Academic Discourse in the Classroom

Lesson 1

Section 1: Instructional Content

Lesson Delivery: What is academic discussion?

Discussion Board Reflection: Reflection on your use of academic discussion in past lessons.

Section 2: Instructional Content

Lesson Delivery: Planning for academic discussion.

Discussion Board Reflection: Analyze a lesson that can be modified to include explicit academic discussions.

Section 3 Instructional Content

Lesson Delivery: The purpose of academic discussion.

Discussion Board Reflection: Consider an upcoming lesson and plan the purpose of your discussion.

Section 4 Instructional Content

Lesson Delivery: Common discussion models.

Discussion Board Reflection: Choose a common discussion model that aligns with your purpose.

Section 5 Instructional Content

Lesson Delivery: Crafting the right questions for discussion.

Discussion Board Reflection: Plan your questions that will be used as starting prompts for your academic discussion.

Section 6 Instructional Content

Lesson Delivery: Preparing for your students for discussion.

Discussion Board Reflection: Plan the lesson content and other prior knowledge required for students before the discussion can take place.

Section 7 Instructional Content

Lesson Delivery: Planning your resources for students to access to facilitate discussion.

Discussion Board Reflection: List the resources that will be available to your students for their upcoming discussion.

Section 8 Instructional Content

Lesson Delivery: Supporting and engaging students during discussion.

Discussion Board Reflection: Plan your supporting questioning prompts and other scaffolds, and engagement methods during the discussion.

Section 9 Instructional Content

Lesson Delivery: Planning the student opportunities for reflection after discussion.

Discussion Board Reflection: Create reflection questions and activities for students to complete after their discussions.

Section 10 Instructional Content

Lesson Delivery: Evaluating an exemplar discussion.

Discussion Board Reflection: Build a checklist of items to look for as you plan your own exemplar discussion.

Putting it All Together

Action Plan: Design a comprehension lesson plan that includes student academic discussion as a main component of learning.

Applying What You Have Learned

Get ideas on how to implement the concepts into your classroom, find a list of online resources that support academic discussions, and read the research behind student discourse that supports this evidence-based professional development.