#2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. We chat every Tuesday night at 8 pm EST using #2ndaryELA. We'd love for you to join us!
Hello, everybody! Josh here from Blacksburg, VA. I teach 9th, 12th, and 12th dual enrollment (Brit lit survey). Excited for the chat tonight! #2ndaryela
Good evening #2ndaryela! I'm Jess (7th grade writing in Texas).
I haven't updated my blog in awhile (plan to this week), so here's a post from my students!
A1 I like the idea of arranging chairs in circles for seminars so everyone can see everybody and there won't be any distractions on the desks in front of Ss #2ndaryELA
A2 Respectful dialogue. 3 before me. Use the person's name who spoke before you and continue conversation. Use sticky notes to coach your pilot if they are silent/stuck. Attack ideas not people. #2ndaryela
A2: Listen while others speak. Be respectful. We can disagree and still be pleasant. Refer to textual evidence whenever possible. Ask for clarifying questions when needed. #2ndaryela
A2 To avoid anyone dominating the conversation, I'd suggest a possible time limit on responses (60-90 seconds maybe?) and everyone must speak up a handful of times #2ndaryELA
A2: they write the questions and are responsible for keeping the discussion going. They have question stems and discussion "continuers" to help. #2ndaryela
A2: Sentence starters for sure. Anyone who says something inappropriate has to leave and write an essay instead. Only happens once and no one misbehaves again #2ndaryela
I see your point. Maybe you start w/ Ss using their desks and as the year progresses, you eliminate the use of desks in seminars. That way Ss are hopefully growing in how comfortable they feel about seminars and feel safe to participate w/o their desk in front of them #2ndaryELA
I always ask for a volunteer to ask 1st question to start things off. I also set an expectation of students asking 1 of 2 questions they prepared and responding to 3 others #2ndaryELA
A3: I focus on the entire seminar process. Ss generate ?s in groups ahead of time, and I select from their list. I have my own, of course, when needed. Extra credit is offered for ?s chosen. Encourages high quality. #2ndaryela
A3: I teach essential questions at the beginning of the year and then they write the questions, though I always have a list of my own as well #2ndaryela
A4 I have a tracking sheet with columns for asking Qs, thoughtful response, used text evidence, etc so I can check off next to students' names #2ndaryELA
A4: I keep tallies for each quality contribution and note effective discussion behavior. I write furiously! Ss also track noteworthy peer contributions, which I take up at the end #2ndaryela
A3: I also talk about Bloom's Taxonomy and what higher-level questions look like to help Ss see the kinds of questions they should be writing themselves. #2ndaryela
A4: I tell them they must speak at least twice and keep track. If time is running out I encourage them to speak, if they don't, they can answer 2 Qs written. #2ndaryELA
A4: I tell Ss the 1st 10 mins will be a bit painful but to challenge themselves to speak up. After that they usually get things going and have fun with it #2ndaryela
A5: I assess by listening and observing. Are Ss using textual evidence or other support? Are Ss respectfully listening and responding? Ss tracking noteworthy elements helps assess too. Ss who have major anxiety about speaking write responses to the seminar #2ndaryela
A5 I use a check, check plus, check minus system for participation in the discussion. More important is the graphic organizer used to generate Qs before hand and reflection afterwards #2ndaryELA
A4: I don't require all to participate in the in class discussion. The seminar continues in Canvas afterwards and all must participate there #2ndaryela
A5: Up until tonight it was rather informal....it was more about if the group discussed the concepts and reached new ideas/concl. about the big ideas. #2ndaryELA
