Academic Conversations...An academic conversation goes beyond casual conversation. The goal is for the participants to reach a new understanding of a school topic through the use of

Academic Conversations:

Deeper Learning through Interactive Language

Participant Packet

Academic Conversations 2

Overview……………………………………………………………………………….3

Participant Goals and Professional Development Outcomes……………….………3

PowerPoint Slides……………………………………………………………………...4

Participant Materials…………………………………………………………….…..13

References……………………..…………………………………………… ...….…..23

Contact Information…………………………………………………………………23

Prepared by

David Irwin

Language Development Opportunities Vancouver, Washington

October, 2014

Copyright Notice

The materials in this document are designed specifically for use in this training program. Information and

processes developed by authors other than David Irwin are used by permission and credited to those authors. Except as required for use in this training workshop, duplication of this packet by copier or other electronic

means is prohibited unless specifically permitted in writing by David Irwin.

©2014 Language Development Opportunities

Table of Contents


David Irwin

Language Development Opportunities

360-903-0131

www.langdevopps.com

[email protected]

3 Contact Hours

Overview

An academic conversation goes beyond casual conversation. The goal is for the participants to reach a new understanding of a school topic through the use of specific conversational skills. Each partner must

listen and speak, elaborate, clarify, challenge, paraphrase, and summarize what his/her partner says, and

determine the outcome of the conversation.

This workshop will offer participants a chance to try new ways of talking about academic topics, and

build those strategies into their lessons.

Based on Academic Conversations: Classroom Talk that Fosters Critical Thinking and Content

Understandings by Jeff Zwiers & Maria Crawford. Stenhouse, 2011.

Participant Goals

Through participating in Fostering a Verbal Environment: Deeper

Learning through Interactive Practice participants will:

learn and be able to train students to use a variety of

conversational skills

be able to explore academic topics using a variety of conversational skills. increase achievement through the use of improved conversational skills.

apply improved conversational skills to writing instruction.

Fostering a Verbal Environment


ELLs benefit from Big 5 reading instruction, more so in word-level skills.

Text level skills – comprehension and writing –are closely aligned with oral language development.

Focus on systematic high quality vocabulary instruction

MAJOR THEME: “The importance of intensive, interactive language development instruction for all English learners. This instruction needs to focus on developing academic language.”

August & Shanahan (2006) and Gertsen et al (2007) in Honigsfeld & Dove (2010)

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Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle School April 2014

Recommendation 1 Teach a set of academic vocabulary words intensively across several days using a variety of instructional activities.

Recommendation 2 Integrate oral and written English language instruction into content-area teaching.

Recommendation 3 Provide regular, structured opportunities to develop written language skills.

Recommendation 4 Provide small-group instructional intervention to students struggling in areas of literacy and English language development.

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PowerPoint Slides


An academic conversation goes beyond casual conversation. The goal is for the participants to reach a new understanding of a school topic through the use of specific conversational skills. Each partner must listen and speak, elaborate, clarify, challenge, paraphrase, and summarize what his/her partner says, and determine the outcome of the conversation.

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We listen to each other

We share our own ideas and explain them

We respect another’s ideas, even if they are different

We let others finish explaining an idea without interrupting

We take turns and share air time

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Journal Jumpstarts Modeling I do: Show the norms Show the skill – what it is, the frames Frames on posters and desksize placemats, color

coded – kids make them Read text, give question Model with another adult Other students watch for frames used – signal somehow…

Video & review the lessons

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Questions ask for specific information. Try these:

Can you elaborate on…? What do you mean by…? Can you tell me more about…? What makes you think that? Can you clarify the part about …? Can you be more specific? How so? How/Why is that important? I wonder if …? I’m a little confused about the part…

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“Leaf” questions are “above ground”, literal comprehension knowledge level◦ Answer is in the text

“Root” questions are “buried”, higher order thinking questions◦ Information leading to the answer is in the text, but

not the exact answer

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Level 3: Apply information◦ Evaluate, judge, generalize, predict,

hypothesize, imagine, speculate, forecast

Level 2: Process information◦ Compare, contrast, sort, infer, analyze,

classify, explain

Level 1: Gather information◦ Complete, identify, recite, define, list, select,

describe, observe

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The Hunt for Deep Ideas. What makes you stop & think? Write quotations on cards.

Plan the conversation on an organizer

Evaluate the support (quality) of examples on a continuum:

Idea Example

The Red Sox are a great team. They won the World Series eight times. (1903, 1912, 1915, 1916, 1918,2004,2007, 2013)

They have 74 players in the Hallof Fame.

IDEA

Weak support Med Support Strong support

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Can you give me an example from the text?

Can you show me where it says that?

What is a real-world example?

What is the evidence for that?

Why do you say that?

Such as?

Like what?

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Grade Questions Answers

K-1

Like what?Como que?

Such as?Why did you say that?

The picture showed….The story said…

2-3

Can you show me where it says that?Can you provide text-based evidence?What is a real life example?

In the text it said that…According to…For instance,…For example,….

4-5

What is an example from your life?How do you justify that?Why is that a good example?What would illustrate that?Are there any cases of that?

On one occasion,…One case showed that…An illustration of this could be…To demonstrate,…An example from my life is…Indeed,…

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Bloom’s Questions & Activities

Knowing

Useful Verbs Sample Question Stems Potential activities and products

tell list

describe relate locate write find state name

What happened after...? How many...? Who was it that...? Can you name the...? Describe what happened at...? Who spoke to...? Can you tell why...? Find the meaning of...? Which is true or false...?

Make a list of the main events. Make a timeline of events. Make a facts chart. Write a list of any pieces of information you can remember. List all the .... in the story. Make a chart showing... Make an acrostic. Recite a poem.

Understanding


explain interpret outline discuss

distinguish predict restate

translate compare describe

Can you write in your own words...? Can you write a brief outline...? What do you think could have happened next...? Who do you think...? What was the main idea...? Who was the key character...? What differences exist between...?

Cut out or draw pictures to show a particular event. Illustrate what you think the main idea was. Make a cartoon strip showing the sequence of events. Write and perform a play based on the story. Retell the story in your words. Paint a picture of some aspect you like. Write a summary report of an event. Prepare a flow chart to illustrate the sequence of events. Make a coloring book.

Applying


solve show use

illustrate construct complete examine classify

Do you know another instance where...? Could this have happened in...? What factors would you change if...? Can you apply the method used to some experience of your own...? What questions would you ask of...? From the information given, can you develop a set of instructions about...? Would this information be useful if you had a ...?

Construct a model to demonstrate how it will work. Make a diorama to illustrate an important event. Make a scrapbook about the areas of study. Make a paper-mache map to include relevant information about an event. Make up a puzzle game using the ideas from the study area. Make a clay model of an item in the material. Design a market strategy for your product using a known strategy as a model. Dress a doll in national costume. Paint a mural using the same materials. Write a textbook about... for others.


Analyzing


analyze distinguish examine compare contrast

investigate categorize

identify explain

separate advertise

If ... happened, what might the ending have been? How was this similar to...? What was the underlying theme of...? What do you see as other possible outcomes? Why did ... changes occur? Can you compare your ... with that presented in...? Can you explain what must have happened when...? How is ... similar to ...? What are some of the problems of...? What were some of the motives behind...? What was the turning point in the game? What was the problem with...?

Design a questionnaire to gather information. Write a commercial to sell a new product. Conduct an investigation to produce information to support a view. Make a flow chart to show the critical stages. Construct a graph to illustrate selected information. Make a family tree showing relationships. Put on a play about the study area. Write a biography of the study person. Prepare a report about the area of study. Arrange a party. Make all the arrangements and record the steps needed. Review a work of art in terms of form, color and texture.

Evaluating


judge select

choose decide justify debate verify

recommend assess discuss

rate determine

Is there a better solution to... Judge the value of... Can you defend your position about...? Do you think ... is a good or a bad thing? How would you have handled...? What changes to ... would you recommend? Are you a ... person? How would you feel if...? How effective are...?

Prepare a list of criteria to judge a ... show. Indicate priority and ratings. Conduct a debate about an issue of special interest. Make a booklet about 5 rules you see as important. Convince others. Form a panel to discuss views, eg "Learning at School." Write a letter to ... advising on changes needed at... Write a half yearly report. Prepare a case to present your view about...

Creating


create invent compose predict plan construct design imagine propose devise formulate

Can you design a ... to ...? Can you see a possible solution to...? If you had access to all resources how would you deal with...? Why don't you devise your own way to deal with...? What would happen if...? How many ways can you...? Can you write a new recipe for a tasty dish?

Invent a machine to do a specific task. Design a building to house your study. Create a new product. Give it a name and plan a marketing campaign. Write about your feelings in relation to... Write a TV show, play, puppet show, role play, song or pantomime about...? Design a record, book, or magazine cover for...? Make up a new language code and write material using it. Sell an idea. Devise a way to... Compose a rhythm or put new words to a known melody.



Asteroids and Us (Support Ideas with Examples)

By Bill Nye | Published: February 15, 2013 – 4:00 pm

My O my, wow… the 7,000-ton meteor over the Chelyabinsk region slammed into our atmosphere at

15,000 km per hour (33,000 miles an hour). Witnesses could see the flash of light 500 kilometers away. It

was probably 15-meters (50 feet) across. When these things hit the atmosphere they just blow up. It’s not combustion, at least at first; it’s a rock slamming into something air so hard, that it disintegrates. Its

energy becomes a pressure wave, a shock. This is to say, the molecules in the air get slammed into

moving faster than their natural speed (at a given temperature). They form a shock wave turning the rock’s energy of motion into a wave of pressure and the energy of heat…in an instant. The pressure wave

blasted windows and doors. The flying glass and falling building material injured over a thousand

people— in an instant. The heat combined with atmospheric oxygen incinerated most of the rock— in a

few moments. Rock hounds and scientists will no doubt scour the area for meteorites and for clues. The

more we learn about these things the better, because it sure could happen again.

On top of the drama, what a remarkable phenomenon it was in Russia on the eve of the flyby of Asteroid

2012 DA14, which was discovered by astronomers funded in part by The Planetary Society

http://planetary.org. This asteroid is somewhat larger at 45-meters, and it missed us completely, but wow

is there a lesson to be learned for all of us humans.

When I was in 2nd grade, our teacher, Mrs. McGonagle told us that the reason the ancient dinosaurs went

extinct was that their brains were small. This enabled mice and rabbits to take all of the dinosaurs’ food,

so the dinosaurs died out. To her credit, Mrs. McGonagle knew this theory was fraught with difficulties

(lame). She showed us pictures in a book, shrugged her shoulders and pressed on. It seemed clear to everyone in the room that somebody like a titanosaurus would have little difficulty with mice or rabbits,

except that they wouldn’t make much of a hors d’oeuvre, let alone a snack or light meal. Such a dinosaur

would crush such a mammal like a penny on the railroad track (paper thin— I’ve tried it).

So, in my lifetime a much more plausible theory came to be, when geologists looking for oil around the Gulf of Mexico with magnetometers discovered an enormous sub-ocean ring of shocked rock— a crater

long about 1983. Scientists soon inferred that the ring is an impact crater. It’s off the coast near Chixalub,

Mexico. Looking further and farther, geologists like Walter Alvarez realized that there is a layer of the

unusual element iridium buried at the same geologic depth all over the world. Iridium is atomic number 77. It’s heavy; its atomic mass is 192. So when the Earth was formed from molten rock, the iridium sank

to the middle. To get iridium in a nice layer near the top of the Earth’s crust took an impactor— a hurtling

asteroid with primordial iridium got its guts blasted worldwide. The ejecta were spread in a circle wider

than the Earth’s diameter. Phew…

Asteroid 2012 DA14 is not nearly as big— not even close. But there’s a lesson for all of us. It’s about the

same size as the impactor that smacked into the atmosphere above Tunguska, Siberia in June 1908. In

other words, if an asteroid the size of 2012 DA14 (about 45 meters across) were to hit the atmosphere

over Paris, that would be the end of Paris as we know it.

A feature of these impacts that I still find remarkable is that at the speeds these things are moving relative to the Earth, the atmosphere acts virtually like a solid. It’s akin to the stories I heard often as a kid. If you

jump off a high bridge into water, you won’t fare very well, because at that speed, water acts like

concrete. Yikes. The same was apparently true for the Tunguska object and our air. The same will be true

for the next one— unless we do something about it.

http://www.billnye.com/asteroids-and-us-2/

http://www.billnye.com/author/christines353568/

http://planetary.org/


The key to doing something is to find them. The Planetary Society funded some very skilled diligent

astronomers in La Sagra, Spain, who used the money we supplied them to acquire a very sophisticated high-speed camera for their telescopes. They found this object. It’s through the support of our 30,000+

members around the world that these researchers came across a hurtling bit of primordial rock that could

cause us tremendous harm. It’s frightening, but it’s also wonderfully exciting. We are the first generations of humans who can do something about an asteroid or comet impact. We have learned enough about the

cosmos and our place in space that we can understand the danger and make a plan.

Among our projects at The Planetary Society is a scheme to use a network or squadron of laser-bearing

spacecraft to ablate or cook the surface of an asteroid so that we change its velocity just a little, a few millimeters per second. That way, it would cross the Earth’s orbit when we’re not there. Other ideas

include a massive spacecraft with enough gravity to gently tug an asteroid off its course. Or, we could just

smash into an object with a smasher rocket (a kinetic transfer vehicle). It’s the stuff of science fiction, but

it’s real.

The Chelyablinsk along with Asteroid 2012 AD14, should serve as a warning. The small one wrought small havoc. The big one is going to miss— this time. But, there are about 100,000 more out there

crossing the Earth’s orbit, and we don’t know where they are. Some day in the not too distant future we

humans are going to have to do something about one of these things. At the end of the original movie “The Thing,” the journalist warns us: “Keep watching the skies…” It’s good advice, because our Solar

System is a cosmic shooting gallery. Sooner or later, we’ll be a sitting duck.

Support your ideas with examples from the text.

Describe aspects of how asteroids cause damage on Earth.

What are some of the things being done to prevent an asteroid from smashing into Earth?

How serious does Bill Nye think this threat is?

Bonus: In your opinion, how does this threat rank with other environmental or political problems?


Academic Conversation Checklist Elaborate

Students know…

Who their learning partner will be:

Shoulder partner, neighbor, high-5 your partner, stand up-hand up- pair up, etc… Teacher facilitates regrouping if students are absent/missing

What tasks, if any, they need to do before they turn to their neighbor: Listen to the story, think about the question, and be ready to discuss with partner

What tasks they need to do with their partner:

Answer the question and use the sentence frames/prompts…

The outcome they need to produce for the class at the end of the conversation: thumbs up/down if you used the selected frames, this conversation will lead to writing…

How they should communicate with each other (in particular, how they should listen and talk) :

Norms, Conversation Frames, Whole Brain Signals…

Teacher consistently uses

Attention Signal to bring students back from the discussion:

Examples might include: Slant/Stop, Class/Yes, Give me 5, Freeze, Give me 10.

Signal to launch students into discussion:

Examples might include: Teach/Ok, Lions/Roar, When I say Go…

Models question stems for the selected academic conversation frame:

Paraphrase or Elaborate and Clarify

Walks around and gives equal attention to all partnerships.

Monitors to ensure that student talk time increases over the course of the lesson.

Adjusts the lesson based on student needs.


Conversation Observation Checklist Topic:_________________________________________________________________________ Date:_________________________________________________________________________ Elaborate

Students restate their partner’s reasoning,

Can you tell me more about…?

Can you clarify the part about …?

Can you be more specific?

Support Ideas with Examples

For example, …

In the text (on page..) it said …

For instance, …

According to…

Build On and Challenge

I want to add to your point that…

Connecting to that, …

Another way to look at that is…

I respectfully disagree because…

Paraphrase

So, you are saying that…

Let me see if I understand you.

In other words, …

What I’m hearing is…

Synthesize

What have we discussed so far?

We can say that…

What are the main points?

The main points seem to be…


Nichols, M. (2006) Comprehension Through Conversation: The Power of Purposeful Talk in the

Reading Workshop. Heniemann: Portsmouth, NH.

Spiegel, D. L. (2005) Classroon Discussin: Strategies for Engaging All Student, Building

Higher-Level Thinking Skills and Strengthening Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum.

Scholastic: New York.

Zwiers, J, & Crawford, M. (2011) Academic Conversations: Classroom Talk that Fosters Critical

Thinking and Content Understandings. Stenhouse: Portland, ME.

References

David Irwin

Language Development Opportunities

[email protected]

www.langdevopps.com

360-903-0131

Contact Information

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Academic Conversations...An academic conversation goes beyond casual conversation. The goal is for the participants to reach a new understanding of a school topic through the use of