1 THE POWER OF PURPOSEFUL TALK Maria Nichols [email protected] 2 If learning, particularly that which takes place in a classroom, floats on a sea of talk, what kind of talk? And, what kind of learning? ~ Douglas Barnes Our journey today… • What kind of talk? 3 • What kind of learning? • What kind of teaching? • What becomes possible? 4 After you read, think and talk: What would talk indicative of a “raging conversation in the head” sound like? 5 How does talk function in real-world endeavors? Design thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation that draws from the designer's toolkit to integrate the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success. ~ Tim Brown, president and CEO 6 …you get to a place you just can’t get to in one mind. ~ David Kelley 7 2 Purposeful talk Communication . . . is a telling of one's ideas, making one's thinking clear to another. But dialogue … is a coming to an intellectual exchange willing to see and hear something new in the exchange, and actually creating a newer, stronger understanding… 1 ~ Tim Brown, president and CEO 6 …you get to a place you just can’t get to in one mind. ~ David Kelley 7 2 Purposeful talk Communication . . . is a telling of one's ideas, making one's thinking clear to another. But dialogue … is a coming to an intellectual exchange willing to see and hear something new in the exchange, and actually creating a newer, stronger understanding… 8 • Dominic: No – we need more - see, we’re trying to get – here, no - (flipping to an illustration showing Allied soldiers hunkered in trenches). – here! We think (nodding to Luis and Ana, who were now crowding around) it’s all messed up. • Luis: Yeah – really bad! They have war (slapping an illustration of battle action for emphasis). And then they have peace (slapping an illustration of the Allied and German soldiers playing soccer). It’s - they see how they can be the same – soccer, they give presents, singing… • Dominic: And then they go back in the holes - to be safe from bullets and stuff. They play soccer and then – why…? It’s – whaaaat! (shaking his head and flinging his arms in the air with disbelief and more than a touch of drama). • Luis: Yeah, we gotta get more thinking. ‘Cuz we – all of us think it’s messed up! From “Real Talk, Real Teaching” Maria Nichols Nov. 2014 Ed Leadership 9 2 A dialogic classroom is one in which there are lots of open questions and extended exchanges among students. These are not classrooms based on the delivery of facts. ~ Peter Johnston Opening Minds 10 “From Exploratory Talk to Critical Conversations” 2 9 2 A dialogic classroom is one in which there are lots of open questions and extended exchanges among students. These are not classrooms based on the delivery of facts. ~ Peter Johnston Opening Minds 10 “From Exploratory Talk to Critical Conversations” by Kathryn M. Pierce and Carol Gilles • Social talk • Exploratory talk • Presentational talk • Meta-talk • Critical talk 11 The CCSS Speaking and Listening Standards Comprehension and Collaboration Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas Key Points • An important focus of the speaking and listening standards is academic discussion in one-on-one, small group, and whole class settings. Formal presentations are one important way such talk occurs, but so is the more informal discussion that takes place as students collaborate to answer questions, build understanding, and solve problems. What abilities will our students need? 12 Telling à communicating à constructing 2 • Hearing all voices • Growing ideas • Say something meaningful • Listen with intent • Keep lines of thinking alive • Negotiating meaning 3 • Growing ideas • Say something meaningful • Listen with intent • Keep lines of thinking alive • Negotiating meaning Growing talk • Teacher as facilitator (IRE à dialogic) • The power of compelling ideas • Wrestling with controversy • Moving the thinking and talking from the text to the world • Feedback on strategic efforts 13 14 By giving our students practice in talking with others, we give them frames for thinking on their own. ~ Lev Vygotsky 15 2 The power of purposeful talk The way human beings learn has nothing to do with being kept quiet. ~Ralph Peterson 4