Se)ng the Stage for Produc6ve Math Discussions Focus Ques6ons Why is student talk important to math learning? What are some barriers to discussion in math class? How do we build a classroom culture that encourages produc6ve discussion? What math should we be talking about? How can we facilitate discussion AND make progress toward instruc6onal goals? Posi6ve Outcomes from Math Talk Increase student learning Mo6vate students Reveal understanding, or misunderstandings Support academic language development Create connec6ons between concepts and representa6ons ShiP the mathema6cal authority from the teacher to the community 1
Barriers to Discussion At your table: What barriers to produc6ve student talk have you seen in your classroom? Think about both student barriers and teacher barriers! Building a classroom culture around discussion Step 1: Place value on discussion norms, not just on ge)ng it right Discussion skills must be taught explicitly, and take prac6ce! Create an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect Use group structures to teach norms of interac6on Ques6on for reflec6on: How do your students know that you value discussion? Discussion norms Everyone par6cipates One person speaks at a 6me Focus on the speaker Speak loud enough to be heard Use polite language at all 6mes Use the math vocabulary Ask ques6ons h]ps://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/sor6ng- classifying- equa6ons- overview 2
8/6/13 Building a classroom culture Step 2: Help students clarify and share their own thoughts Provide classroom supports to help students express their thinking and use the math vocabulary: Sentence starters Word Walls Ques6on stems Visual Models Structured group/partner talk Building a classroom culture Step 3: Help students orient to the thinking of other students Provide structure that supports hearing what was said, and the expecta6on that all students will try to understand what was said Use ques6oning and revoicing to facilitate: Can you tell me what just said? Can someone say that another way? Can anyone add on to that? 3
What math should we talk about? If we want students to have meaningful discussions about math, we have to give them something to talk about! Tasks with mul6ple pathways to solu6ons Tasks that lead to generaliza6ons or connec6ons Tasks that are rigorous S- Pa]ern Task Read the task. Ques6ons? 5 minutes individual think 6me In a group of 4, discuss all approaches to the problem. Encourage everyone to understand every group member s solu6on method. How to facilitate discussion AND move the math forward There is a misconcep9on that the shi: toward the use of classroom discourse in teaching mathema9cs means that the teacher simply presents the problem and then stands aside while students discuss and solve it This percep9ons severely underrates the complexity of the teachers role in classroom discourse. Stein, C. Let s Talk:Promo6ng Mathema6cal Discourse in the Classroom. Mathema9cs Teacher 101.4 (July 2007):285-289 4
The teacher s role in student discussion An6cipate student responses and strategies Plan guiding/assessing ques6ons to aid or extend work Monitor student work Decide when and how to share new informa6on Select and sequence responses Allow student thinking to shape discussion Explore incorrect solu6ons Use talk moves to press for reasoning Draw connec6ons and summarize Planning for effec6ve talk An6cipate student responses and strategies Consider different approaches students might take to the task Plan for common mistakes or misconcep6ons Plan guiding/assessing ques6ons to aid or extend work Reduces the need to rely on improvisa6on Plan high- level ques6ons (can use Bloom s for stems) Monitor student work Listen to student talk, observe strategies Prepare students for group sharing Decide when and how to reveal new informa6on or procedures Rule of thumb: Ask, don t tell. Provide a counterexample or hypothe6cal case Moving the Math forward Select and sequence responses Select student work to be shared that will bring out dis6nct elements of the work Sequence responses to build community knowledge and promote connec6ons between different representa6ons Allow student thinking to shape discussion Students should ques6on one another Press for explana6ons, clarifica6on Explore incorrect solu6ons Address common misconcep6ons, come to consensus 5
Moving the Math forward Use talk moves to press for reasoning Ask for evidence Challenge student thinking (Does that make sense?) Press for accurate use of vocabulary and procedures Ask students to use more than one strategy Draw connec6ons and summarize Establish connec6ons between different representa6ons Recall previous tasks and compare and contrast solu6on paths What does produc6ve math talk look and sound like? Video What were the norms for discussion in this classroom? What classroom structures were in place to support student discussion? What did the teacher do to facilitate discussion? h]ps://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/conjecture- lesson- plan How will you Set the Stage for Produc6ve Math Discussion in your classroom? Before school starts think about structure, choose norms, find tasks, plan ques6ons What materials/resources do you need? h]p://www.illustra6vemathema6cs.org/ h]p://map.mathshell.org/materials/tasks.php h]p://insidemathema6cs.org/index.php/common- core- standards Find a partner, PLC, or coach to share ideas and encouragement! 6