ACADEMIC CONVERSATION- IT’S NOT
JUST “TURN AND TALK” ANYMORE!
Karie Gregory
Tsianina Tovar
BACKGROUND
ESL Program:
We are ESL co-teachers at West Buncombe
Elementary school in Asheville, NC.
Our students come to us for 1 hour blocks
that focus on the Common Core and WIDA
standards.
“CONSTRUCTIVE CLASSROOM CONVERSATIONS”
AN ONLINE COURSE OFFERED BY STANFORD UNIVERSITY
BUILDING ACADEMIC LANGUAGE: ESSENTIAL
PRACTICES FOR CONTENT CLASSROOMS
BY JEFF ZWIERS
THINKING MAPS ©
Graphic organizers
that target specific
skills and can be used
in all areas of learning.
CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATION SKILLS POSTER
CONVERSATION SKILL
CREATE
Circle Map- Students
create and define an idea
or topic.
Writing objective: Use circle
map to write simple
sentences.
Example Conversation
prompt: What are some
ideas that you have about
weather?
CREATE VIDEOS
CONVERSATION SKILL
CLARIFY
Example Conversation prompt: Can you elaborate on
different kinds of weather? (or you could build on a specific
kind of weather like hurricanes)
 or
What does it mean?
Why or how is it important?
Writing Objective: Write compound and complex sentences
to explain different kinds of weather.
CLARIFY VIDEOS
CONVERSATION SKILLS
FORTIFY AND NEGOTIATE
Tree Map- Fortify by providing and
classifying examples or evidence
about the topic or conversation.
Use the Tree Map to negotiate a
topic or prompt and evaluate the
worth.
Writing Objective: Use the tree map
to create complex sentences.
Example Conversation prompt:
Fortify: Can you give examples from
the text?
Negotiate: In your opinion what is the
most dangerous type of weather?
FORTIFY THE MAIN THEME
FORTIFY & NEGOTIATE THE MAIN THEME
ACADEMIC DISCUSSION-CONVERSATION CARDS
Paraphrase and summarize
what member(s) said
Keep the
conversation on
topic
Ask for elaboration,
explanation,
examples,
clarification
Validate (praise) another’s ideas Ask key questions Encourage speaker
to back up claims
with evidence
Offer different perspectives
Make sure all
members
participate
Build on what
another member
said
Maintain/encourage extended
sharing; (uh-huh, yeah, right,
hmmm)
Connect discussion Use active listening
to real-world and strategies (nod,
make eye contact,
student life
take notes)
FROM
CONVERSATION TO
WRITING
By using the supports
within the conversation
skills combined with
Thinking Maps, the
necessary language is
targeted and developed
and enables students to
create a final writing
piece that uses a variety
of sentences and
linguistic complexity.
TO WRITING…
FROM FORTIFYING TO WRITING
PRACTICE WITH A 2 ND GRADE
LESSON
Westward
Expansion
EXPLANATION OF A 4 TH GRADE LESSON
Dear Mr. Henshaw
by Beverly Cleary
BUT SOMETIMES IT
SOUNDS LIKE…
AND…