Thinking Together

How do we enable children to use language as a tool for thinking?

Purpose

To review the theory which underpins the research in classrooms at KS1, KS2 and KS3 and share some of the outcomes.

To consider how the thinking together project could be introduced into your schools.

The theory [potted] A socio-cultural explanation of cognitive development

rather than biological or individualistic.

‘Cognitive conflict’ motivates intellectual development and arises when children’s experience of the world differs from their understanding. [Piaget]

Language is ambiguous; therefore it is a powerful medium for creating new understanding. [Vygotsky]

Dialogue enhances intellectual development; intramental [individual] processes can be facilitated and accelerated by intermental [social] activity. [Vygotsky]

Observations of group talk

Social talk Non-involvement of individuals Over involvement of individuals Off-task Non-completion of task Disputes Cumulative talk

At the computerJenny: No [Katy goes to press delete]Annie: Now delete. Yeh. That’s it. And then nuh.

[Jenny pushes Katy’s hand out of the way. Colin pushes over and goes to press the key]

Colin: For God’s sake. [Jenny pushes Colin’s hand out of the way]

Katy: Stop it Colin. [Colin gets off stool]Colin: You’re not doing any of mine!Annie: Now space.Katy: I know. She’s just doing the title! Annie: Delete one of those spaces [Annie leans across

Jenny to press delete]Jenny [Still arguing with Colin] We’re meant to be

doing the title. It’s the title.Annie: Hang on. [Jenny pushes Annie’s arm up off the keyboard.

Disputational talkGur: 55Ari:Where?Gur: Look, it changed most rapidly in between here

and here. You see?Ari:Oh? It’s exactly the same.Gur: No, because see, it moves up.Ari:It goes up most rapidlyGur: So it’s from day 100Ari:To day 100Gur: No from day 100 to day…Ari:No, No, No.Gur: 2 hundred and sixtyAri:That’s not how you’re supposed to do it.

Cumulative talk

K: And I thought, my God.C: yehK: if I can see himC: he can see youK: and I don’t always just get undressed in my living roomC: [laughs]K: you know I mean OK I’m sure he’s notC: peepingK: peeping or anythingC: but heK: but it justC: you accidentally saw himK: that’s rightC: oh I don’t blame you I think it needs screening trees round it.

Fantabuloso

Katie: Okay, so right then. What shall we write?Anne: We can have something like those autograph columns and things

like that and items, messages.Katie: Inside these covers. Our fun-filled…Anne: That’s it!Katie: Something…Anne: Something like that!Katie: YeahAnne: Inside this fabulous fun-filled covers are – how can we have a fun-

filled cover? Let me try.Katie: Inside these…[laughs]Anne: You sound happy on this. Fantabuloso [laughs]Katie: Inside these inside these fant, inside these fun-filled, no inside

these covers these fantastic these brilliant…Anne: Brilliant.Katie: Is it brilliant?Anne: No.Katie: No. Fantast fantabuloso shall we put that?Anne: Yeah, fantabluloso

Exploratory talk Everyone engages critically but constructively

with each other’s ideas. Everyone shares relevant ideas, and

everyone’s ideas are treated as worth consideration.

Students ask each other questions and answer them. Reasons are given.

Ideas are challenged and counter challenged. Reasons are given.

When decisions are made, they are group decisions based on agreement.

Reasoning is ‘visible’ in the talk.

Children who took part in the Thinking Together project…

Began to use exploratory talk more often.

Became better at working and solving problems together.

Engaged in deeper and extended discussions.

Improved their individual scores on a test of reasoning

One teacher says

‘I constantly saw how much more thoughtful studentwork could be when the opportunity to talk had been given…the written work completed by [the thinking together] students was considerably fuller, more imaginative in their proposed solutions and the justification of their stance was more logically worked through. Indeed, in many the answers from the control group, there was little or no justification – answerswere much briefer and tended to be ‘gut’ reactions.’

Janet Brown: Stantonbury Campus.

A student says…

‘I’ve enjoyed these lessons greatly because it’s a lot better to me to discuss a group of people’s ideas and views on certain subjects, and then maybe write something up, because after hearing someone’s view, it may influence your view or views, and then you have a lot more to say when writing.’Atif Talakdar

Another teacher says…‘The children are talking more and asking questions…it has been good for those children who were less confident …one boy, who could achieve very little in writing has gained self esteem. Others view him differently because he is given the opportunity to talk about his ideas and the class have learned to view this as important as writing.’Amanda Rutherford – Lord Grey School

Introducing exploratory talk in your classroom

Raise the pupils’ awareness of the value of talk as a tool for thinking

Create and agree a set of ground rules for exploratory talk

Include talk specific objectives in targeted lesson plans

Model exploratory talk Evaluate the talk

Taking it further

Scaffold the talk Explicitly teach the features of

discussion

Discussion strategies adopted by teenagers

Case? A request for others to adopt a position on a particular case.

Position?: A request for others to state theirposition on an issue

Clarify. A clarification of speaker’s own argument in response to others’ preceding utterance

Discussion strategies adopted by adultsInterpret: A paraphrase of others’ preceding utterance,

accompanied by a critique.

Counter C: A disagreement with the partner's preceding utterance, accompanied by an alternative argument.

Counter A: A disagreement with others’ preceding utterance, accompanied by a critique.

Clarify? A request for others to clarify a preceding utterance.

For more information

n.m.mercer@open.ac.uk

http:/www.thinkingtogether.org.uk

Words and Minds: how we use language to think together by Neil Mercer