Dialogue by Design
Off-task conversations can disrupt classroom instruction and constantly challenge teachers and their overall classroom management. While there are many effective routines for regaining the class’s attention and refocusing students on the lesson at hand, the most effective approaches are proactive. Talking and social learning are developmentally appropriate, especially for school-age learners (Wood, 2018). One of the most impactful strategies to minimize off-task, disruptive talking is to incorporate more intentional dialogue within lesson plans. This article outlines an easy-to-follow, five-step process to successfully increase discussion-centered activities in the classroom. By increasing students’ opportunities to respond and structuring their conversations around their learning, you are minimizing off-task behavior and meeting their developmental need to engage in conversation.
References
Wood, C. (2015). Yardsticks: Children in the classroom, ages 4-14. Center for Responsive Schools, Inc.
