In Case Study 1 the first grade students were learning about geometric shapes, triangles in particular. The teacher, Mrs. Sigler, gives the students a task of sorting different geometric shapes. However she notices that one group has only put equilateral triangles in the group designated for triangles. She points to the other triangles and asks the students why they have not put those in the triangle group. They respond by saying they are not triangles because they do not look like the picture of the triangle on the poster (which is an equalateral triangle). She continues to talk to them and they give her explanations as to what a triangle is. They say “It’s short and fat and looks just right,” and “They’re flat on the bottom”. She then proceeds to do a number of things with the triangles and the students all give her explanations relating back to the poster. This talk with the students helps the teacher understand why they were not seeing all the triangles, just the equilateral ones. In her classroom she has only provided one example of a triangle and some of her students see that as the only way you can have a triangle. The image of the triangle becomes more important then the definition of what a triangle is. The next day she decides to do a different activity where she hopes the students can learn more about the definition rather then just the image. She provides them with three strips of paper and has them make triangles. Then they have a class discussion to talk about why they are triangles. She uses a couple different talk moves during her discussion. She repeats what students are saying, has other students repeat what students are saying, and most importantly gives the students time to come up with their response. Through the student talk the teacher was able to get a clearer understanding of what her students were thinking about and how they were drawing on certain conclusions.
I think student talk is important, especially in this case, because it showed the teacher the gaps in her students knowledge. It showed her that her students did not understand the concept that there are different types of triangles. The teacher will get a better understanding of the abilities of her students by letting them talk. I think it is also important in a situation like this not to discredit a student's answer. Telling them they are wrong could discourage them from volunteering in the future. Also by hearing a few students talk showed her that more than one student was not understanding the material and that she needed to come up with a different approach.
ReplyDeletepersonally this is exactly how I learn, which is another reason why I chose this as the talk move I liked the best as well. I have to hear many perspectives sometimes before I feel ready enough to come up with my own answers or explanations, and asking students if they agree or disagree provided opportunities for students in the class to do just that! Listening is a great way to learn too and this talk moves supports that a lot.
ReplyDelete