Disciplinary Literacy Virtual Library > Self-Paced Learning Modules

Module 4:  A Deeper Look at Productive Dialogue

Lessons are designed for educators wishing to increase their understanding of disciplinary literacy at their own pace.
Lesson 4.1:  Introduction—What Productive Dialogue?
Lesson 4.2:  Disciplinary Literacy in Action—Productive Dialogue
Lesson 4.3:  Strategies for Productive Dialogue in the Classroom
Lesson 4.4:  Planning for Productive Dialogue in Your Classroom
Lesson 4.5:  A Disciplinary Literacy Concept Map Revisited

Lesson 4:3:  Strategies for Productive Dialogue in the Classroom

Task 1: Getting Started with Productive Dialogue in the Classroom
Productive dialogue about content doesn’t just happen.  Teachers must structure classroom experiences to teach students how to talk appropriately about content. 

Below are some ideas to help you get started with productive dialogue in your classroom. 

View each strategy video and identify how this strategy will support students as they learn to have productive dialogue about content.
Wait Time provides “intellectual hang time” for student thinking.  Students must think about the content before they can talk productively about the content.  Providing space for thinking through wait time supports development of ideas for dialogue.
Sometimes students aren’t sure how to connect ideas with one another through dialogue.  Providing dialogue starters can help.  Two strategies that provide dialogue stems for students are:
As you incorporate productive dialogue into your classroom, it is important to establish a signal with students for returning attention to the teacher.  Some common signals used by teachers are an auditory signal (“clap twice if you can hear me” or a timer bell for attention or music that stops or starts when time is up), a visual signal (raised teacher hand for attention, lights off for attention, timer displayed with time limit), or verbal signal (“1-2-3, look at me!”).  Select a signal that matches your teaching style and establish this procedure with your class before they engage in productive dialogue.
Task 2: Strategies for Productive Dialogue
Explore the selection of Productive Dialogue Strategies in the Disciplinary Literacy Virtual Library.

Identify three strategies you might use in your classroom from the list provided. 

  • What makes the strategies you selected most interesting for you?
  • What elements of the selected strategies seem to be a fit for the students in your classroom?