Unit
7
Questioning and dialogue
Objectives
• To recognise effective dialogue for learning and how it helps pupils become
more independent learners.
• To understand the importance of questioning in creating effective dialogue.
• To consider strategies which develop whole-class and/or group dialogue.
• To understand that some strategies to promote dialogue are planned in
advance while others involve seizing opportunities during a lesson.
Resources
You will need:
Slides: 7.1–7.4
Handouts 7.1–7.8
Video sequence for this unit
Session outline
7.1
Introduction
5 minutes
7.2
What do we mean by effective dialogue for learning?
20 minutes
7.3
Why is dialogue an important part of learning?
10 minutes
7.4
Strategies for creating dialogue
20 minutes
7.5
Teaching for effective dialogue
25 minutes
7.6
Ready for more?
10 minutes
Total
90 minutes
Note to presenters: The writing of this unit was informed by a piece of
research carried out for the Strategy by Kings College, London, and supported
by Strategy consultants. It investigated the interplay between classroom
dialogue, learning activity and formative practice in PE, English, history,
mathematics and art and design lessons. Thirteen schools across 12 LEAs
were involved. In all, 30 lessons were analysed by the researchers and the
evidence from them used to form a view of both the current emphasis of
classroom dialogue and how this affected formative practices in classrooms.
Other Strategy training materials which also support the development of
classroom dialogue include the modules on ‘Questioning’ and ‘Thinking
together’ in the Training materials for the foundation subjects (Ref: DfES
0350/2002), the module ‘The management of group talk’ in Literacy across the
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Unit 7: Questioning and dialogue
© Crown copyright 2005
curriculum (Ref: DfEE 0235-2001) and units 7 ‘Questioning’ and 10 ‘Group
work’ from the Teaching and learning in secondary schools materials (DfES
0423-2004G). It would be helpful for participants to have an understanding of
the theory and strategies provided in the ‘Questioning’ module prior to this
training unit.
While these other Strategy training materials tend to focus on advance planning
this unit also emphasises the importance of seizing opportunities during
lessons. Teachers who are already confident and effective in their questioning
and group-work skills will be able to draw on this expertise.
7.1 Introduction
5 minutes
Share the objectives for the session by showing slide 7.1
Slide 7.1
Begin by saying that high-quality dialogue is an essential component of effective
classrooms where assessment for learning is active. This is because dialogue:
• enables teachers to make informed judgements about pupils’
understanding and learning and, therefore, make immediate adjustments
to their teaching;
• enables pupils to develop their own learning because, through talk, they
become more aware of their own learning needs and pathways to
improvement. Therefore, dialogue enables pupils to become more
self-aware, independent learners.
Teachers are highly influential in triggering and sustaining the kind of dialogue
which promotes and sustains successful learning.
This training unit is designed to help teachers develop high-quality dialogue in
their lessons. It focuses particularly on questioning because good questioning
is highly effective in setting up interactive classrooms and enabling dialogue to
flourish. Questions are key to formative assessment as they enable pupils to
realise what they know and, more importantly, what they partly know and guide
them to further develop their understanding.
Dialogue is at its most inclusive where learning results, in both whole-class and
small-group situations, from the interactions between teacher and pupils, and
between the pupils themselves. This unit will present a range of strategies that
promote these types of dialogue.
Although it is important to create opportunities for dialogue in advance lesson
planning, AfL is particularly powerful when learning is shaped as evidence of
pupils’ understandings and misconceptions are being revealed during dialogue.
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Whole-school development in assessment for learning Presenter’s Notes
© Crown copyright 2005
Where this is most effective it is led by teachers making informed use of their
subject knowledge, their repertoire of teaching strategies and their knowledge
of their pupils.
Note to presenters: You could use this as an opportunity to briefly model a
strategy for promoting dialogue by asking participants to indicate with ‘hands
up’ whether they are confident in their understanding of the last objective.
Survey the responses and deliberately pause to consider an approach that
would help the group to build their understanding – for example, by providing
an opportunity for one minute of paired discussion before inviting a couple of
pairs to share their understanding, then seeking responses from the whole
group. Following the dialogue, ask for a second show of hands to indicate
confidence in understanding the objective, and point out the difference
dialogue has made to their response and the strategy you used to achieve this.
7.2 What do we mean by effective dialogue
for learning?
20 minutes
Note to presenters: It is important that the presenter explicitly models a range
of strategies for triggering and sustaining dialogue throughout this section.
Select three or four strategies from handout 7.4 (two parts) that you feel
confident to use. If more than one person is leading the training session it would
be interesting for one presenter to act as an observer, focusing on the agreed
strategies from handout 7.4. They could then comment on how the presenter
seized opportunities to trigger and sustain dialogue as part of the feedback in
section 7.4.
Say that if teachers are to develop dialogue it is important to be able to
recognise what effective dialogue looks like. The first activity involves the
identification of some success criteria for effective dialogue in the classroom.
Indicate that dialogue can be teacher/pupil or pupil/pupil but that initially they
will be considering only teacher/pupil, pupil/teacher whole-class interactions.
Organise participants into groups of four and ask each group to subdivide into
two pairs. They should agree on who will be pair A and who will be pair B. Refer
them to handout 7.1 parts 1 and 2 and say they are now going to work
collaboratively on two transcripts to answer the ‘big question’.
Handout 7.1
part 1
Handout 7.1
Science lesson transcript 1
Teacher = T; students listed by pseudonym names.
T:
Right. I want everyone to concentrate now, because you need some information before you start
today’s experiment. Okay, today we are going to find out about these...
Holds up an ammeter.
Anyone know what we call these and where you might find one?
Starts to walk round and show groups the ammeter.
Two hands go up in the class.
T:
Look carefully. Where have you seen something like this? You might have seen something like it before.
What is it involved with? It’s got a special name...
Three more hands go up. T. selects one of these students.
T:
Handout 7.1
part 2
Science lesson transcript 2
T:
We are going to look at the way plants feed today. I know you’ve done some work on this in your
primary school and I am going to give you time to think that over and to tell your neighbour about what
you know, or think you know already.
Pupils start looking at one another and a few whispers start.
Hang on. Not yet. I want to give you something to think about.
T. produces two geranium plants from behind his desk. One is healthy and large and the other
is quite spindly.
Now, when Mrs James potted up these two plants last spring, they were about the same size but look
at them now. I think they might have been growing in different places in her prep room. I also think its got
something to do with the way that plants feed. So have a think then talk to your partner. Why do you
think these plants have grown differently?
Class erupts into loud discussion in pairs. T. goes over to sidebench and checks apparatus. After four
minutes, T goes back to front and stops the class discussion.
Okay. Ideas?
About half the class put up their hands. Teacher waits for three seconds. A few more hands go up.
Monica – your group? Pair?
That one’s grown bigger because it was on the window. Pointing.
Yes... Jay?
Jay:
In electricity, sir.
T:
That’s right. You can use these in electric circuits. Anyone know what it is called? This word here helps.
Can you read what it says? Carolyn?
Carolyn:
Amps.
Monica:
T:
And what is this instrument called that measures in amps?
Pause of two seconds. No hands go up.
No? No one? Well, it’s an ammeter because it measures in Amps.
What’s it called, Jamie?
T:
T:
You thought…?
Jamie:
A clock, sir.
Jamie:
That the big ’un had eaten up more light.
T:
You weren’t listening Jamie. It might look like a clock but it is called an...?
T. pauses and looks round class. Six hands shoot up.
Richard?
T:
I think I know what Monica and Jamie are getting at, but can anyone put the ideas together? Window –
light – plants?
Again about half the class put up their hands. The teacher chooses a child who has not put up
their hand.
Richard:
An Ampmeter sir.
T:
Nearly. Carolyn?
Carolyn:
An ammeter.
Jamie:
T
Richard:
We thought that.
Richard.
Err, yes. We thought, me and Dean, that it had grown bigger because it was getting more food.
Some pupils stretch their hand up higher. T. points to Susan and nods.
T:
Thank you. What’s it called Jamie?
Susan:
No, it grows where there’s a lot of light and that’s near the window.
Jamie:
An ammeter.
T:
T:
That’s right. An ammeter. And where do we find these ammeters?
Monica?
Monica shrugs her shoulders. Six pupils have their hands raised.
Mmmm. Richard and Dean think the plant’s getting more food. Susan… and Stacey as well? Yes.
Susan thinks it’s because this plant is getting more light. What do others think? Tariq?
Tariq:
It’s the light ’cos its photosynthesis. Plants feed by photosynthesis.
T. writes photosynthesis on the board.
No idea. Tell her, Rebecca.
T:
Who else has heard this word before? Points to board.
Almost all hands go up.
Okay. Well, can anyone put Plant, Light, Window and Photosynthesis together and tell me why these
two plants have grown differently?
T. waits 12 seconds. Ten hands went up immediately he stopped speaking. Five more go up in
the pause.
Okay. Carolyn?
T:
Rebecca: In electric circuits.
T:
3
On the window? Mmm. What do you think, Jamie?
Good. I am starting to spot which of you are sleeping today. Are we with it now, Monica?
Monica nods.
Right. Now we are going to use these ammeters in our practical today. So gather round and I will show
you how it works. Quietly please.
Unit 7: Questioning and dialogue
© Crown copyright 2005
What makes the dialogue in transcript 2 more effective than that in transcript 1?
Show slide 7.2.
Slide 7.2
Explain that handout 7.1 part 1 shows dialogue recorded in a science
classroom. It is from the opening episode of a Year 7 lesson about electricity.
The extract on handout 7.1 part 2 is from a lesson by the same teacher with
the same class recorded a few months later after he has been coached in
developing classroom-based dialogue. The second lesson provides an
introduction to photosynthesis.
Refer pair A to question cards 1 and 2 and pair B to question cards 3 and 4
(prepared from handout 7.2).
Handout 7.2
Handout 7.2
Prompt questions
1 How are the relative length and nature of the pupil
responses different?
2 What proportion of the dialogue is teacher talk and
what proportion pupil?
Notes.
Notes.
3 How many participants are actively involved in
each dialogue?
4 Is the dialogue reciprocal? (i.e. pupils respond to
and build on what others have said.)
Notes.
Notes.
5 Do the pupils take risks by being prepared to
verbalise partially formed ideas and challenge
each other’s ideas in a constructive way?
6 What levels of thinking are apparent in the pupils’
responses? (e.g. knowledge, understanding,
analysis, synthesis, prediction or evaluation.)
Notes.
Notes.
Ask them to spend five minutes discussing the questions as part of their
consideration of the big question on slide 7.2.
After five minutes combine the pairs into fours and ask them briefly to share
their responses to questions 1–4.
Next ask half of the room to consider question 5 and the other half question 6.
Allow a further 3 minutes for this discussion.
Remind them of the ‘big question’ they began with and take feedback from the
whole group to establish why the dialogue in transcript 1 is better than
transcript 2. Use handout 7.3 to help you to draw out the differences between
the two transcripts.
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Whole-school development in assessment for learning Presenter’s Notes
© Crown copyright 2005
Handout 7.3
Handout 7.3
Comparison of the two lesson transcripts
Prompt
Transcript 1
Transcript 2
1 How are the
relative length and
nature of the pupil
responses
different?
The pupils offer one or two remembered
or guessed facts that the teacher wants
them to know, e.g. what an object is
called and what it’s used for.
The pupils’ express their ideas by presenting
evidence which they have discussed.
2 What proportion
of the dialogue is
teacher talk and
what proportion
pupil?
The teacher’s talk dominates and
questions are closed in nature. These
require, and obtain, only short answers. A
few pupils compete to answer by putting
up their hands.
Pupils make significantly greater
contribution. Answers are mainly in
sentences and some use complex
sentences which combine ideas or provide
explanation or justification.
The teacher utters about 200 words,
almost all in sentences; the pupils speak
in phrases only, none of more than three
successive words, and their seven
contributions add up to 17 words, giving
a ratio of about 12 to 1.
The ratio of teacher words to pupil words
has changed to about 2.5 to 1.
3 How many
participants are
actively involved in
each dialogue?
Eight pupils respond to specific, closed
questions from the teacher. Two pupils
are singled out for being inattentive, the
rest seem uninvolved. There is very little
true dialogue.
All pupils appear to take part in discussion in
pairs. Twelve pupils contribute to ongoing
whole-class dialogue.
4 Is the dialogue
reciprocal? (i.e.
pupils respond to
and build on what
others have said.)
The interaction is weak and there is very
little building on other responses. Jamie
repeats a correct answer. Rebecca
provides a correct answer when
Monica cannot.
The whole extract provides evidence of
pupils listening to each others’ responses
and building on them.
5 Do the pupils
take risks by being
prepared to
verbalise partially
formed ideas and
challenge each
other’s ideas in a
constructive way?
Some pupils risk responding with short,
incorrect answers (Jamie, Richard), but
Monica declines to respond. Sometimes
several pupils have their hands up to
respond; at other times no one volunteers
an answer.
Susan challenges Richard and Dean, who
respond by rethinking their original answer.
6 What levels of
thinking are
apparent in the
pupils’ responses?
(e.g. knowledge,
understanding,
analysis, synthesis,
prediction or
evaluation.)
The responses show a low level of
thinking, i.e. basic recall and even
repetition of what the teacher has said.
Most of the pupil contributions are now
sentences rather than phrases.
Pupils explore their thinking together to
formulate an explanation rather than
compete to guess the right answer.
At one point Jamie completes Carolyn’s
sentence with the word bigger.
Pupils seem comfortable responding to
challenges from their peers.
There is no evidence that pupils challenge
each others’ ideas.
The responses show more higher-order
thinking and learning is taking place.
Analysis: Monica ‘That one’s grown bigger
because it was on the window.’
Synthesis: Carolyn ‘…plants make their own
food by photosynthesis…’.
Evaluation: Pupils evaluate Carolyn’s idea
about the bigger plant and the role of
photosynthesis.
Avoid getting diverted into an analysis of the strategies used by the teacher as
this will be the focus of section 7.4. If participants do suggest strategies ask
them to say how these impacted on the quality of the dialogue.
Record the features of effective classroom dialogue that emerge from the
discussion on a flipchart. To conclude this section say that they will be building
on their understanding of these features as the session moves forward.
7.3 Why is dialogue an important part
of learning?
10 minutes
Explain that in this section participants are going to reflect briefly on the task
they’ve just done so that they can begin to recognise the role dialogue played in
their own learning. Ask them to discuss, in pairs, how they themselves used
dialogue to formulate answers to the challenging question:
‘What makes the dialogue in transcript 2 more effective than that in
transcript 1?’
After two minutes take brief feedback. Responses may include:
• others brought knowledge and understanding to the task that they did not
have themselves;
• by verbalising their own partial understanding, and hearing the responses of
others, they were able to judge and shape their own ideas, thus moving their
learning forwards independently;
• feedback from peers built their confidence about their own ideas.
Use this opportunity to remind participants of the work of L.S. Vygotsky and the
emphasis he gave to the value of dialogue. He highlighted the importance of
peer interaction when pupils are ‘on the edge of their thinking’, i.e. in their Zone
of Proximal Development. He suggested that there is only so much we, or our
pupils, can do beyond our unaided current capacity. Dialogue is important
because it enables the thoughts of others to supplement, challenge and refine
what we already know and understand so that meaning is jointly constructed
and our own learning moves forwards.
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Unit 7: Questioning and dialogue
© Crown copyright 2005
7.4 Strategies for creating dialogue
20 minutes
Say to participants that, so far, they have identified some characteristics of
effective dialogue and have reflected on the value of discussion for learning.
They are now going to move on to consider different strategies for promoting
and supporting dialogue.
Refer them to the cards made from handout 7.4 parts 1 and 2, explaining that
these describe a range of strategies which can trigger and sustain dialogue. In
the first instance, ask them to work in pairs to identify those strategies used by
the presenter in the earlier task where they constructed a response to the
question ‘What makes the dialogue in transcript 2 more effective than that in
transcript 1?’
Handout 7.4
part 1
Handout 7.4
Teaching strategies for effective dialogue
Eavesdropping on group dialogue
Rich questions
Teacher listens for evidence of learning either to
transfer ideas from one group to another or to feed
into later whole-class dialogue. Here they can plan
the order in which groups feed back to orchestrate
rich whole-class discussion. They may prime
pupils in preparation for this. Sometimes they
may intervene to stimulate more effective
group discussion.
Open-ended, higher-order questions which require
learners to either link or apply ideas, give reasons,
summarise or evaluate. Sometimes they force pupils
to ask themselves further questions to qualify what
the question is actually asking them to explain. The
answers to such questions generally require
extended answers.
Questions linked to resources or tasks
Teacher models prompts and body language to
encourage continuation
A resource is used to help open up an issue through
a specific question, for example the two plants
discussed in handout 7.1 (part 2). Resources can
be powerful aids if they are chosen to set up and
complement both challenging questioning and
learning through responses to the challenges.
Use of body language or verbal prompts to
encourage pupils to develop their answers. For
example ‘Go on…’ or nodding when the pupil stalls.
By making these explicit the intention is that pupils
adopt similar strategies in their group dialogue.
Wait time after a teacher question
No hands-up questioning
Pupils are given time to reflect independently on a
question, to think and formulate ideas before being
asked to answer.
Teacher selects the pupil who will respond to a
question, i.e. they are conscripts rather than
volunteers. By watching pupils’ body language it
is often possible to identify those who have ideas
to contribute.
Big questions
Peer discussion
A significant question that cannot be answered
immediately. By its nature, it draws answers from
many pupils and encourages them to come up with
a list of smaller questions they need to answer
before an answer to the big question can be
formulated. Sometimes the ‘smaller questions’ are
provided by the teacher.
Teacher prompts dialogue, often via a question, to
enable peer interaction to support learning. The
opportunity to discuss ideas within pairs or small
groups helps pupils articulate and check ideas
before they reveal their group’s answer to the
whole class. Answers are better formed through
the group talk.
Handout 7.4
part 2
Teaching strategies for effective dialogue
Cues and prompts
Teacher uses gestures or short phrases to bring
pupils into the dialogue, e.g. ‘Does anyone
disagree?’ or ‘Who can help us to think this
idea through?’
Acknowledge when pupils demonstrate
effective dialogue
Teacher explicitly comments on the features of
effective dialogue where they occur.
Pausing to scan or survey
Models interest and enthusiasm
The teacher stands back to take stock of the
learning across the class. This enables them to
quickly assess what the pupils can do, can
partially do or can’t do, and to adjust the teaching
in response.
Teacher models respect for others’ points of view by
reflecting on them and exploring them, or models a
positive response to sincere ‘off the wall’ comments,
or is excited about a good response.
Wait time after a pupil response
Varying length of wait time.
Pupils are given time to reflect on a peer’s response
to a question. This enables them to check whether
they understand it and to formulate a further
response which builds on what has been said.
The length of wait time is adjusted according to
the importance and level of challenge in the question
– for example, from a few seconds for thought
to longer pauses of a few minutes for reflection
or discussion.
Using wrong or partially correct answers to
prompt responses
Negotiating whether answers are right or
wrong and why
Teacher models not being sure about what the right
answer is, i.e. teacher seen to take risks and be
vulnerable, or teacher helps pupil unpick thinking
leading up to partially correct response and asks
others to challenge or support each step.
Teacher invites a vote on a reasoned response, or
crystalises the views of two camps to help focus
further discussion, or constructively challenges
points raised by providing an alternative argument
or perspective.
Using group discussion strategies
Teacher employs strategies such as envoying,
rainbow groups, jigsawing and snowballing to
structure group work so that dialogue remains
focused and ideas from pupils are effectively shared
across the groups.
Allow about four minutes for this. Take brief feedback to focus on any
strategies they are unsure about. Try to generate whole-group dialogue to
enable participants to reach a view about which of the strategies they have
seen in action.
If a second presenter acted as an observer during section 7.2, they can be
invited to comment on the strategies they observed the presenter using.
Next show slide 7.3 which provides a quote from research into questioning and
dialogue carried out by Kings College, London for the Secondary Strategy.
Slide 7.3
Allow a few moments for participants to reflect upon the meaning of the slide.
Say that while some strategies rely heavily on advance planning to operate well,
others require a more responsive approach and are brought into play by the
teacher as lesson events unfurl.
6
Whole-school development in assessment for learning Presenter’s Notes
© Crown copyright 2005
Ask participants to sequence the strategy cards they have seen in action during
this training session on a continuum, from those which rely heavily on advance
planning on the left to those requiring more spontaneous planning on the right.
After about three minutes suggest that they add into their continuum any
of the remaining strategy cards they use themselves or have observed
colleagues using.
Take whole-group feedback. Begin by asking them to identify what the
presenter planned in advance to set up conditions conducive to a ‘dialogue
for learning’. Examples may include:
• the use of a ‘big question’ which demanded high-level thinking but was
broken down into manageable chunks to scaffold the task;
• the further scaffold provided by the move from paired to small-group
discussion, then from fours to the whole-group dialogue;
• the way the transcripts and cards acted as a resource to stimulate dialogue
and to evoke a response;
• the planned role of the presenter, e.g. to circulate during group work,
eavesdropping to inform the whole-group feedback and preparing some
individuals or groups to contribute to the feedback.
Next ask participants to suggest what the presenter did to seize
opportunities to promote dialogue which was not planned for in advance.
Some of the more critical strategies you may wish to elicit to comment on are:
• the use of questions to stimulate or move the discussion forward;
• body language and gestures which cue and value all contributions;
• the use of wait time of different lengths and at different points in the
dialogue, i.e. after teacher questions and pupil responses;
• opportunities for peer discussion where participants displayed a lack of
understanding or confidence.
Point out that the strategies, which involve this ‘seizing of opportunities’ as
learning emerges during lessons, are often hard for teachers to refine. This is
because, while initial questions and activities can be planned beforehand, these
reactions, often in the form of a pause, a gesture or further probing questions,
need to be fashioned on the spot.
Conclude the activity by asking whether they found any cards difficult to place
on the continuum and by inviting discussion to resolve these points.
Summarise by pointing out the importance of deliberately planning
opportunities to employ the more responsive strategies in lessons. This will be
important where teachers anticipate pupil misconceptions, a lack of confidence
or poor or uneven understanding across the class. The success of these will be
largely dependent upon the ability of the teacher to respond flexibly as learning
emerges, their knowledge of their pupils and their choice of teaching strategies.
7
Unit 7: Questioning and dialogue
© Crown copyright 2005
7.5 Teaching for effective dialogue
25 minutes
Say that so far they have considered some of the features of effective dialogue
and strategies that help to create this. The next activity will enable them to refine
their understanding so that they begin to identify which strategies can promote
or support specific features of effective dialogue – for example, which strategies
teachers should employ if they want to increase the length of individual pupil
responses to questions.
Say you are going to show excerpts from a mathematics lesson which exemplify
some of these strategies. Use the following information to introduce it.
• Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School and Specialist Science College
serves a socially mixed, rural community. It has a fully comprehensive
11–18 mixed intake, and attainment on entry to the school is above the
national average.
• The sequence shows a Year 9 mathematics lesson where pupils are learning
to develop strategies to determine which lines are parallel when given
equations are expressed both explicitly and implicitly.
• From prior learning, pupils know that the equation of a straight line can be
written in the form y = mx + c. They can draw straight-line graphs and
rearrange simple formulae.
• This is the first of two lessons that address the Year 9 objective for able
pupils to ‘investigate the gradients of parallel lines and lines perpendicular to
these lines’.
The research, carried out by Kings College London, which informed the writing
of this unit, showed mathematics to be an area of particular strength in
Questioning and dialogue. The teacher in this lesson was one of the
participants in the research project.
Refer participants to the lesson observation template on handout 7.5. Say that
the left-hand column contains features of effective dialogue and that they will
have identified some of these in the earlier task based on the science lesson
transcripts. Use the following notes to elaborate on any of the features that may
need explaining.
Handout 7.5
Lesson observation sheet
Feature of effective dialogue
Strategies used to trigger and sustain dialogue
Whole
class
Group
work
Everyone is engaged with the
dialogue.
Teacher talk does not over-dominate
the dialogue.
Pattern of dialogue is ‘basketball’
rather than ‘ping pong’.
The dialogue is reciprocal, i.e. pupils
respond to and build on what others
have said.
Pupil contributions are well developed,
e.g. at least a few sentences in length
and include subject vocabulary.
Pupils are willing to take risks,
e.g. being prepared to verbalise
partially formed thinking.
Pupils are willing to challenge and see
the value in challenging each other’s
ideas in a constructive way.
Pupils demonstrate higher levels of
thinking, e.g. analysis, synthesis,
prediction or evaluation.
Handout 7.5
Pupils reprocess their thinking as a
result of the dialogue and thus improve
their own learning.
• Pattern of dialogue is ‘basketball’ rather than ‘ping pong’. The analogy of a
game of ‘ping pong’ can be used to describe dialogue where the
conversation pattern is ‘teacher – pupil – teacher – pupil’. In more effective
whole-group interaction the analogy of basketball describes the way the
8
Whole-school development in assessment for learning Presenter’s Notes
© Crown copyright 2005
dialogue passes from ‘teacher – pupil – pupil – pupil – teacher’. This enables
pupils to share and explore their ideas and compare these with others in
their class. It also allows the teacher to hear a range of answers and
reactions before intervening to either offer other points to consider or help
the class summarise their thinking.
• Pupils demonstrate higher levels of thinking. This results when pupils link
and associate their ideas with those of others and so move from seeking
simple answers to considering their understanding. This often involves
learners in working with higher-order thinking skills such as classification,
comparison, prediction, synthesis, evaluation.
• Pupils reprocess their thinking as a result of the dialogue. They are able to
move their own learning on in the light of what others say, and verbalise their
own understanding, identifying not only what they know and don’t know but
also what they partly know.
Participants should continue to work in groups of four. Each group should be
allocated two features of effective dialogue and asked what the teacher does to
bring about those two features. Ask them also to note down subtle differences
in the ways the strategies are used – for example, the use of different lengths of
wait time.
Urge participants not to allow their own level of expertise or confidence with
mathematics to distract them from identifying the range of strategies employed
by the teacher and their impact on the resultant dialogue. Say that guidance
about the quality of the pupils’ responses and the choices the teacher makes
are provided in ‘on screen’ annotations.
Note to presenters: The video sequence has been deliberately cut to focus on,
and to illustrate, the strategies the teacher employs to trigger and sustain
dialogue. As a consequence peer dialogue features much less strongly than it
did in the actual lesson and the balance between teacher and pupil talk is
skewed. It may be helpful to share this information with participants either
before or after the sequence is viewed.
Show the lesson video sequence. It is 15 minutes long.
Allow about five minutes for the groups to discuss their observations.
Take feedback using the notes provided in handout 7.6 to guide
the discussion.
Handout 7.6
Lesson observation sheet – suggested answers
Feature of effective dialogue
Strategies used to trigger and sustain dialogue
Whole
class
Group
work
Everyone is engaged with the
dialogue.
Wait time after a teacher question: Shirley uses different lengths of wait time, from a few seconds to
several minutes. Sometimes this ‘think time’ is supported by a resource such as the mini-white boards
or the laminated graph axes, sometimes it is stimulated by peer discussion.
Peer discussion: after the question ‘Can anyone think of another way that you could draw the line
y=4x−2?’ Shirley invites discussion when only two pupils have their hands up to respond. Following the
peer discussion many responses are given.
Negotiating whether answers are right or wrong and why; during the starter activity Shirley selects
an answer that is typically a source of misunderstanding and asks pupils to discuss, in pairs, whether it is
correct or not and why. This triggers instant debate.
Wait time after a pupil response: Shirley provides short ‘think time’ in this way to prevent confident
pupils dominating and to encourage reflective thinkers to respond.
Pausing to scan or survey to check answers on whiteboards for understanding and misconceptions
and during group work to decide who to see next and when intervention might facilitate dialogue.
✓
✓
Teacher talk does not over-dominate
the dialogue.
Cues and prompts to encourage pupils to respond to each other and to extend their answers.
Pausing to scan or survey for signs of body language which indicates that a pupil has something
to say.
Wait time after a pupil response to provide other pupils with a chance to reflect before responding.
This tells pupils that their questions or responses are valued and are being carefully considered.
✓
✓
Pattern of dialogue is ‘basketball’
rather than ‘ping pong’.
Cues and prompts: Shirley is in the early stages of developing ‘basketball’ dialogue through the use of
short verbal cues and hand gestures and by consciously not repeating pupils’ answers herself. This is
particularly evident during the plenary. As pupils’ confidence with this protocol grows ‘basketball’
dialogue is likely to increase.
✓
The dialogue is reciprocal, i.e. pupils
respond to and build on what others
have said.
Wait time after a pupil response allows others to think and respond.
Using wrong or partially correct answers to prompt responses: Shirley has identified possible
errors pupils may make in advance of the lesson. This is demonstrated during the starter activity where
she selects an answer on a whiteboard and uses it to trigger paired discussion.
Cues and prompts: Shirley uses many different verbal cues and gestures, for example, ‘… and can
someone just expand on that?’ and ‘Any other ones…?’ She also watches for cues from pupils who
want to add to what has been said.
Shirley deliberately refrains from rephrasing questions or repeating pupils’ answers.
✓
Feature of effective dialogue
Strategies used to trigger and sustain dialogue
Whole
class
Group
work
Pupil contributions are well developed
e.g. at least a few sentences in length
and include subject vocabulary.
Wait time of different types and length. Shirley makes use of planned extended wait time (2 or 3 minutes), particularly
✓
✓
for higher order questions that all of the class will find difficult, as well as wait time which she brings into play where the
majority of pupils are unable to offer responses. Both lead to more extended responses in whole class talk which follows.
Cues and prompts to encourage continuation, for example:
• Verbal prompts such as ‘Can you just tell me what the equation is that you’re talking about?’. Also, where Byron
✓
✓
explains his answer on the board, Shirley encourages continuation using the word ‘right’ whilst nodding, giving him the
confidence to think his idea through aloud.
• A range of gestures including nodding and rotating the hand.
✓
✓
Models prompts and body language: Pupils have adopted some of Shirley’s prompts in their group work, for
example, the pupil question in final dialogue ‘Which one was best?’.
✓
✓
Pupils are willing to take risks,
e.g. being prepared to verbalise
partially formed thinking.
✓
Pupils are willing to challenge and see
the value in challenging each other’s
ideas in a constructive way.
✓
Teacher values effective dialogue, for example when Shirley says ‘Good the inverse… nice use of language’, and on
✓
✓
other occasions where she encourages others to build on tentative thinking and acknowledges of the value of
exploratory talk..
Byron’s tentative question ‘Could you do y=4x−2?’ is probably the outcome of an earlier opportunity for peer discussion.
✓
Cues and prompts: at one point Shirley asks ‘does anyone disagree?’. This type of question invites constructive
✓
dialogue and is a common feature of Shirley’s teaching and one the pupils are comfortable with.
Teacher values effective dialogue: as she sets up the card pairing activity, Shirley makes clear to the pupils the value
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
of ‘interrogating’ each other and explaining their reasons to each other.
Pupils demonstrate higher levels of
thinking, e.g. analysis, synthesis,
prediction or evaluation.
Big questions: Shirley poses the big question ‘What strategies can you use to work out whether lines are parallel or not,
when they’re expressed as ‘explicit and ‘implicit’ equations’ via the objectives she sets at the start of the lesson. She
then breaks down this central question via a series of sub-questions and activities. By the end of the lesson the pupils
have composed their responses.
Negotiating whether answers are right or wrong and why. Shirley invites pupils to discuss whether an answers she
selects, for example on the whiteboards, is correct or not, and to then explain why.
✓
✓
Handout 7.6
✓
questions and she knows many pupils will struggle.
Pupils reprocess their thinking as a
result of the dialogue and thus improve
their own learning.
Questions linked to resources or tasks: dialogue in pairs is rich as a result of the ‘cards’ where pupils have to work
✓
out which pairs are parallel. Talk is further stimulated by the laminated graph axes which allow them to explore their
thinking together, for example the pupil question ‘If they’re parallel do they have to have the same gradient?’.
Negotiating whether answers are right or wrong and why: Shirley provides an opportunity for peer discussion
✓
during the plenary to enable the ‘two camps’ to check their ideas and to determine who is right.
Peer discussion during the concluding plenary task where pupils are clearly using some of the strategies modeled by
Handout 7.6 cont.
Wait time linked to peer discussion: Shirley provides lengthy planned wait time where she poses challenging
✓
Shirley earlier in the lesson, for example, the use of higher order questions such as ‘Which one was best?’.
9
Unit 7: Questioning and dialogue
© Crown copyright 2005
Bring out the following points during the discussion.
• Some strategies that are particularly ‘high value’ because they promote or
support several features of effective dialogue and impact positively on both
whole class and group interactions, for example peer discussion and wait
time of different types and lengths.
• Some of the features of effective dialogue should be attributed to the
interplay between the range of different strategies used throughout the
lesson. For example, the group dialogue at the end is only possible because
of the pupil confidence with the learning objectives that has developed over
the course of the lesson.
• The positive classroom climate enables effective whole class and group
dialogue to take place. Acknowledge the fact that this is something Shirley
has had to conscientiously develop over time and that many of the
strategies she employs have contributed to this, for example explicitly
commenting on what makes dialogue successful to pupils and making it an
expectation.
• Although Shirley is already skilled in orchestrating classroom dialogue she is
seeking to improve it further by using strategies to move from ‘ping pong’ to
‘basketball’ dialogue, so that pupils take an increasing responsibility for
learning through talk.
Finally, say that having identified a range of strategies that can be used to
facilitate dialogue they should spend three minutes in their groups considering
which strategies support whole-class dialogue, which promote group dialogue
and which both. They should indicate this by ticking the last two columns. Allow
five minutes for this then take brief feedback.
7.6 Ready for more?
10 minutes
Say that the last section should have clarified participants’ understanding of the
various features of effective dialogue and will have enabled them to see a variety
of strategies for securing this ‘in action’.
Ask them to agree in their groups on one strategy for promoting dialogue that
they consider to be of particularly ‘high value’ and to then consider how that
strategy might best be implemented across a department.
Use slide 7.4 to define the task.
Slide 7.4
Take feedback. It may be helpful to draw out the following points.
10
Whole-school development in assessment for learning Presenter’s Notes
© Crown copyright 2005
• Advance planning can play an important role in helping teachers to develop
classroom dialogue but attention to developing teaching skills, such as
questioning, and using more spontaneous planning will make a significant
contribution to refining their practice.
• It is often harder for teachers to refine their use of more spontaneous
strategies because it is difficult to identify and improve key aspects of one’s
own behaviour during periods of rapid interaction. Approaches to
professional development such as coaching often prove productive in
developing such strategies.
• Teachers often ‘unconsciously’ employ influencing factors such as body
language and therefore need to develop self-awareness. This can be
assisted by lesson observation and/or the use of video to identify and
modify these behaviours where appropriate.
Refer participants to handout 7.7. Explain that the ‘Ready for more?’ section
provides activities that teachers might carry out to support their development of
questioning and classroom dialogue. Use slide 7.4 alongside the ‘Ready for
more?’ tasks to prompt consideration of the types of activities that are most
likely to support the areas for improvement that have been identified.
Handout 7.7
Handout 7.7
Ready for more?
• Observe several lessons across your department to identify the characteristics of effective dialogue which:
– feature strongly and the strategies used to achieve them;
– are absent or might be improved.
Use the observation template on handout 7.5 and the cards on handout 7.4 as prompts for this analysis.
• Having identified the strengths and weaknesses of classroom dialogue across the department, identify one
feature of dialogue you wish to improve.
Use handout 7.8 (these are shown across the top of the matrix). Work together to agree and tick the
different strategies you could use to develop the aspect of dialogue you want to improve.
• Identify one feature of dialogue you wish to improve across the department, e.g. ‘Dialogue is reciprocal, i.e.
pupils respond to and build on what others have said.’ Work together as a department to identify strategies
you could use to develop this aspect of dialogue. Use handout 7.8 to support this planning.
Choose two or three strategies which, as a department, you believe will help to develop dialogue then plan,
teach and review a sequence of lessons to trial them.
• Ask your pupils to consider the features of effective dialogue and work with them to identify those which, if
developed, might improve their learning.
Use handout 7.8 to identify and record those strategies that can help the pupils to develop the features of
dialogue they have identified for improvement. Agree which are largely dependent on advanced planning for
their success and which are more reliant on seizing of opportunities during the lesson. Use this information to
collaboratively plan, teach and review a sequence of lessons.
Be mindful of which professional development activities are most likely to support this (see slide 7.4).
A department should choose the ‘Ready for more?’ activities that are most
appropriate and relevant to their current development needs, and not feel they
should use them all immediately.
Say that subject-specific guidance for carrying out the ‘Ready for more?’ tasks
is provided in the AfL subject development materials (DfES 1101-2005 G).
‘The Strategy wishes to thank and acknowledge Kings College, London and the twelve schools and
LEAs involved in providing research evidence for this unit. In particular, Christine Harrison, Paul Black
and Jeremy Hogden.’
11
Unit 7: Questioning and dialogue
© Crown copyright 2005
PowerPoint slides
Unit 7 – Questioning and dialogue
12
Whole-school development in assessment for learning Presenter’s Notes
© Crown copyright 2005
Slide 7.1
Objectives
• To recognise effective dialogue for learning and how
it helps pupils become more independent learners.
• To understand the importance of questioning in
creating effective dialogue.
• To consider strategies which develop whole-class
and/or group dialogue.
• To understand that some strategies to promote
dialogue are planned in advance while others
involve seizing opportunities during a lesson.
13
Unit 7: Questioning and dialogue
© Crown copyright 2005
Slide 7.2
The big question
What makes the dialogue in transcript 2 more effective
than that in transcript 1?
14
Whole-school development in assessment for learning Presenter’s Notes
© Crown copyright 2005
Slide 7.3
Research into questioning and
dialogue
‘Assessment for learning is at its best when learning
is shaped as evidence of pupils’ understandings and
misconceptions are being revealed during dialogue.
To do this well teachers need to draw upon their
knowledge of their subject, of pedagogy and most
importantly of the pupils themselves.’
Harrison, Black and Hogden
15
Unit 7: Questioning and dialogue
© Crown copyright 2005
Slide 7.4
Plenary task
For one strategy you consider to be of high value for
creating classroom dialogue, consider what would be
the most appropriate way of developing that strategy
across your department.
Consider a range of possible development activities
such as:
• formal training;
• collaborative planning;
• coaching;
• lesson observation
…either singly or in combination.
16
Whole-school development in assessment for learning Presenter’s Notes
© Crown copyright 2005
Handout 7.1
part 1
Science lesson transcript 1
Teacher = T; students listed by pseudonym names.
T:
Right. I want everyone to concentrate now, because you need some information before you start
today’s experiment. Okay, today we are going to find out about these...
Holds up an ammeter.
Anyone know what we call these and where you might find one?
Starts to walk round and show groups the ammeter.
Two hands go up in the class.
T:
Look carefully. Where have you seen something like this? You might have seen something like it before.
What is it involved with? It’s got a special name...
Three more hands go up. T. selects one of these students.
T:
Yes... Jay?
Jay:
In electricity, sir.
T:
That’s right. You can use these in electric circuits. Anyone know what it is called? This word here helps.
Can you read what it says? Carolyn?
Carolyn:
Amps.
T:
And what is this instrument called that measures in amps?
Pause of two seconds. No hands go up.
No? No one? Well, it’s an ammeter because it measures in Amps.
What’s it called, Jamie?
Jamie:
A clock, sir.
T:
You weren’t listening Jamie. It might look like a clock but it is called an...?
T. pauses and looks round class. Six hands shoot up.
Richard?
Richard:
An Ampmeter sir.
T:
Nearly. Carolyn?
Carolyn:
An ammeter.
T:
Thank you. What’s it called Jamie?
Jamie:
An ammeter.
T:
That’s right. An ammeter. And where do we find these ammeters?
Monica?
Monica shrugs her shoulders. Six pupils have their hands raised.
T:
No idea. Tell her, Rebecca.
Rebecca: In electric circuits.
T:
17
Good. I am starting to spot which of you are sleeping today. Are we with it now, Monica?
Monica nods.
Right. Now we are going to use these ammeters in our practical today. So gather round and I will show
you how it works. Quietly please.
Unit 7: Questioning and dialogue
© Crown copyright 2005
Handout 7.1
part 2
Science lesson transcript 2
T:
We are going to look at the way plants feed today. I know you’ve done some work on this in your
primary school and I am going to give you time to think that over and to tell your neighbour about what
you know, or think you know already.
Pupils start looking at one another and a few whispers start.
Hang on. Not yet. I want to give you something to think about.
T. produces two geranium plants from behind his desk. One is healthy and large and the other
is quite spindly.
Now, when Mrs James potted up these two plants last spring, they were about the same size but look
at them now. I think they might have been growing in different places in her prep room. I also think it’s
got something to do with the way that plants feed. So have a think, then talk to your partner. Why do
you think these plants have grown differently?
Class erupts into loud discussion in pairs. T. goes over to sidebench and checks apparatus. After four
minutes, T. goes back to front and stops the class discussion.
Okay. Ideas?
About half the class put up their hands. Teacher waits for three seconds. A few more hands go up.
Monica – your group? Pair?
Monica:
That one’s grown bigger because it was on the window. Pointing.
T:
On the window? Mmm. What do you think, Jamie?
Jamie:
We thought that.
T:
You thought…?
Jamie:
That the big ’un had eaten up more light.
T:
I think I know what Monica and Jamie are getting at, but can anyone put the ideas together?
Window – light – plants?
Again about half the class put up their hands. The teacher chooses a child who has not put up
their hand.
T:
Richard.
Richard:
Err, yes. We thought, me and Dean, that it had grown bigger because it was getting more food.
Some pupils stretch their hand up higher. T. points to Susan and nods.
Susan:
No, it grows where there’s a lot of light and that’s near the window.
T:
Mmmm. Richard and Dean think the plant’s getting more food. Susan… and Stacey as well? Yes.
Susan thinks it’s because this plant is getting more light. What do others think? Tariq?
Tariq:
It’s the light ’cos its photosynthesis. Plants feed by photosynthesis.
T. writes photosynthesis on the board.
T:
Who else has heard this word before? Points to board.
Almost all hands go up.
Okay. Well, can anyone put Plant, Light, Window and Photosynthesis together and tell me why these
two plants have grown differently?
T. waits 12 seconds. Ten hands went up immediately he stopped speaking. Five more go up in
the pause.
Okay. Carolyn?
18
Whole-school development in assessment for learning Presenter’s Notes
© Crown copyright 2005
Handout 7.1
part 2 cont.
Carolyn:
The plant. The big plant has been getting more light by the window and ’cos plants make their own food
by photosynthesis, it’s…
Jamie:
Bigger.
T:
Thanks, Jamie. What do others think about Carolyn’s idea?
Many students nod.
Yes, it’s bigger because it has more light and can photosynthesise more. So Richard and Dean, how
does your idea fit in with this?
Dean:
It was wrong sir.
Richard:
No, it wasn’t. We meant that. Photosynthesis. Plant food.
Dean:
Yeah.
T:
So. Can you tell us your idea again but use the word photosynthesis as well this time?
Richard:
Photosynthesis is what plants do when they feed and get bigger.
T:
Not bad. Remember that when we come to look at explaining the experiment that we are going to
do today.
Transcripts from KMOFAP Project 1999–2000
Published in Assessment for learning: putting it into practice
by Paul Black, Christine Harrison, Clare Lee, Bethan Marshall and Dylan William.
Published by McGraw-Hill Education. Used with permission.
19
Unit 7: Questioning and dialogue
© Crown copyright 2005
Handout 7.2
Prompt questions
1 How are the relative length and nature of the pupil
responses different?
2 What proportion of the dialogue is teacher talk and
what proportion pupil?
Notes.
Notes.
3 How many participants are actively involved in
each dialogue?
4 Is the dialogue reciprocal? (i.e. pupils respond to
and build on what others have said.)
Notes.
Notes.
5 Do the pupils take risks by being prepared to
verbalise partially formed ideas and challenge
each other’s ideas in a constructive way?
6 What levels of thinking are apparent in the pupils’
responses? (e.g. knowledge, understanding,
analysis, synthesis, prediction or evaluation.)
Notes.
Notes.
20
Whole-school development in assessment for learning Presenter’s Notes
© Crown copyright 2005
Handout 7.3
Comparison of the two lesson transcripts
Prompt
Transcript 1
Transcript 2
1 How are the
relative length and
nature of the pupil
responses
different?
The pupils offer one or two remembered
or guessed facts that the teacher wants
them to know, e.g. what an object is
called and what it’s used for.
The pupils’ express their ideas by presenting
evidence which they have discussed.
Most of the pupil contributions are now
sentences rather than phrases.
Pupils explore their thinking together to
formulate an explanation rather than
compete to guess the right answer.
2 What proportion
of the dialogue is
teacher talk and
what proportion
pupil?
The teacher’s talk dominates and
questions are closed in nature. These
require, and obtain, only short answers.
A few pupils compete to answer by
putting up their hands.
Pupils make significantly greater
contribution. Answers are mainly in
sentences and some use complex
sentences which combine ideas or provide
explanation or justification.
The teacher utters about 200 words,
almost all in sentences; the pupils speak
in phrases only, none of more than three
successive words, and their seven
contributions add up to 17 words, giving
a ratio of about 12 to 1.
The ratio of teacher words to pupil words
has changed to about 2.5 to 1.
3 How many
participants are
actively involved in
each dialogue?
Eight pupils respond to specific, closed
questions from the teacher. Two pupils
are singled out for being inattentive, the
rest seem uninvolved. There is very little
true dialogue.
All pupils appear to take part in discussion in
pairs. Nine pupils contribute to ongoing
whole-class dialogue.
4 Is the dialogue
reciprocal? (i.e.
pupils respond to
and build on what
others have said.)
The interaction is weak and there is very
little building on other responses. Jamie
repeats a correct answer. Rebecca
provides a correct answer when
Monica cannot.
The whole extract provides evidence of
pupils listening to each others’ responses
and building on them.
5 Do the pupils
take risks by being
prepared to
verbalise partially
formed ideas and
challenge each
other’s ideas in a
constructive way?
Some pupils risk responding with short,
incorrect answers (Jamie, Richard), but
Monica declines to respond. Sometimes
several pupils have their hands up to
respond; at other times no one volunteers
an answer.
Susan challenges Richard and Dean, who
respond by rethinking their original answer.
6 What levels of
thinking are
apparent in the
pupils’ responses?
(e.g. knowledge,
understanding,
analysis, synthesis,
prediction or
evaluation.)
The responses show a low level of
thinking, i.e. basic recall and even
repetition of what the teacher has said.
21
At one point Jamie completes Carolyn’s
sentence with the word bigger.
Pupils seem comfortable responding to
challenges from their peers.
There is no evidence that pupils challenge
each others’ ideas.
Unit 7: Questioning and dialogue
The responses show more higher-order
thinking and learning is taking place.
Analysis: Monica ‘That one’s grown bigger
because it was on the window.’
Synthesis: Carolyn ‘…plants make their own
food by photosynthesis…’.
Evaluation: Pupils evaluate Carolyn’s idea
about the bigger plant and the role of
photosynthesis.
© Crown copyright 2005
Handout 7.4
part 1
Teaching strategies for effective dialogue
Eavesdropping on group dialogue
Rich questions
Teacher listens for evidence of learning either to
transfer ideas from one group to another or to feed
into later whole-class dialogue. Here they can plan
the order in which groups feed back to orchestrate
rich whole-class discussion. They may prime
pupils in preparation for this. Sometimes they
may intervene to stimulate more effective
group discussion.
Open-ended, higher-order questions which require
learners either to link or to apply ideas, give reasons,
summarise or evaluate. Sometimes they force pupils
to ask themselves further questions to qualify what
the question is actually asking them to explain. The
answers to such questions generally require
extended answers.
Questions linked to resources or tasks
Teacher models prompts and body language to
encourage continuation
A resource is used to help open up an issue through
a specific question – for example, the two plants
discussed in handout 7.1 (part 2). Resources can
be powerful aids if they are chosen to set up and
complement both challenging questioning and
learning through responses to the challenges.
Use of body language or verbal prompts to
encourage pupils to develop their answers. For
example ‘Go on…’ or nodding when the pupil stalls.
By making these explicit the intention is that pupils
adopt similar strategies in their group dialogue.
Wait time after a teacher question
No hands-up questioning
Pupils are given time to reflect independently on a
question, to think and formulate ideas before being
asked to answer.
Teacher selects the pupil who will respond to a
question, i.e. they are conscripts rather than
volunteers. By watching pupils’ body language it
is often possible to identify those who have ideas
to contribute.
Big questions
Peer discussion
A significant question that cannot be answered
immediately. By its nature, it draws answers from
many pupils and encourages them to come up with
a list of smaller questions they need to answer
before an answer to the big question can be
formulated. Sometimes the ‘smaller questions’ are
provided by the teacher.
Teacher prompts dialogue, often via a question, to
enable peer interaction to support learning. The
opportunity to discuss ideas within pairs or small
groups helps pupils articulate and check ideas
before they reveal their group’s answer to the
whole class. Answers are better formed through
the group talk.
22
Whole-school development in assessment for learning Presenter’s Notes
© Crown copyright 2005
Handout 7.4
part 2
Teaching strategies for effective dialogue
Cues and prompts
Teacher uses gestures or short phrases to bring
pupils into the dialogue, e.g. ‘Does anyone
disagree?’ or ‘Who can help us to think this
idea through?’
Acknowledge when pupils demonstrate
effective dialogue
Teacher explicitly comments on the features of
effective dialogue where they occur.
Pausing to scan or survey
Models interest and enthusiasm
The teacher stands back to take stock of the
learning across the class. This enables them to
quickly assess what the pupils can do, can
partially do or can’t do, and to adjust the teaching
in response.
Teacher models respect for others’ points of view by
reflecting on them and exploring them, or models a
positive response to sincere ‘off the wall’ comments,
or is excited about a good response.
Wait time after a pupil response
Varying length of wait time.
Pupils are given time to reflect on a peer’s response
to a question. This enables them to check whether
they understand it and to formulate a further
response which builds on what has been said.
The length of wait time is adjusted according to
the importance and level of challenge in the question
– for example, from a few seconds for thought
to longer pauses of a few minutes for reflection
or discussion.
Using wrong or partially correct answers to
prompt responses
Negotiating whether answers are right or
wrong and why
Teacher models not being sure about what the right
answer is, i.e. teacher seen to take risks and be
vulnerable, or teacher helps pupil unpick thinking
leading up to partially correct response and asks
others to challenge or support each step.
Teacher invites a vote on a reasoned response, or
crystalises the views of two camps to help focus
further discussion, or constructively challenges
points raised by providing an alternative argument
or perspective.
Using group discussion strategies
Teacher employs strategies such as envoying,
rainbow groups, jigsawing and snowballing to
structure group work so that dialogue remains
focused and ideas from pupils are effectively shared
across the groups.
23
Unit 7: Questioning and dialogue
© Crown copyright 2005
24
Whole-school development in assessment for learning Presenter’s Notes
Pupils reprocess their thinking as a
result of the dialogue and thus improve
their own learning.
Pupils demonstrate higher levels of
thinking, e.g. analysis, synthesis,
prediction or evaluation.
Pupils are willing to challenge and see
the value in challenging each other’s
ideas in a constructive way.
Pupils are willing to take risks,
e.g. being prepared to verbalise
partially formed thinking.
Pupil contributions are well developed,
e.g. at least a few sentences in length
and include subject vocabulary.
The dialogue is reciprocal, i.e. pupils
respond to and build on what others
have said.
Pattern of dialogue is ‘basketball’
rather than ‘ping pong’.
Teacher talk does not over-dominate
the dialogue.
Everyone is engaged with the
dialogue.
Feature of effective dialogue
Strategies used to trigger and sustain dialogue
Lesson observation sheet
Whole
class
Group
work
Handout 7.5
© Crown copyright 2005
25
Strategies used to trigger and sustain dialogue
Wait time after a teacher question: Shirley uses different lengths of wait time, from a few seconds to
several minutes. Sometimes this ‘think time’ is supported by a resource such as the mini-white boards
or the laminated graph axes, sometimes it is stimulated by peer discussion.
Peer discussion: after the question ‘Can anyone think of another way that you could draw the line
y=4x−2?’ Shirley invites discussion when only two pupils have their hands up to respond. Following the
peer discussion many responses are given.
Negotiating whether answers are right or wrong and why; during the starter activity Shirley selects
an answer that is typically a source of misunderstanding and asks pupils to discuss, in pairs, whether it is
correct or not and why. This triggers instant debate.
Wait time after a pupil response: Shirley provides short ‘think time’ in this way to prevent confident
pupils dominating and to encourage reflective thinkers to respond.
Pausing to scan or survey to check answers on whiteboards for understanding and misconceptions
and during group work to decide who to see next and when intervention might facilitate dialogue.
Cues and prompts to encourage pupils to respond to each other and to extend their answers.
Pausing to scan or survey for signs of body language which indicates that a pupil has something
to say.
Wait time after a pupil response to provide other pupils with a chance to reflect before responding.
This tells pupils that their questions or responses are valued and are being carefully considered.
Cues and prompts: Shirley is in the early stages of developing ‘basketball’ dialogue through the use of
short verbal cues and hand gestures and by consciously not repeating pupils’ answers herself. This is
particularly evident during the plenary. As pupils’ confidence with this protocol grows ‘basketball’
dialogue is likely to increase.
Wait time after a pupil response allows others to think and respond.
Using wrong or partially correct answers to prompt responses: Shirley has identified possible
errors pupils may make in advance of the lesson. This is demonstrated during the starter activity where
she selects an answer on a whiteboard and uses it to trigger paired discussion.
Cues and prompts: Shirley uses many different verbal cues and gestures, for example, ‘… and can
someone just expand on that?’ and ‘Any other ones…?’ She also watches for cues from pupils who
want to add to what has been said.
Shirley deliberately refrains from rephrasing questions or repeating pupils’ answers.
Feature of effective dialogue
Everyone is engaged with the
dialogue.
Teacher talk does not over-dominate
the dialogue.
Pattern of dialogue is ‘basketball’
rather than ‘ping pong’.
The dialogue is reciprocal, i.e. pupils
respond to and build on what others
have said.
Lesson observation sheet – suggested answers
Unit 7: Questioning and dialogue
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Handout 7.6
© Crown copyright 2005
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Whole-school development in assessment for learning Presenter’s Notes
Pupils reprocess their thinking as a
result of the dialogue and thus improve
their own learning.
Pupils demonstrate higher levels of
thinking, e.g. analysis, synthesis,
prediction or evaluation.
Pupils are willing to challenge and see
the value in challenging each other’s
ideas in a constructive way.
Pupils are willing to take risks,
e.g. being prepared to verbalise
partially formed thinking.
Pupil contributions are well developed
e.g. at least a few sentences in length
and include subject vocabulary.
Feature of effective dialogue
© Crown copyright 2005
Shirley earlier in the lesson, for example, the use of higher order questions such as ‘Which one was best?’.
Peer discussion during the concluding plenary task where pupils are clearly using some of the strategies modeled by
during the plenary to enable the ‘two camps’ to check their ideas and to determine who is right.
Negotiating whether answers are right or wrong and why: Shirley provides an opportunity for peer discussion
thinking together, for example the pupil question ‘If they’re parallel do they have to have the same gradient?’.
out which pairs are parallel. Talk is further stimulated by the laminated graph axes which allow them to explore their
Questions linked to resources or tasks: dialogue in pairs is rich as a result of the ‘cards’ where pupils have to work
questions and she knows many pupils will struggle.
Wait time linked to peer discussion: Shirley provides lengthy planned wait time where she poses challenging
selects, for example on the whiteboards, is correct or not, and to then explain why.
Negotiating whether answers are right or wrong and why. Shirley invites pupils to discuss whether an answers she
have composed their responses.
then breaks down this central question via a series of sub-questions and activities. By the end of the lesson the pupils
when they’re expressed as ‘explicit and ‘implicit’ equations’ via the objectives she sets at the start of the lesson. She
Big questions: Shirley poses the big question ‘What strategies can you use to work out whether lines are parallel or not,
of ‘interrogating’ each other and explaining their reasons to each other.
Teacher values effective dialogue: as she sets up the card pairing activity, Shirley makes clear to the pupils the value
dialogue and is a common feature of Shirley’s teaching and one the pupils are comfortable with.
Cues and prompts: at one point Shirley asks ‘does anyone disagree?’. This type of question invites constructive
Byron’s tentative question ‘Could you do y=4x−2?’ is probably the outcome of an earlier opportunity for peer discussion.
exploratory talk..
other occasions where she encourages others to build on tentative thinking and acknowledges of the value of
Teacher values effective dialogue, for example when Shirley says ‘Good the inverse… nice use of language’, and on
example, the pupil question in final dialogue ‘Which one was best?’.
Models prompts and body language: Pupils have adopted some of Shirley’s prompts in their group work, for
• A range of gestures including nodding and rotating the hand.
confidence to think his idea through aloud.
explains his answer on the board, Shirley encourages continuation using the word ‘right’ whilst nodding, giving him the
• Verbal prompts such as ‘Can you just tell me what the equation is that you’re talking about?’. Also, where Byron
Cues and prompts to encourage continuation, for example:
majority of pupils are unable to offer responses. Both lead to more extended responses in whole class talk which follows.
for higher order questions that all of the class will find difficult, as well as wait time which she brings into play where the
Wait time of different types and length. Shirley makes use of planned extended wait time (2 or 3 minutes), particularly
Strategies used to trigger and sustain dialogue
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Handout 7.6 cont.
Handout 7.7
Ready for more?
• Observe several lessons across your department to identify the characteristics of effective
dialogue which:
– feature strongly and the strategies used to achieve them;
– are absent or might be improved.
Use the observation template on handout 7.5 and the cards on handout 7.4 as prompts
for this analysis.
• Having identified the strengths and weaknesses of classroom dialogue across the
department, identify one feature of dialogue you wish to improve.
Use handout 7.8 to highlight the features you have chosen (shown across the top of the
matrix). Work together to agree and tick the different strategies you could use to develop
the aspect of dialogue you want to improve.
• Identify one feature of dialogue you wish to improve across the department, e.g. ‘Dialogue
is reciprocal, i.e. pupils respond to and build on what others have said.’ Work together as a
department to identify strategies you could use to develop this aspect of dialogue. Use
handout 7.8 to support this planning.
Choose two or three strategies which, as a department, you believe will help to develop
dialogue then plan, teach and review a sequence of lessons to trial them.
• Ask your pupils to consider the features of effective dialogue and work with them to identify
those which, if developed, might improve their learning.
Use handout 7.8 to identify and record those strategies that can help the pupils to develop
the features of dialogue they have identified for improvement. Agree which are largely
dependent on advanced planning for their success and which are more reliant on seizing of
opportunities during the lesson. Use this information to collaboratively plan, teach and
review a sequence of lessons.
Be mindful of which professional development activities are most likely to support this
(see slide 7.4).
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Unit 7: Questioning and dialogue
© Crown copyright 2005
Handout 7.8
Pupils reprocess their thinking
as a result of dialogue
Pupils demonstrate higher
levels of thinking
Pupils are willing to challenge
each other’s ideas in a
constructive way
Pupils are willing to take risks
by sharing partial
understanding
Pupil contributions are
well-developed sentences
or phrases
Dialogue is reciprocal, i.e.
pupils respond to and build on
what others have said
Pattern of dialogue is
‘basketball’ rather than
‘ping pong’
Teacher strategies
Teacher talk does not overdominate the dialogue
Features of
effective
dialogue
Everyone is engaged with the
dialogue
Strategies for promoting classroom dialogue
Rich questions
Big questions
Higher-order thinking questions
Questions linked to resources
or tasks
Peer discussion following a
question
Wait time after a teacher question
Wait time after a pupil response
Varying length of wait time
No hands-up questioning
Using wrong/partially correct
answers to prompt responses
Negotiating whether answers
are right or wrong and why
Pausing to survey
Eavesdropping on group dialogue
Cue pupils using gestures
and prompts
Model prompts and body language
to encourage continuation
Acknowledge where pupils
demonstrate effective dialogue
Group-work strategies
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Whole-school development in assessment for learning Presenter’s Notes
© Crown copyright 2005