Facilitating Meaningful Discussion Groups in the Primary Grades. (4th June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Moses, Lindsey; Ogden, Meridith; Beth Kelly, Laura
• Is Part Of: Reading teacher. Volume 69:Number 2(2015:Oct.)
• Page Start: 233
• Page End: 237
• Publication Date: 2015-06-04
• Subjects: Reading (Elementary) -- Periodicals; Reading -- Periodicals; Reading -- Remedial teaching -- Periodicals; 372.405
• DOI: 10.1002/trtr.1392
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0034-0561

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="trtr1392-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>This Teaching Tips describes a yearlong process of facilitating meaningful discussion groups about literature with first‐grade students in an urban Title I school. At the beginning of the year, the teacher provided explicit instruction in speaking and listening skills to support students with the social skills needed for thoughtful discussion. She established whole‐group discussions as a forum for sharing thinking and new knowledge, engaging in dialog about books, and recommending books to friends. Building on this foundation, the class moved to small‐group discussions. The article details three different types of discussion groups: informational texts and sharing learning; Mo Willems author study and sharing responses to humor; and Jon Klassen author study and sharing inferences supported by textual evidence. This article shares how first grade students took up discussion opportunities to engage in critical thinking and dialog about books.</p> </abstract>