How does classroom discussion affect students’ learning?

How does classroom discussion affect students’ learning? For further school friendly resources visit www.curee.co.uk

Key issue addressed by the study • This US study investigated the links between teachers’ use of dialogue and students’ • participation in dialogue • effort in assignments

The effects of particular approaches to using dialogue for learning • Different forms of dialogue had different effects • Some specific uses of dialogue to promote learning: • helped to improve the motivation and effort of low achieving and less vocal students • event though they didn’t necessarily increase students’ participation in learning conversations

Students’ participationin dialogue • An increase in teachers’ whole class questions led to: • more students being involved in exchanges • more students engaged in more extended discussion - although the overall number of students engaged fell • a small number of students dominating discussion

Teachers’ talk in different contexts • In individual and small group settings teachers tended to use open questions to create and sustain discussion • In whole class settings teachers tended to use more closed and evaluative questions

Teachers’ discussion strategies that were helpful to low achievers • Use of questions to explore students’ thinking rather than seeking the right answer was helpful • Management of dialogue – eg partnering vocal and quiet students and ruling that they must take turns also helped

Teachers’ discussion strategies that were helpful to low achievers • Giving students time to become more familiar with the task before talking • Balancing open-endedness with sufficient task direction, ensured low achievers knew what to do

Mixing different types of questions • The researcher identified two types of question and suggested a mix of both to involve students more in discussion • Embedded question cycles, where teachers probe for more detail on a single theme • Conjunctive question cylcles, where teachers ask students to provide a range of responses/examples to the same question and focus on the breadth rather than the depth of response - eg ‘Can you give me some nouns that are people?’

Who were the children in the study? • The study is based on data from 2,051 students and 117 teachers in the US • The students were aged 12-14

How was the information gathered? • The researchers observed classroom practice four times over one year • Students and teachers completed questionnaires towards the end of the school year

How can teachers use this evidence? • Quieter students became more involved in discussion when they had a rule to follow • For example, one rule was students could not speak a second time until the other student had said something • Could you introduce rules in your discussion work? Perhaps you could involve students in formulating them.

How can school leaders use this evidence? • The study suggests that teachers need practice to improve their skills in helping students use dialogue for learning • Would it be helpful for teachers in your school to observe discussion activities in each other’s classroom and write up a description? • The analysis of the observations might help you identify good practice which you could compare with the outcomes of this study

Follow-up reading • Study reference: Kelly, S (2007) Classroom discourse and the distribution of student engagement Social Psychology of Education (2007) Vol. 10, 00 331-352 • You might like to read a more detailed summary about dialogue: GTC RoM summary Raising achievement through group work, accessible at: http://www.gtce.org.uk/research/romtopics/rom_managementoflearning/groupwork_nov06/

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How does classroom discussion affect students’ learning?