves and Practices continued n n “So you’re saying that…. ” - rephrases, summarizes. “That’s another important comparison. ” - naming. “Do you know what she means? ” - asking clarification. “I really like how you’re all listening to each other. ”

Summary Points of Teacher Moves and Practices continued n n “I’m glad that you related it to your own life. ” “That’s very interesting. William’s father reminds me of the father in Leo the Late Bloomer. ” “What do you want to say back to Hannah? ” “Can we just stick with what Brendan said for a minute? ”

Summary Points n n What teacher moves helped facilitate A. T. ? Marking: Drawing attention to certain ideas by paraphrasing what a student says. Turning back: Asking students to respond to each other. Revoicing: Assisting students as they express their ideas.

Summary Points continued n n n Modeling: Thinking aloud about an issue that is particularly difficult to understand. Recapping: Summarizing the main ideas. Pressing: Making students think more deeply and take responsibility for figuring out ideas.

Accountable Talk “Accountable Talk is not empty chatter; it seriously responds to and further develops what others in the group say. Students introduce and ask for knowledge that is accurate and relevant to the text under discussion. They use evidence from the text in ways that are appropriate and follow established norms of good understanding. ” -Primary Literacy Standards, page 25.

Summary Points How did Accountable Talk promote increased comprehension of the text? n Organize thinking by putting it into words. n Clarify thinking. n Cite evidence for their thinking. n Hear multiple perspectives. n Test hypotheses.

Summary Points continued n n n Address misunderstandings. Use rigorous reasoning. Socializing intelligence.

Accountable Talk “Giving our students practice in talking with others, we give them frames for thinking on their own. If others repeatedly say to us, “So what are you thinking about this? ”, or, “What in the text makes you say this”, or, Where is your evidence? ”, then we, as readers, begin to ask these questions of ourselves. ” - Vygotsky