Common Core State Standards Module 5: An Overview
Using Academically Productive Talk Moves:
Orchestrating a Focused Discussion
Facilitator’s Notes (Math Grades 6-8)
MATERIALS:
 Facilitator’s overview of the “Using Academically Productive Talk Moves Orchestrating a Focused Discussion”
module
 Presentation slides with notes pages
 Mathematics Common Core State Standards (CCSS) – the Standards for Mathematical Practice and the
appropriate grade-level Standards for mathematical Content
 Participant packet
 Participant reflection form
 Facilitator reflection form
 Chart paper and markers (if necessary)
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EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
 LCD projector or document reader
PREPARATION FOR FACILITATION:
 Read the slides and the notes pages; then solve the task that your participants will work on. Anticipate
several different ways that participants may solve the task.
MATERIALS TO BE COPIED FOR PARTICIPANTS:
 Participant packet
 The grade –level CCSS for Mathematical Content and the CCSS for Mathematical Practice
 Participant reflection form
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OVERVIEW OF THE MODULE:
Mathematics reform calls for teachers to engage students in discussing, explaining, and justifying their ideas.
Although teachers are asked to use students’ ideas as the basis for instruction, they must also keep in mind the
mathematics that the class is expected to explore (Sherin, 2000 p. 125).
By engaging in high-level task and reflecting on ways in which the facilitator structured and supported the
discussion of mathematical ideas, teachers will learn that they are responsible for orchestrating discussions in ways
that make it possible for students to own their learning, as well as for the teacher to assess and advance student
understanding of knowledge and mathematical reasoning.
TOTAL TIMING OF THE MODULE IS 50 minutes
3 minutes Slides
An Overview of the Module: Session Goals & Activities
1-5
Paraphrase the rationale, learning goals, and activities of the session.
67% of time, tasks do not reach the intended targeted goals of the lesson during these
stages of the lesson. Learning to lead effective Accountable Talk discussions increases
the chance that students will think deeply about the mathematical content of the lesson.
7 minutes
20
minutes
Slides
6-8
Slides
9-14
Recalling the Accountable Talk Features and Indicators
Follow the directions on the slide. It is important to give participants time to talk about
the features and indicators because as the session. Advances, they must become
familiar with the Accountable Talk moves and then dig even deeper into four of these
moves. If the facilitator does not give participants time now, then all of these layers of
learning are too much for a participant to think about.
Engage in a Lesson
Engage in the lesson and strive to have an Accountable Talk discussion. There are two
goals for this portion of the session. (1) Deepen participants’ understanding of linearity
and systems of equations. (2) Give participants an opportunity to engage in an
Accountable Talk discussion.
3 minutes
Slides
15-17
The Cognitive Demand of the Task
Determine the cognitive demand of the written task. Not all tasks will lead to good
Accountable Talk discussions. Make the very important point that the cognitive
demand of the task is directly related to the potential for talk.
15
minutes
Slides
18-24
Bridge
to
Practice
*Note: Teachers CANNOT have Accountable Talk discussions with low-level
tasks.
The Accountable Talk Moves
Engage participants in discussing the Accountable Talk moves. Introduce the
participants to the four categories of moves.
Audio or video record yourself teaching a lesson.
Analyze the lesson for Accountable Talk Moves. Journal as you reflect about the
lesson and determine which Accountable Talk moves you used during that class
and the frequency of each move.
Which one(s) do you use most often? Which one(s) do you use the least? Which
AT moves would help improve that lesson? Why? Are your moves organic or do
they seem forced?