In envisioning the future of literacy, students' voices are paramount. Students' engagement in classroom talk increases their learning and communication skills, but without intentional implementation, classroom talk can perpetuate hegemony in contemporary classrooms. To better explore this phenomenon, we developed a study in a southeast Texas high…

A pedagogical technique, named the Bridge activity, has been developed to assist students' transition from preclass preparation to in-class learning within a flipped organic chemistry course. Bridge activities form the basis of an initial interactive discussion to activate students' prior knowledge and encourage meaningful learning. This paper…

In a classroom setting interaction among students is the norm. How do you replicate that informality, spontaneity, and focus online? This book provides you with a framework to think about the different kinds of engagement you want to foster -- whether participation, collaboration, or quick feedback -- and then introduces you to available online…

This article describes how a teacher in Mexico City worked with two researchers on an instructional design project to help kindergartners become proficient in participating in whole-class mathematical conversations.

Courses: Communication Criticism, Rhetorical Criticism, Family and Communication, Gender and Communication, Popular Communication, and theory-based courses. Objectives: This activity engages students in dynamic, supportive, social discussion groups; helps them to identify and review the central ideas from the reading; and creates a record of their…

Combining research with real-life classroom examples, this book demonstrates how high-level conversations centered on fiction and nonfiction can promote students' understanding and help them meet and exceed a spectrum of standards. The authors demonstrate how to use literary conversations in small, heterogeneous groups to address multiple…

For English language learners (ELLs) to productively engage in classroom discussions that foster language development, content knowledge, and analytical practices, teachers must create a trusting classroom culture. How do we ensure that all ELLs have opportunities to productively use oral language in academic settings? And how do we ensure that…

Shrinking the achievement gap in mathematics is a tall order. One way to approach this challenge is to think about how the achievement gap manifests itself in the classroom and take concrete action. For example, opportunities to participate in activities that involve mathematical reasoning and argumentation in a safe and supportive manner are…

Establishing a communication-rich classroom can be difficult. This article describes the process and findings of a practitioner action research study addressing the question of how teachers can interact with their students while they are working in groups to encourage and enhance student-to-student communication. Recommended research-based teacher…

I propose that attending how symbolizing activity functions for teachers and students helps to characterize student-teacher communication, and allows for an investigation of how symbolizing activity contributes to learning. I begin this discussion by articulating four ideas-schemes, symbolizing activity, communication, and learning. Then I propose…

Many educators understand how to gauge learning by paying close attention to student talk. Few know how to interpret and attend to student silence as a form of participation. In her new book, Katherine Schultz examines the complex role student silence can play in teaching and learning. Urging teachers to listen to student silence in new ways, this…

A survey was conducted with undergraduate students, ranging from freshmen to seniors, who are currently enrolled at Philadelphia University to identify variables affecting classroom interactions. Data were examined using a commercially available statistical package (Minitab for Windows) and comparisons were made using unpaired t-tests. This paper…

CD-ROM affordances are explored in this article through participation in classroom interaction. CD-ROMs for shared reading of animated stories and language work were introduced to all Malaysian primary schools in 2003 for the Year 1 English Literacy Hour. We present classroom interaction extracts that show how the same CD-ROMs offer different…

Teachers know from their training and experience that questioning plays an important role in today's instruction. Modern lessons are fast-paced and interactive, with teachers asking a lot of questions. Because this instructional strategy dominates class time and because students are active during the lesson, there are more chances for management…

Differentiated instruction engages students of all abilities as active learners, decision-makers, and problem solvers--making educational experiences more meaningful for all. This one-of-a-kind book proves that designing differentiated instruction can be simple and fun! Packed with creative adaptation ideas like fidget bags, doodle notes, and…