things more foundational and more important than talk? Maybe. But talk transcends. Readers talk. Writers talk. Mathematicians, scientists, and researchers talk. Every teacher struggles with time. We all have a limited number of minutes and an ever-expanding pool of content. How do we decide?
When you teach talk, you are teaching something that kids can use in reading, in writing, in math, in science, in social studies. When kids practice talk, they’re talking about something—and that something could be the Pythagorean theorem, or the Montgomery bus boycott, or the motivations behind Katniss’ decision to overthrow the Capitol. Talk transcends. Beliefs are only as good as the actions that reveal them.
Like reading, writing, math, art, tennis, singing, or anything else worth doing, talk is something that people can get better at. And as with any other skill, people tend to get better at talk through deliberate practice alongside powerful teaching and supportive coaching. Sometimes talk, in classrooms, is pushed aside to make room for other important standards and skills that need attention. Providing time for talk is important—but it’s not the same thing as actually teaching talk. For kids to get really strong at talk, whether in partnerships, teams, or whole-class conversations, teaching is an essential part of
the equation.
People sometimes denigrate efforts, or other people, with “oh, he’s all talk and no action.” And it’s true—sitting around talking about a dream, or a plan, or a way to make things better won’t get it done. But it’s also true that talking is often part of the process of getting things done, is part of learning, and can be part of taking your message to a wider audience. Ultimately, talking can change the world, and we’ve all seen examples of kids whose voices have done this.
Talk is part of the standards you’re asked to teach. Discussion is a powerful way to learn and process content across the curriculum. Conversation can build bonds, shaping a group of assigned strangers into a community. And in addition to all of that, talk can change the world. So when we ask, “Why talk?” one big answer is that teaching kids ways of communicating more effectively by coaching them in their talk, giving them opportunities to
practice, and inviting them to make their voices public can help kids learn how to change the world.
This blog has been adapted from Unlocking the Power of Classroom Talk.
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