Lopez - Science Talk in the Classroom

Student discourse in a Science classroom enables teachers to understand their students' prior knowledge, if students understand a concept or are reciting from memory a definition, word, or phrase related to the concept, and perhaps most importantly, allows students to think aloud and process what they are learning. A teacher's role in this discourse should be to help make students' thinking visible, refine or revoice students' ideas, probe for clarification, and press students for deeper meaning or connections beyond recitation. Teachers should also create a safe space for students to engage in meaningful discourse about Science ideas and teach students how to have these conversations with each other.

I felt very challenged by these articles to really evaluate the types of conversations that we have in my fifth grade classroom. I often use I-R-E to evaluate students' understanding in class discussions and monitoring independent or partner work, and then am frustrated when students are not able to apply their knowledge to a new context, or a question that is phrased differently. Reading these articles was really eye-opening as to how I should be leading the discussions that challenges students to be able to explain ideas in different contexts. I would love to have a classroom that operated in this way and where students were interested in pressing or probing each others' ideas as well. I can also see how this would be a natural structure when paired with the phenomenon question or anchoring events.

I struggle with how to allow space for these conversations and dialogue and discussion and still make sure that all of the standards that are expected to be learned are by the end of a school year. I already feel like I don't have enough class time and that's without allowing space and time for these conversations. I also think there would be learning curve for me as the facilitator. I think it would be really helpful to be able to observe teachers who use these skills in their classroom each day. I particularly think I would struggle with the right balance of higher cognitive demand questions that aren't inaccessible for students, but also not erring on the side of too simple. However, I think that I will try to be more intentional in encouraging this sort of discourse as opposed to simply having students recite definitions or science vocabulary.