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How might we enhance the pattern of talk in our classrooms? |
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Research taster
Interactive teaching is not as easy as it might first appear  . Sometimes we might find it hard to:
- ask questions in a manageable rhythm
- ask a good range of questions
- ask all our pupils questions, not just the brightest or most likeable
- wait until we sense pupils are ready for a more difficult question
- ask questions without appearing threatening
- give pupils enough time to think about their answers
- resist answering a question ourselves
- build on the answers our pupils give.
The kind of questions we ask, and the way we ask them, will affect the pattern of talk that goes on in our classroom. So, making our practice as consistent as we can towards our aims is important.
Your evidence
You might like to gather evidence about how close to your aspirations the pattern of talk in your own classroom is. For example, you could audio tape your own lesson introduction, or work with a colleague to observe each other’s lesson introductions. You could consider:
- how much speaking there is
- who is doing the speaking
- which pupils speak
- how long/full their answers are
- when the pupils speak and when the teacher speaks.
You might like to reflect on and/or discuss with your colleague the pattern of talk you find in your classroom. Are there any aspects that surprise you? What opportunities can you spot to narrow the gap between your ideal and current talk patterns?
Moving forward
Having identified the pattern of talk in your classroom, you might like to target a specific area for development and think about factors such as who does most of the talking, when pupils speak and when you speak etc, which might help you identify the richest development seam. You might like to see if you can change the way you teach in the light of what you have learned from this activity. You could also use a similar approach to investigate other aspects of classroom interaction, such as teacher-pupil interaction in group work.
Find out more
You can find out more about AfL practices on the TLRP Learning how to learn project at: http://www.tlrp.org/proj/phase11/phase2f.html
You can find out more about effective questioning on the GTC’s Research of the Month website at: http://www.gtce.org.uk/research/romtopics/rom_teachingandlearning/effective_talk/
You can find more further reading suggestions on the theme of communication in the classroom at: http://www.rtweb.info/ch12/nfr12.html
You can find out more about different types of questions at: http://www.rtweb.info/diagrams/fig13-1.html
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