Examines prekindergarten children's process of learning a commonly occurring classroom discourse structure--an instructional exchange consisting of three moves: teacher solicitation, student response, and teacher reaction. Finds that children's success in learning the structure is a result of maturity and sociocultural factors rather than to…

States that educators have argued for a kind of teaching that helps students to comprehend complex ideas. Considers that this kind of teaching might be important to low-income, cultural-minority students learning a second language, many of whom are at risk for underachievement in school. Proposes that "instructional conversations" might…