Dialogue & Discussion

Classroom talk is instrumental for teaching and for learning. At its most influential, it has the power to improve both the teachers’ ability to teach responsively and the students’ ability to use language more flexibly, productively and purposefully in their learning. (Edwards-Groves, 2003)

Classroom talk is central to organising students and resources, for negotiating curriculum content, and for relating with one another — and critically for developing students’ thinking (Mercer & Littleton, 2007). Strategies and activities explored here will help you to make classroom dialogue purposeful, with learning in mind.