Promoting Productive and Equitable Conversations

Conversation Cues are questions teachers can ask students to promote productive and equitable conversation based on four goals:

Goal 1: encourage all students to talk and be understood;
Goal 2: listen carefully to one another and seek to understand;
Goal 3: deepen thinking; and
Goal 4: think with others to expand the conversation.

Across the year, Conversation Cues are introduced into the EL Education K-8 Language Arts Curriculum one goal at a time. In this context, Conversation Cues slowly build the capacity for all students to engage in rich, collaborative discussions, thus helping to level the playing field and establish equity. Gradually, students should be expected to lead productive, equitable conversations independently with the help of Conversation Cues, modeling, and practice.

Use Conversation Cues as often as possible to gradually release thinking and expression of ideas to students; avoid using Conversation Cues as a way of searching for the “right” answer. When students struggle to create productive and equitable conversation during Turn and Talk or Think-Pair-Share protocols, Conversation Cues can make a difference. Ample opportunity for productive and equitable conversation is an important part of the process of acquiring literacy skills for any student. For English language learners (ELLs)/multilingual learners, these conversations are also critical to overall language acquisition.

Goal 1 Conversation Cues are a good place to begin promoting both productivity and equity because they ensure students have ample think-time and encourage students to voice their thinking. Therefore, Goal 1 sets the stage for deeper Goals 2–4 Conversation Cues later in the year. Since a primary goal of Goal 1 Conversation Cues is to allow time for students to think and write or sketch before they respond, consider providing students with a thinking journal or scrap paper. (Assure students that this paper will not be graded; however, consider inviting students to track their notes as a way to gauge the progress of their conversation and thinking skills.)

In Grades K–2, various charts supporting collaboration and conversation are posted according to the needs of the module lessons. Select Conversation Cues are embedded into these charts at strategic points for student use. In Grades 3–8, select Conversation Cues are gradually embedded into the Discussion Norms anchor chart posted throughout the module lessons for student use.

See the sections included below for the complete set of Conversation Cues.

Modeling Productive and Equitable Conversations

To maximize Conversation Cues, particularly Goals 3 and 4, consider modeling productive and equitable conversations whole-class and with individual student volunteers in front of the whole class before releasing students to have their own conversations independently. Note this sample Grade 5 conversation from Module 3, Athlete Leaders of Social Change, Unit 2, Lesson 9, after Conversation Cues Goal 4 was introduced. The teacher is supporting students to build their ideas about the choice an author made when writing this sentence about an athlete’s factors for success: “There were many factors that led to Rickey’s success, but it was support from others in baseball that was most important.” which occurred The teacher employs a range of Goals 1-3 Conversation Cues (bolded) to support students in having a conversation.

Teacher: What if I replace “but” with “and”? “And” is also a conjunction. How would “and” change the meaning? I’ll give you some time to think. Emma, you want to go for it? (Teacher points to Conversation Cues Goals 3 and 1 on the Discussion Norms anchor chart.)

Emma: It is adding on to the, like, the idea, of the first (part of the) sentence?

Teacher: Can anyone repeat or rephrase what Emma just said? (Goal 2)

Santiago: It would have the same idea as the first two chunks (of the sentence).

Teacher: “And” would have the same idea as the first two chunks. Two connecting, same ideas. So how does “but” change that for me? Jazmin? (Back to Goal 3 from beginning of conversation)

Jazmin: “But” would change it.

Teacher: Can you say more about that, Jazmin? (Goal 1)

Jazmin: It would change it because “but” would say there are many things happening, but this is the one.

Teacher: Does anyone want to add something else to that? (Goal 4)

Daniel: “But” is saying this is the main thing happening. (exchange continues)

Classroom roles begin to shift when teachers use Conversation Cues. Teachers become “facilitator” of the conversation, rather than “driver.” They can enjoy getting to know students and their ideas, rather than searching for “right” answers. English language learners are invited to be a participant in the conversation: expressing their thinking (e.g., “ ‘But’ would change it.”); deepening their ideas (e.g., “ ‘but’ would say there are many things happening, but this is the one.”); and refining thinking as a group (e.g., “’But” is saying this is the main thing happening.”). Here are some moves teachers can make to support students to independently have productive, equitable conversations:

provide students with Conversation Cues table placemats for reference
encourage students to select one or two Cues to experiment with during each conversation
monitor student progress with Conversation Cues using observational checklists
provide students with opportunities for metacognitive reflection: How did Conversation Cues help you have a productive, equitable conversation? What’s one Conversation Cue you will try to use more, and why?