Classroom Strategies for Encouraging Collaborative Discussion.

N

15

Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC.

T295005001

Bilingual Education; Classroom Communication; Classroom Techniques; Cooperation; Discussion (Teaching Technique); Elementary Secondary Education; English (Second Language); Language Styles; Questioning Techniques; Reading Skills; Second Language Instruction; Skill Development; Story Telling; Writing Skills

Classroom teaching methods and activities designed to encourage collaborative communication between teacher and students and among students in the English-as-a-second-language (ESL), bilingual, or mainstream class containing English language learners (ELLs) are presented. The approach is intended to reduce the teacher-controlled nature of interactions and promote active language use. Two verbal-interactive academic activities found to be especially effective in developing an environment for collaborative talk are described. The first is the use of classroom interaction methods involving ELL students in interaction not just as respondents but as active participants in the negotiation of meaning. Several ways of organizing verbal interaction are discussed and compared. The second method is the use of storytelling activities in which ELLs can take advantage of their own experiences and cultural traditions to develop "oracy" and literacy concepts and skills across the curriculum. Techniques the teacher can use to support ELLs' oral language development and link storytelling with other skill areas are offered. Contains 31 references and a list of 47 instructional resources for teachers. (MSE)

2000

ED435188