LISTENING AND TALKING

STRATEGIES

Pair talk

• Easy to organise• Ideal for promoting high levels of

participation• Ideal for quick-fire reflection and

review

Pairs to fours

• Pupils work together in pairse.g. friendship, boy-girl

• Each pair joins up to make four• Quick and easy to organise• Good for explaining and comparing

ideas

Listening triads

• Pupils work in groups of three• Roles are allocated: speaker, questioner

and recorderSpeaker: explains or comments on an

issueQuestioner: prompts and seeks clarificationRecorder: makes notes and reports at end

of discussion

Envoys

• Once groups have carried out a task, one person from each group is selected as an envoy.

• The envoy moves to a new group to explain and summarise, and to find out what the new group thought, decided or achieved.

• The envoy then returns to the original group and feeds back.

• This is an effective way of avoiding repetitive ‘reporting back’ sessions.

Snowball

• Pairs discuss an issue or brainstorm some initial ideas.

• Pairs double to fours and continue the process and prioritise the list.

• Fours double to eights in order to compare ideas and to sort out the best or to agree on a course of action.

• Finally, the whole class is drawn together and spokesperson for each group of eight feeds back ideas.

• A useful strategy to promote more public discussion and debate.

Rainbow groups

• Children work in a small group (four) to discuss an issue or brainstorm some initial ideas.

• After discussion pupils in each group are given a number, playing card or colour.

• Pupils from all groups with the same colour, playing card or number join up to make new groups.

• The new groups contain representatives from each original group.

• In their new groups pupils report back on their original group’s work.

• Groups can perhaps begin to work on a new combined task.

Jigsaw

• Divide your topic into different areas for research purposes.

• In home groups of four or five, pupils are allocated a section each.

• They then regroup into expert groups.• The expert groups work together on their allocated

section before returning to their home group to report back on their areas of expertise.

• The home group is then set a task which requires the pupils to use the different areas of expertise for a joint outcome.

• Although this strategy involves advance planning, it is a very effective strategy for ensuring participation of all.

Spokesperson

• Each group appoints a spokesperson.• The spokesperson reports to class for the

whole group.

AVOIDING REPETITION• One group gives a full feedback, and

others offer additional points only if they have not been covered.

• Each group is asked in turn to offer one new point until every group passes.

Carousel

• Children work in small groups to generate several different ideas.

• By rotating around each different station they can add their ideas, looking to add something different each time.

• When they return to their original station they will realise that many more ideas have been generated

• Groups can then review their new lists and discuss the different suggestions.

Eliciting the features of argument

What makes a good argument?

ReasonsPersuasive language

Facts

Evidence

To support your ideas

Good collaboration

Co-operation

What makes good group

work?

Listening

Sharing your opinions

Good body language

Looking at the speaker, nodding, smiling

Paying full attention

Waiting to speakUsing positive language even if you disagree

Argument prompts

• Why do you think that?• What is your reason for that?• Can you think of another argument for

your view?• Can you think of an argument against your

view?• How do you know?• What is your evidence?• Is there another argument for what you

believe?

Content of argument

My idea is…

The evidence to support my idea is…

This evidence supports my idea because…

Arguments against my idea are…

I would convince someone who doesn’t believe me by…

Extended argument• There is a lot of discussion about whether…

• The people who agree with this idea claim that…

• They also argue that…

• A further point they make is…

• However, there are also strong arguments or evidence against this view. They believe that…

• Furthermore they claim that…

• After looking at different points of view and the evidence I think that…