Academic Conversations as a Gateway to Academic Literacy · Opinion Formation Cards You can use...

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JeffZwiersNewYorkCityMarch7,2017

jeffzwiers.org/march7jzwiers@stanford.edu

Downloadslidesrightnowfromhere

AcademicConversationsasaGatewaytoAcademicLiteracy

1. Sharewhatwehavedoneupuntilnow

2. Sharekeyfindingsfromourteachingandobservations

3. Deepenunderstandingsoffeaturesoflanguagedevelopmentandapplythemtoexistingactivities.

4. Refineyourplanforworkingonandwithconversationsthisyear.

OverarchingGoal:Learnwaystodevelopandassessacademicconversationskillsinordertopromote

sustainedandeffectiveacademicconversationsamongstudents.

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• Taught the lesson you designed and tooknotes to share with us today. Wove activities into other lessons and took notes for your partner teachers and us.

• Used some form of the COAT.

• Gathered audio samples of student conversations to share today. Optionally, transcribed any interesting portions of one or more of them, and sent to me (Thanks!).

• Updated your Inquiry Cycle focus, evidence, and progress

Steps Leading Up Until Today

PROGRESS

Write/UseModelConversations

A:B:

1.

Notes:

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NEW:“StrongerandClearerEachTime”Activity:OpinionFormationCards

Youcanuseframessuchas:- Inmyopinion,____because_____.- Despitetheadvantagesof…- GiventhepointsthatIhaveheardsofar,suchas…- IthinkIleanmoretothesideof____because…

1. Choosetextquotationsthatsupportdifferentsidesoftheissueandputthemonsmallcardsorstrips.

2. Tellstudentsthetopicandhavethemstartformingtheirown opinion.

3. Havestudentsreadtheirowncardandthinkabouthowitsupports,contradicts,orevenchangestheiropinion.

4. Studentsthenmeetwithstudentswhohavedifferentpoints(differentcolors),readquotationstoeachother,andbothstatetheircurrentopinionontheissue.(Theycanalsoaskquestionsandpromptforelaboration.)(Theycanalsofirstmeetwithapartnerwiththesamequotationtoclarifyitsmeaning.)

Cellphonesmakecheatingmucheasierforstudents.Theycantakepicturesoftests,textquestionsandanswers,orevenaccessnotesandtextbooksthroughtheircellphones.Cellphonesaresosmallthesedays,andstudentsaresoadeptatusingthemsurreptitiouslythatdetectingtheiruseisincreasinglydifficult.

WhenIwasteaching,alltoooftenIturnedaroundfromwritingsomethingontheboardtofindstudentstext-messagingorotherwiseplayingwiththeirphones.Manystudentswouldfailtheclassandfartoomanywoulddropoutofschoolduetothedistractionsintheclassroom,thebiggestbeingcellphones.

WithGoKnow’s cellphone-basedapplications,astudentcoulddrawaconceptmapshowingtherelationshipbetweenwatercycleprocesses,createananimationillustratinghowitalllooks,andwriteupatextreportonwhatthey’velearned—allcentralizedonadesktop-likeinterfaceonthesmartphone’sscreen.

Theprincipalargued:“Idon’tknowabusinessperson,lawyer,ordoctorouttherewhodoesn’tuseacellphonetolearnandconnectwithothersinprofessionalways.Whyshouldn’tstudentsalsolearntolearnandcommunicatewiththeminschools?” Should cell

phone use be banned in school?

StudentModelofOpinionFormationCardsMyquoteis,“Parentsclaim…Inmyopinion,videogamesarebad.Likewargamesshowkidshowtoshoototherpeople.

Myquotesays,“Inarecent...Thissupportsmyidea.Ithinkvideogamesarebadcuztheyshowviolence.

Should video games be banned?

1stPartnerSilvia

Switchpartners!

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StudentModelofOpinionFormationCardsMyquotesays,“Inarecent...Thissupportsmyidea.Ithinkvideogamesarebadcuztheyshowviolence.

Myquotesays…”Inarecent…”Inmyopinion,violentvideogamesshouldbebannedbecausetheyshowviolencethatkidscopy.Forexample,inawarvideogamekidsshootothers.

Should video games be banned?

2ndPartner

Myquoteis,“Parentsclaim…Inmyopinion,videogamesarebad.Likewargamesshowkidshowtoshoototherpeople.

Thiscardsays,“Eventhough…Eventhoughsomevideogamesfillkids’mindswithviolence,alotareeducational.Theysolveproblemsandread.

Silvia

Switchpartners!

StudentModelofOpinionFormationCardsMyquoteis,“Parentsclaim…Inmyopinion,videogamesarebad.Likewargamesshowkidshowtoshoototherpeople.

Myquotesays…”Inarecent…”Inmyopinion,violentvideogamesshouldbebannedbecausetheyshowviolencethatkidscopy.Forexample,inawarvideogamekidsshootothers.Myquotesays…”Inarecentstudy…”Eventhoughsomevideogamesareeducational,manyareveryviolentandshouldbebanned.Kidsgetexcitedtoshootothersandtheirmindsfillwithviolence.Gamesmightteachtosolveproblems,butinmyopinionkidswillbelessviolentwithoutthem.

Should video games be banned?

Thiscardsays,“Eventhough…Eventhoughsomevideogamesfillkids’mindswithviolence,alotareeducational.Theysolveproblemsandread.

Myquotesays,“Inarecent...Thissupportsmyidea.Ithinkvideogamesarebadcuztheyshowviolence.

3rdPartnerSilvia

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Building Language through Reading

Understanding LanguageJeffZwiers jeffzwiers.org/march2

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The Elasticity of Comprehension“Itisamistaketobelievethatthereissomekindofprecise“mathematic”or“formulaic”renderingthatispossible.Meaningmakingisneverprecise;itisnotaformofexactmappingofsoundsormeaningsontotext.Meaningmakinginvolvesapproximationoraformofallowablebandofinterpretationsorelasticitytothemeaningmakingbetweenauthororweb-creatororfilmmakerandreaderandtheworld.”

--Tierney,2009

Understanding LanguageJeffZwiers jeffzwiers.org/march2

Whatiscomprehension&whatinfluencesit?

Usecomprehension

strategies

Usethinkingskills

Usethelanguage ofthetext

Usebackgroundknowledge

Identify&rememberkeyinfo,Infer,Predict,Question,Summarize

Interpretrelationships&themes,

Apply,Compare,

Cause/effectPerspective

Constructneworclearermeaning thatmatches the

author’sand/orcomprehender’spurpose(s)

LifeThistext

Other“texts”Otherlessons

WordsSentencesOrganizationOthercues

(Includescomprehensionofwritten,spoken,visual,multimediamessages)

Understanding LanguageJeffZwiers jeffzwiers.org/march2

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ComprehensionConversations

Whydidtheauthorusethetermgrossly?

Doesthisremindyouofsomethingwealreadyread?

Whydoyouthinktheyadaptedtohavebabiesinpouches?

Howcanweapplywhatwelearnedin

thisarticle?

Understanding LanguageJeffZwiers

Askeachother

• Whyarewereadingthis?

• Whydidtheauthorwritethis?

• Whatdoweneedtolearnfromthis?

CONVERSINGTOCOMPREHEND:Howcanconversationsfosterthis?

Constructneworclearermeaning thatmatches theauthor’s

and/orcomprehender’spurpose(s)

Understanding LanguageJeffZwiers

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Askeachother

• Whydidtheauthorusethisword,sentence,orparagraph?

• Howisthistext/messageorganized?Why?

• Whatwordsorothercluesshowuswhichthinkingskillstouseforthistext?

CONVERSINGTOCOMPREHEND:Howcanconversationsfosterthis?

Usethelanguage ofthe

text

Understanding LanguageJeffZwiers

Askeachother:

• Forconnectionstoprevioustexts,problems,andlife

• Whatyoubotharevisualizingwhenreadingaportionoftext

• (whenyourpartnermakesaninferenceorprediction )“Why?”or“Howdoesthetextandyourexperiencemakeyoupredict/inferthat?”

CONVERSINGTOCOMPREHENDHowcanconversationsfosterthis? Use

backgroundknowledge

Understanding LanguageJeffZwiers

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Askeachotherto:

• summarize whatwasheardorreadsofar

• makeinferences(Whydoyouthinkhe…?)

• generatepredictions

• pose&answerquestions

CONVERSINGTOCOMPREHEND:Howcanconversationsfosterthis?

Usecomprehension

strategies

Understanding LanguageJeffZwiers

Askeachotherto:

• interpret themes,arguments,anddata

• evaluateevidence• inferrelationships• compare• takeotherperspectives• applyideastonovelcontexts

CONVERSINGTOCOMPREHEND:Howcanconversationsfosterthis?

Usethinkingskills

Understanding LanguageJeffZwiers

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TheTragedyofDyingLanguages

I'velistenedtolastspeakersofmanylanguages—dignifiedelders—whoholdintheirmindsasignificantportionofhumanity'sintellectualwealth.Whatcanwelearnfromtheselanguagesbeforetheygoextinct?Andwhyshouldweliftafingertohelprescuethem?Asthelastspeakersconverse,theyspinindividualstrandsinavastwebofknowledge,anoosphere ofpossibilities.Theytellhowtheirancestorscalculatedaccuratelythepassingofseasonswithoutclocksorcalendarsandhowhumansadaptedtohostileenvironments,fromtheArctictoAmazonia.

Weimagineeurekamomentstakingplaceinmodernlaboratoriesorclassicalcivilizations.Butkeyinsightsofbiology,pharmacology,genetics,andnavigationaroseandpersistedsolelybywordofmouth,insmall,unwrittentongues.Andthiswebofknowledgecontainsfeatsofhumaningenuity—epics,myths,rituals--thatcelebrateandinterpretourexistence.Languagerevitalizationwillprovetobeoneofthemostconsequentialsocialtrendsofcomingdecades.Thispush-backagainstglobalizationwillprofoundlyinfluencehumanintellectuallife,decidingthefateofancientknowledge,wisdom,andculture.--K.DavidHarrison

BoaSr wasthelastspeakerofthe70,000-year-oldBolanguage

TextAnalysis(CloseReadingforLanguage)

Procedure

1. Listentostudentsreadaloudandidentifysentenceandorganization(discourse/structure)levelchallenges.

2. Lookinthetextforlanguageexamplesofthesechallenges.

3. Readtheexamples(s)aloudandhavepairsanswer:

• Whydidtheauthorwriteitlikethis?

• Isthereaclearerwaytowritethis?

JeffZwiers Understanding Language

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Model:TheTragedyofDyingLanguages

I'velistenedtolastspeakersofmanylanguages—dignifiedelders—whoholdintheirmindsasignificantportionofhumanity'sintellectualwealth.Whatcanwelearnfromtheselanguagesbeforetheygoextinct?Andwhyshouldweliftafingertohelprescuethem?Asthelastspeakersconverse,theyspinindividualstrandsinavastwebofknowledge,anoosphere ofpossibilities.They tellhowtheirancestorscalculatedaccuratelythepassingofseasonswithoutclocksorcalendarsandhowhumansadaptedtohostileenvironments,fromtheArctictoAmazonia.

Weimagineeurekamomentstakingplaceinmodernlaboratoriesorclassicalcivilizations.Butkeyinsightsofbiology,pharmacology,genetics,andnavigationaroseandpersistedsolelybywordofmouth,insmall,unwrittentongues.Andthiswebofknowledgecontainsfeatsofhumaningenuity—epics,myths,rituals—thatcelebrateandinterpretourexistence.Languagerevitalizationwillprovetobeoneofthemostconsequentialsocialtrendsofcomingdecades.Thispush-backagainstglobalizationwillprofoundlyinfluencehumanintellectuallife,decidingthefateofancientknowledge,wisdom,andculture.--K.DavidHarrison

BoaSr wasthelastspeakerofthe70,000-year-oldBolanguage

ChaosTheoryChaostheory,amoderndevelopmentinmathematicsandscience,providesaframeworkforunderstandingirregularorerraticfluctuationsinnature.Achaoticsystemisdefinedasonethatshows"sensitivitytoinitialconditions."Thatis,anyuncertaintyintheinitialstateofthegivensystem,nomatterhowsmall,willleadtorapidlygrowingerrorsinanyefforttopredictthefuturebehavior.Forexample,themotionofadustparticlefloatingonthesurfaceofapairofoscillatingwhirlpoolscandisplaychaoticbehavior.Theparticlewillmoveinwell-definedcirclesaroundthecentersofthewhirlpools,alternatingbetweenthetwoinanirregularmanner.Anobserverwhowantstopredictthemotionofthisparticlewillhavetomeasureitsinitiallocation.Ifthemeasurementisnotinfinitelyprecise,however,theobserverwillinsteadobtainthelocationofanimaginaryparticleverycloseby.The"sensitivitytoinitialconditions"mentionedabovewillcausethenearbyimaginaryparticletofollowapaththatdivergesfromthepathoftherealparticle.Thismakesanylong-termpredictionofthetrajectoryoftherealparticleimpossible.Inotherwords,thesystemischaotic.Itsbehaviorcanbepredictedonlyiftheinitialconditionsareknowntoaninfinitedegreeofaccuracy,whichisimpossible.

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ELAText

"[...]Ifyoudon'twantahousebuilt,hidethenailsandwood.Ifyoudon'twantamanunhappypolitically,don'tgivehimtwosidestoaquestiontoworryhim;givehimone.Betteryet,givehimnone.Lethimforgetthereissuchathingaswar.Ifthegovernmentisinefficient,topheavy,andtax-mad,betteritbeallthosethanthatpeopleworryoverit.Peace,Montag.GivethepeopleconteststheywinbyrememberingthewordstomorepopularsongsorthenamesofstatecapitalsorhowmuchcornIowagrewlastyear.Cramthemfullofnoncombustibledata,chockthemsodamnedfullof'facts'theyfeelstuffed,butabsolutely'brilliant'withinformation.Thenthey'llthinkthey'rethinking,they'llgeta sense ofmotionwithoutmoving.Andthey'llbehappy,becausefactsofthatsortdon'tchange.Don'tgivethemanyslipperystufflikephilosophyorsociologytotiethingsupwith.Thatwayliesmelancholy.AnymanwhocantakeaTVwallapartandputitbacktogetheragain,andmostmencan,nowadays,ishappierthananymanwhotriestoslide-rule,measure,andequatetheuniverse,whichjustwon'tbemeasuredorequatedwithoutmakingmanfeelbestialandlonely.

APPLICATION TIME

ThinkabouthowyoumightuseComprehensionConversationsandTextAnalysisinyourupcominglessons.

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Teacher, Peer, and Self-Assessment

How can we adapt the COAT (on right) for peer and student self-assessment?

What do your students need to work on the most?

JeffZwiers Understanding Language/SCALE

ConstructiveConversationExcerpt- ELASandeep: In my opinion, I think The Giver is about we need to know our

past, even bad stuff.Tasha: Can you explain more the bad stuff?Sandeep: In the book one person keeps the bad memories of of war and

death. No one else knows. but it’s what happened. Everyone has rights to know. And they had problems maybe cuz they didn’t know the stuff.

Tasha: Like what? Sandeep: Like killing people who didn’t fit in, or twins. That’s messed up.Tasha: But should children know all of the bad things? Sandeep: It’s better to know our past, even if it’s bad. So it teaches us.Tasha: Everything? There’s lots of terrible things that even we don’t

know about; maybe give us nightmares and, I don’t know, maybe teach little kids to do them, too? I think///

Sandeep: ///OK, maybe some stuff shouldn’t be passed down to everyone. But we need to learn from mistakes, too.

Tasha: OK, but which bad things to know? What will help us learn and not do bad things?

Sandeep: I don’t know, maybe things like nuclear bombs, you know, and war.

Tasha: OK, but not the really violent stuff.

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Video 1

JeffZwiers Understanding Language/SCALE

Video 2

JeffZwiers Understanding Language/SCALE

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CreateaModelConversationThinkofanupcominglessonandwriteaconversationbetweentwostudentsthatshowstheirlearning.

A:

B:

A:

B:

1) Youanalyzetheconversationfortheskillsandlanguageyouwillneedtoteach.

2) Youusethemodelconversationwithstudentstoshowthemwhatyouarelookingforwhentheyhaveconversations.

Lesson Planning

JeffZwiers Understanding Language/SCALE

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SampleLesson(s)Plan:ELA

I. Objectives:Inferandsupportthemesinshortstories.Arguethemostimportantthemeforstudentsyourage.

II. Stronger-ClearerEachTime:Readsamestory,sharetheme,support

III. ModifiedJigsaw:Think-Pair-Square:Readdifferentstories,sharethemeandevidencewithpartner,thenw/otherpair.

IV. TransitionImprov:TwoDifferingThemes(e.g.,‘TwoBrothers’)

V. AcademicConversationModel:Emphasizeskillsofsupportingandevaluatingevidenceandimportance,andarguingforonethemeoveranother.

VI. ArgumentBalanceScaleConversations:2Themes

Jeff ZwiersJeffZwiersJeffZwiers Understanding Language

SampleLessonPlan:Nonfiction

I. Objectives:Argueaclaimaboutanissue.

II. OpinionFormationCards:Readcardsandshareopinions;readarticle.

III. GalleryWalk:(Readdifferentarticlesonsameissue,sharepostersofopinionandevidence

IV. TransitionImprov:Pro-Conontopicofsocialmedia

V. AcademicConversationModelingofuseofArgumentBalanceScale:Emphasizeskillsofsupportingandevaluatingevidenceandimportance,andarguingforonethemeoveranother.

VI. Writeafinalparagraphortwo.

Jeff ZwiersJeffZwiersJeffZwiers Understanding Language/SCALE

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Jeff ZwiersJeffZwiersJeffZwiers Understanding Language

1. Refine your inquiry cycle focus

How can I develop/improve ____________________,

evidenced by _____________, by _____________

Teach/Do& Gather Evidence

• Usenew&adaptedinterventionsandstrategies

• Gatherdataonstudentlearning(Formative,self-,peer-,summative;fromfocalstudents)

Analyze Evidence

• Usestudentwork,casestudies,conversations,video,observations

• Findpatterns,surprises,gaps• Whatisevidenceshowingandnot

showing?• Brainstormfactorsthatcaused

thepatterns

Reflect & Plan

• Clarifywhatteachingandlearningshouldlooklike

• Agreeonevidencetogatherthatshowschanges

• Create&adjustcoachingpractices• Makeaplanforobservationsand

datacollection

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TASK

Write/UseModelConversations

A:B:

1.

2. Draft three back-to-back lesson plans that include activities that develop speaking & conversation skills. You will share these with the group. Please use at least two new activities (from our times together) and feel free to modify existing activities in ways that use some of the features we have discussed to strengthen language and conversation skills. Include a model conversation.

TASK

Write/UseModelConversations

A:B:

1.

3. Share your lessons with another person (who hasn’t seen them) and provide constructive feedback to one another related to:• Their potential for developing language & convo skills• 3 Communicativeness Features• Lesson coherence and flow• Formative assessment & scaffolding of language

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EvidenceInquiry-based Collaboration Online PD

Communication-Based

Teaching of

Language,Literacy,

Thinking Skills, & Content

to Els and AELs

JeffZwiers Understanding Language/SCALE

CONTACTINFORMATION

Email: jzwiers@stanford.eduWebsites: jeffzwiers.org/March7

ell.stanford.edu

References

Mercer,N.(2000).TheGuidedConstructionofKnowledge:Talkamongstteachersandlearners.Clevedon,UK:MultilingualMatters.

Zwiers,J.&Soto,I.(2016)AcademicLanguageMastery:ConversationalDiscourseinContext.CorwinPress.

Zwiers,O’Hara,&Pritchard(2014)CommonCoreStandardsindiverseclassrooms:Essentialpracticesfordevelopingacademiclanguage&disciplinaryliteracy.Stenhouse.

JeffZwiers Understanding Language/SCALE