Conferences:
Helping Students Advance
Their Understandings
Amanda Branscombe
Taylor, J.A., Branscombe, N.A., Burcham J., & Land, L. (2011). Beyond Early Literacy: A Balanced
Approach to Developing the Whole Child. Routledge.
Conferencing in Shared Journal
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Types of conferences – Various types of
conferences that can be used with
Shared Journal
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Tips for conferences – How to make the
conferences as successful as possible
Types of Conferences
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On-the-Spot Conferences
– Visit briefly with students at their desks (one
minute)
– Monitor student’s work or check progress
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Prereading or Prewriting Conference
– Teacher and student plan for the reading/writing
• DRTA/SQR Strategies
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Revising Conference
– Individual student or small group of students and
teacher
– Offer students an audience for their
writing/reading
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Discussion Conference
– Teacher and students meet to share and discuss
what they have read/revised
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Mini-lesson Conferences
– Individual or small group
– Teacher teaches a procedure, strategy, or skill
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Editing Conference
– Teacher and/or students meet to proof read a
writing
– Focus on spelling, punctuation, grammar,
mechanics
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Assessment Conference
– Teacher meets with student to talk about growth,
set goals, and reflect
Tips for Conferences
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When you begin to use conferences, explain
their purpose and procedures
Keep conferences short and focused (5 to 10
minutes)
Maintain a positive, interactive environment
From time to time, have group conferences
Keep a simple record sheet for each student
documenting the conferences
Schedule conferences so all know the
schedule
Preparing for a Conference
Role play and model conferences
before beginning to hold them
 Have options for other students while
you conference
 Make sure students prepare for the
conference
 Prepare yourself for the conference
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Record Sheet for Keeping Track
of Students’ Work
Date
Writing
Suggestions
Minilesson
Needs
Goals/
Comments
Conference Sign-up Chart
Date
Student
Requested
Teacher
Requested
Things for students to do during
conferences
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Read their stories
 Prepare for their
Write in their journals
conference
Work on handwriting  Think of their
Meet with a group
questions
Other – You decide
 Gather materials for
something
conference
worthwhile to do
Conference Page from Notebook
Date
Comments
Goals for
next
conference
Peer Conference Guidelines
Don’t try to rewrite
 Let the writer read
the piece aloud
 Talk about the
things you liked
 Ask questions about
the things you didn’t
understand
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Give three
comments about
what you liked
 Make one or two
suggestions for
improving
 If you are
proofreading, read it
silently
Actual Teacher/Student
Conference
Opening – Bond with the student
 Discussion – Listen as well as talk
 Ask how the conference is working
 Closing – Focus on one thing! End with
a positive statement
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Conducting the conference
“What would you like to talk about
today?”
 “Tell me about your writing.”
 “What would you like to share?”
 “Read aloud.”
 “Let’s talk about your goals/questions
for this piece.”
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Areas of Personal Involvement
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“Why did you choose
this story?”
“Do you know anyone
else in this class who
might like it?”
“Why do you think you
are interested in this
kind of story?”
Others
Questions for critical reading or
general comprehension
“What kind of
story/writing is this?
Did it really happen?”
 “Tell the story with
expression.”
 “At the time of this
writing/reading what
was going on that was
really important?”
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Questions about the language of
passage
“Which part is most important?”
 “Where could this idea go?”
 “Which parts talk about the same
thing?”
 “How might you put the parts together?”
 “Which of the three or four titles did the
group like best? Why?”
 “Can you turn this sentence into a more
interesting one?”
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More questions
“Do you end with the most important
point?”
 “How many of your sentences begin the
same way?”
 “Could you break this into a shorter
sentence? Make into a longer one?”
 “Which sentences do the best job of
showing not telling?”
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Questions for mechanical skills
“Let me point to
several words in
your story/writing.
Tell me what you
know about them.”
 “Let me read this
aloud. See if you
would like to change
something as I
read.”
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