Release the Control! Using Conversation as a Comprehension Tool

It is possible that there is a little bit of a “control freak” in all teachers. We like our worlds organized, colorful, labeled, tidy, and neat. We like fanciful borders and desks aligned “just so.” We like to play dictator (albeit a nice one) to our class, as they should stop, sit, turn-and-talk, listen, line up, and complete any number of commands upon our request. In our minds, a class that is listening attentively during reading instruction, with a teacher presenting a creative, tidy lesson at the whiteboard, is a class that is learning at their fullest potential.

We are wrong. 

Influential teachers release control; they understand that conversation fosters meaning-making, and with conversation comes noise. Embrace the noise! Discourse does not equate to chaos; discourse surrounding a book equates to a deepening understanding. Influential teachers do not stand in front of the classroom and present; rather, they sit with children and facilitate. Do you want to be an influential teacher? If you just nodded, read on to learn how you can incorporate discussions into your classroom in order to maximize engagement, motivation, and reading comprehension.

Step One: Understand the Facts

• The Transactional Literature Discussion Model, a model that encourages students to read, write, and respond to whole books, lends itself to creating an environment that encourage students to spontaneously discuss literature and become actively involved in the meaning making process (Dugan, 1997).
• Students of all academic tracks can meet high academic demands when discussion-based pedagogy ensues (Moller, 2004; Applebee et al., 2003).
• Collaboration can lead to higher overall achievement on large-scale test scores (Fall et al., 2000).

Step Two: Recognize the Benefit of Literature Circles

Literature circles can be an excellent tool to motivate reluctant readers (the students who are sleeping while you are playing dictator) and promote engagement. Here are the top reasons why you should consider literature circles in your classroom (Dugan, 1997; Moller 2004):

Literature circles allow for…

• an increase in student engagement despite reading ability level
• a deepening understanding of a text through social-interactions
• a burgeoning desire to further explore concepts
• an increase in self-awareness as a reader
• an escalation of community membership
• a rise in story-structure based dialogue
• a higher level of willingness to ask questions and seek assistance in clarifying ideas.

Step Three: Create a Positive Atmosphere

Teachers, you MUST promote a classroom environment that allows for an appreciation of literature through spontaneous response and peer acceptance (Dugan, 1997; Moller, 2004). 
Check the following steps off your “To Do” list:

• Promote student differences and varying opinions! In order to promote risk-taking during discussions, which allows for the exchanging of ideas and background knowledge, and thus higher-level thinking, students must feel comfortable and accepted.
• Consider all students capable members of the literature circle. Struggling readers may require accommodations and consistent scaffolding, but they can become adept at contributing to and enriching group discussions.
• Provide meaningful reading activities and discussion opportunities TO STUDENTS OF ALL ACADEMIC LEVELS in order to promote active participation and position in the classroom’s social world (Moller, 2004; Fall et al., 2000).
• Create heterogeneous groups! Students should be in an environment where they can both learn from and aid others.

Step Four: The Build Up

Effective literacy teachers are able to recognize the needs of individual students and offer support. Struggling readers can become active members of a heterogeneous literature circle. Guide them, support them, and encourage them:

• Build up their responses during discussions. Don’t nod and move on. Add another block to the base of their idea!
• Prompt further explanations
• Design accommodations to assist students in completing reading and literature role assignments
• Offer frequent positive reinforcement and praise.
•  Remember, every child is capable of contributing to the success of literature-based discourse, as every child possesses a unique set of skills and background knowledge.

Step Five: Let It Go

Effective literacy teachers must remove themselves from the role of lecturer in order to become a facilitator, participant, and active listener, allowing students to assume the role of discussion leader (Moller, 2004; Applebee et al., 2003). I promise, gradually releasing control does not sting too much, and you will be amazed at the ensuing results! By doing so, students may:

• use open discussion opportunities to focus on sharing connections, experiences, and opinions,
• encourage others to speak and expand on ideas
• engage with significant issues within texts
• seek clarification of text structures from peers

Don’t worry, teachers, you still have important responsibilities. Don’t take a coffee break just yet!

If you want to be an effective literacy teacher, you must prioritize authentic questions, seeking tools to further explore and build upon understandings rather than assess basic comprehension skills. Remember, at any time, students’ envisionment of a story is a mixture of questions, hypotheses, understandings, and connections to prior knowledge and experience. Authentic questioning allows for discourse continuity and the exchange of multiple perspectives (Applebee et al., 2003). Don’t settle for “What he said,” “I agree with her,” thumbs up, and nodding heads!

Step Six: Read It, Write About It, Discuss It

Reading and writing are reciprocal processes. As an effective literacy teacher, you are going to encourage students to synthesize their understandings of literature and groups discussions through writing! Then, you’re going to give them the chance to participate in extended learning opportunities! Encourage them to explore concepts across multiple subjects. It will help your readers deepen their understanding of a topic.

Step Seven: Believe in Your Class and Yourself

Discourse in social learning environments has a significant, positive impact on student engagement with literature, student dissection and comprehension of literature, and student performance on assessments. Just remember:

• You can create a classroom environment that allows for discourse.
• You can become an effective literacy teacher!
• You can place high academic demands on students of all ability levels, provide rich instruction, discourse opportunities, and extended curricular activities to all students.
• You can decrease concentration on concrete, skill-based activities and task structures, so students can become interested in reading!
• You can promote rich classroom discussions to maximize engagement and motivation in the classroom, which in turn maximizes learning.
• You can make a difference in the lives of young readers!

Applebee, A. N., Langer, J. A., Nystrand, M., Gamoran, A. (2003). Discussion-based approaches

to developing understanding: Classroom instruction and student performance in middle

school and high school English. American Educational Research Journal, 40(3), 685-

730.

Dugan, J. (1997). Transactional literature discussions: Engaging students in the appreciation and

understanding of literature. Reading Teacher, 51(2), 86-96.

Fall et al., R., Webb, N. M., Chudowsky, N. (2000). Group discussions and large-scale language

arts assessment: Effects on student’s comprehension. American Educational Research

Journal, 37(4), 911-941.

Moller, K. J. (2004/2005). Creating zones of possibility for struggling readers: A study of

one fourth grader’s shifting roles in literature discussions. Journal of Literacy Research, 36, 419-460.

Cassidy, Kathy (photographer). 2006. Partner Reading (Image), Retrieved April 29, 2014, from

https://flic.kr/p/8B5LPe.