Mod 9 Discussion: Oral Language Support in My Classroom

Some key principles for academic discussion that I could focus on in my classroom include more partner response with the implementation of sentence starters to frame ideas and prompt students into an academic response. Students may quickly share ideas on how to solve the math problem but when using sentence starters it promotes the use of academic language in their conversation. It's one thing to tell your partner I just multiplied and added to get my answer, it shows deeper understanding to be able to explain why you chose those steps and how it got you to the correct answer.The specific wording of sentence frames can guide students to think in a more analytical or critical way. It is important to demonstrate to students how to add to a conversation, ask clarifying questions and use subject-specific vocabulary accurately. 

As the teacher I would circulate the room to facilitate discussions, prompt, and generally oversee their conversations. With the intention that over time and with consistent practice these frames will assist the students having these academic discussions independently.