Protocols for Classroom Talk

Classroom Protocols
This document contains several well-known protocols to facilitate rigorous
classroom discussions and engagement with content.

Contents
Admit and Exit Tickets ............................................................................................................... 2
Chalk Talk .................................................................................................................................. 3
Close Viewing ............................................................................................................................ 5
Dance Card ................................................................................................................................ 6
Fishbowl ..................................................................................................................................... 7
Jigsaw ........................................................................................................................................ 8
Philosophical Chairs .................................................................................................................. 9
Provocative Prompts ................................................................................................................ 10
Save the Last Word for ME ...................................................................................................... 11
Socratic Seminar ...................................................................................................................... 12
Text Rendering Experience ..................................................................................................... 16
The Constructivist Listening Dyad ........................................................................................... 17
The Final Word......................................................................................................................... 18
The Harvard ‘Project Zero’ Discussion Protocol .......................................................................... 20
Think-Pair-Share ...................................................................................................................... 21
Three Levels of Text Protocol .................................................................................................. 22
Turn and Talk ........................................................................................................................... 23
World Café ............................................................................................................................... 24

Admit and Exit Tickets
Purpose
At the end of class, students write on 3x5 cards or slips of paper an important idea they learned, a question they have,
a prediction about what will come next, a self-assessment of their own progress, or a thought about the lesson for
the day. Alternatively, students turn in such a response at the start of the next day—based on either the learning from
the day before or the previous night’s homework. These quick writes can be used to assess students’ knowledge, or
to make decisions about next teaching steps or points that need clarifying. This reflection helps students to focus as
they enter the classroom, or solidifies learning before they leave.
Materials
3x5 cards, sticky notes, or half sheets of paper with teacher-chosen material copied onto them
Writing utensils
Procedure
1. For 3–5 minutes at the end of class (or at the start of the next one), have students jot responses to the reading or
lesson on 3x5 cards, or on a simple assessment you have designed.
2. Keep the response options simple, e.g., “Jot down one thing you learned and one question you have.”
3. Don’t let the cards become a grading burden. Glance over them for a quick assessment and to help you with planning
for next learning needs. These are simple, quick writes, not final drafts.
4. After studying the “deck,” you might pick out a few typical/unique/thought-provoking cards to spark discussion.
5. Cards could be typed up, anonymously if desired, to share with the whole group so they can help with summariz -
ing, synthesizing, or looking for important ideas. It is a good idea to let students know ahead of time that this will
be done, as they may put more effort into the write-up. When typing, edit for spelling and grammar.
Variations
3-2-1: Have students write three of something, two of something, then one of something. For example, students
might explain three things they learned, two areas in which they are confused, and one thing about which they’d like
to know more or one way the topic can be applied. The criteria for listing items are up to the needs of the
teacher and the lesson, but it’s important to make the category for listing three items easier than the category for
listing one.
| Language Arts Curriculum 4

Chalk Talk
Purpose
A Chalk Talk is a written protocol in which students respond in writing, in a central place (such as a piece of chart
paper), to an important, open-ended question—silently. It is a way to promote discussion and awareness of issues,
perspectives, or academic challenges. Chalk Talks bypass the social roadblocks that often impede classroom commu -
nication, and ensure that all voices are heard. A Chalk Talk is also an excellent way to promote awareness of patterns
and problems, as students reflect on the information they have shared.
Materials
Chart paper
Markers (to write questions in bold letters on chart paper)
Colored writing utensils, one per student
Optional: sticky notes
Anchor chart for protocol norms
Procedure
1. Formulate one or more important, open-ended questions that will provoke comments and responses.
2. Write the questions or topics on separate pieces of chart paper in bold marker. Post the charts on the wall or on
desks so that all students have ready access to them.
3. Give each student a different-colored pencil or marker.
4. Explain the Chalk Talk protocol and answer any student questions.
5. Set up norms for the Chalk Talk.
6. This technique works only if everyone is writing and responding throughout the designated time period and remains
silent throughout.
7. Make it clear that everyone is responsible for writing a comment, reading others’ comments, and responding to at
least one to three comments on every chart paper.
8. No one should sit down until the time period is over.
9. Opinions must be freely expressed and honored. No personal attacks are allowed.
10. Comments should be thoughtful and further the discussion.
11. Allow 10 to 20 minutes for the Chalk Talk. It’s helpful to walk around, read, and gently point students to interest -
ing comments. All writing and responding is done in silence.
12. Search for patterns. In pairs, students should read through all the postings, search for patterns and themes (or
“notice and wonder”), and record those patterns on a piece of paper. This part takes about 5 minutes and is not
silent.
13. Conduct a whole-group share. Pairs should report out patterns and themes, round-robin style, until all perceptions
are shared.
Variations
Have students write on and post sticky notes instead of responding directly on the chart paper, so chart paper can
be reused for multiple classes if needed.
| Language Arts Curriculum 11

Adding an element of optional text coding (e.g., students placing a star next to comments they agree with or a
question mark on comments they don’t understand) can deepen the written discussion.
Technological versions of Chalk Talk (such as commenting on a teacher-owned blog) may further students’ interest
and engagement. However, bear in mind that switching the format of Chalk Talk to a technological forum will
require different guidelines, routines, and piloting to proactively plan for possible challenges.
References
Adapated from: Original © by Hilton Smith, Foxfire Fund; adapted by Marylyn Wentworth
| Language Arts Curriculum 12

Close Viewing
Purpose
This protocol helps students focus on the details in a picture, photograph, or illustration in an effort to add to their
growing understanding on a given text or topic. It is designed to provide time for students to talk through their ideas
with a partner before writing or drawing about them independently.
Materials
Picture, photograph, or illustration
Procedure
1. Direct students to zoom in on one part of the image.
2. Have students look closely at the details in that part of the image.
3. Invite students to think about what they can learn or infer from these details.
4. Have students turn to an elbow partner and talk about the details they noticed and what they have learned or
inferred from these details.
5. Invite students to draw and/or write a note about the details they noticed.
6. Repeat steps 1–5 with additional images.
Variations
To focus pair interaction or to stimulate a specific type of thinking, consider providing a sentence stem for step 4.
Use this protocol as a kickoff to a module in order to spark student interest.
This protocol can also be used with artifacts/realia.
| Language Arts Curriculum 13

Dance Card
Purpose
Dance Card sets up students with multiple, but consistent, partners for work across a unit, reducing the amount of
energy and work it takes for the teacher to assign partners. It allows students autonomy and choice in whom they
pick for partner work. Students of all ages are familiar with the idea of partnering off for dancing, although teachers
may wish to explain the metaphor of the historical “dance card.”
Materials
Three index cards per student, each in a different color, easily distinguishable from the others
Recording form for Dance Card names (to be kept throughout the module; one per student)
Procedure
1. Give the three colored index cards to each student. Students write their name on each card.
2. At your signal to “dance,” students find one partner to trade their blue card with. This pair becomes blue “dance
card” partners. Then direct students to do the same with their red card, green card, etc. (or whatever colors are
being used). Optionally, for fun or to fill a need for movement, students can “dance” over to do their trade, do a
quick dance after the trade (e.g., the chicken dance), or you can play music during this transition. Remind students
that they can only pair up together for one of their colors. They must end up with as many different partners
as they have colored index cards.
3. Once all rounds are complete, students fill in the recording sheet with the names of their three different partners.
4. At the end of the protocol, each student has different partners for discussion to be used repeatedly, but with variety,
throughout the unit. When it is time for students to pair up, you can direct them to their “blue dance partner,”
“red dance partner,” and so on.
Variations
This protocol can involve any number of partners. Colors are used for ease of repeating the protocol, but you may
choose to add names to the dance cards (e.g., “Sudanese desert”; “the refugee camp”; “the box car”) pertinent to
the unit of study. If you wish to pre-assign a partnership for any reason, fill out two cards of matching color with
the names you want matched and give them to the appropriate students before the dancing begins.
| Language Arts Curriculum 15

Fishbowl
Purpose
The fishbowl is a peer-learning strategy in which some students are in an outer circle and one or more are in the
center. In all fishbowl activities, both those in the inner and those in the outer circles have roles to fulfill. Students in
the center model a particular practice or strategy. The outer circle acts as observers and may assess the interaction
of the center group. Fishbowls can be used to assess comprehension, to assess group work, to encourage constructive
peer assessment, to discuss issues in the classroom, or to model specific techniques such as literature circles or
Socratic Seminars.
Materials
Chairs or desks for each student arranged in two concentric circles
Checklist or reflection questions for the outer circle students, depending on the instructional need
Procedure
1. Arrange chairs in the classroom in two concentric circles. The inner circle may be only a small group or even
partners.
2. Explain the activity to the students and ensure that they understand the roles they will play.
3. You may either inform those that will be on the inside ahead of time, so they can be prepared or just tell them as the
activity begins. This way everyone will come better prepared.
4. The group in the inner circle interacts using a discussion protocol or the “script” of a role play.
5. Give each student in the outer circle a list of aspects of group interaction they should silently observe and comment
on—for example, whether the group members use names to address each other, take turns, or let everyone’s
voice be heard.
6. Make sure all students have turns being in both the inside and the outside circle at some point, though they don’t all
have to be in both every time you do a Fishbowl activity.
Variations
Each person in the outside circle can have one opportunity during the fishbowl to freeze or stop the inside students.
This person can then ask a question or share an insight.
Have each student in the outer circle observe one student in the inner circle (you may have to double, triple, or
quadruple up)— for example, tallying how many times the student participates or asks a question.
| Language Arts Curriculum 17

Jigsaw Description
Adapted from the work of Spencer Kagan, Resources for Teachers, San Juan Capistrano, CA.
The purpose of Jigsaw is shared learning. Members of a group become “experts” in a particular area of a
mutual pursuit and share their learning/ research with the other group members. It is also used when a lot
of learning needs to happen in a short time. Chapters of books can be split up, various approaches to the
same outcome can be researched, different experiments with the same materials can be conducted, different
viewpoints on the same issue can be studied, and the results shared. This is effective for students or adults.
There are several ways this can happen:
Within Team Jigsaw
Each member of a team/group works independently to master a portion of a topic or skill. When each
team member has completed the work as planned, they gather at an agreed upon time to share the new
knowledge. Often there is some kind of synthesis of the shared knowledge. Example: There are four protocols
for observing in a classroom. Each person in a group of four reads one of the observation protocols and
presents that approach to the other team members, with guiding questions to assist the shared learning, such
as “What kind of feedback is generated by this protocol?” “What kind of observation is most appropriate for
this protocol?” “What is the value of this protocol in terms of student learning; teacher practice?” The group
compares and contrasts the four protocols.
Team Jigsaw
Each team becomes an “expert” on one topic or skill. Team members spread out to share their new
knowledge with the rest of the teams. Team #1 spreads out and sends a member to each of the other teams
to share, then Team #2 does the same. There’s a bit of math to do here as there have to be enough “experts”
to share with all the other teams, or teams have to be combined to share “experts.” Two teams can research
the same topic and check with one another for completeness and agreement before they “consult” with the
other teams - this provides some checks and balances. Synthesis can be done as a whole group or in teams.
Example: There are four protocols for observing in a classroom. The room is divided into 4 teams of 3 people,
(or 6 people). Each team studies one protocol, talking together and planning the best way to present the
protocol to the other teams, using the guiding questions. Each team takes turns sending its “experts” out to
the other teams (alone or as a pair) to share the protocol they have studied. A whole group synthesis that
compares the four approaches.
Expert Group Jigsaw
Each member of a team takes on a portion/aspect of a topic or skill. More than one member of the team will
take on the same portion/aspect if there are more group members than portions/ aspects. The team splits
up and everyone goes to an “expert” group of all the people from all the teams taking on the same portion/
aspect. The “expert” group masters the topic/skill or does the research necessary. The “expert” group plans a
way to present their learning in the best possible way and practices the presentation if necessary. The “experts”
all return to their teams where they make presentations to their team members. Synthesis is done in the teams.
Example: There are four protocols for observing in a classroom. Each team assigns its members one of the four
protocols. The team members break up and go with the appropriate “expert” group to study the protocol,
discuss it together for understanding, using the guiding questions. They plan a presentation. The “experts”
return to their team and each protocol is presented in turn. The protocols are compared in the teams.
Protocols are most powerful and effective when used within an ongoing professional learning community and facilitated by a skilled facilitator. To learn more
about professional learning communities and seminars for facilitation, please visit the School Reform Initiative website at www.schoolreforminitiative.org

Philosophical Chairs
“The role of a teacher is to design and guide students through engaging learning opportunities.”
What do you think? Do you agree or disagree?
At our Instructional Leadership Team meeting last week, we had the chance to voice our
opinions on the statement above. We examined the role of a teacher through a “Philosophical
Chairs” discussion led by my colleague Tony Borash. Philosophical Chairs is a strategy for
exploring a controversial topic through discussion. Using the protocol to guide our discussion
gave us the opportunity to defend and think deeply about our ideas. As you can imagine, some
of us switched sides several times!
The protocol is not only useful during professional development with teachers, it would be an
interesting one to use when preparing your students to write persuasively. Through
Philosophical Chairs, they have the opportunity to listen and understand an opposing side as
well as clarify and state their personal beliefs succinctly. Using the discussion, they would then
have a tremendous amount of information to think about when they write.
The protocol works as follows:
1. Choose and post a controversial statement that participants can either agree or disagree
with.
2. Set up two rows of chairs facing one another. One side for participants who agree with
the statement; the other side for folks who disagree.
3. Have participants move to one row or the other, depending on their belief or opinion.
4. Participants then take turns defending their position and may switch sides at any time.
5. Three rules guide the discussion: one person speaks at a time, everyone must have a
turn before someone speaks twice, and you must repeat what the person on the
opposing side said before you share your opinion.
6. The teacher serves as the moderator, helping speakers to stay on topic, encouraging all
students to speak, and asking additional probing questions to keep the discussion going.

Provocative Prompts for Equity
Developed in the field by educators.
Essential Question: What does it really mean to do “equity work”?
“There are many ways to do diversity work. The most exciting, the most effective entry point as I see it, is
helping people learn how to talk and listen to one another. Everyone has a story to tell about the impact of
differences on their lives and careers. Most people want to tell their story. The heart and soul of this work
is giving people the chance to talk.”
Barbara Walker, Teaching Diversity, Gallos, et al, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, 1997.
“…groups can often avoid unproductive situations if members recognize that inequity and prejudice
have grown out of societal oppression or distressing earlier experiences. People need opportunities to
work through the feelings from these hurts. Participants also need to be reminded that emotional release
(through tears, trembling, laughing and talking, for example) is the natural healing process from the
distress they have experienced. It is also important for people to be able to talk about the first time they
encountered prejudice and inequity and their feelings at the time.”
Julian Weissglasss, “Deepening our Dialogue About Equity,” Educational Leadership, ASCD, April 1997.
“We agree with Mr. Weissglass’s concise diagnosis, but he does not go deeply enough into the structures
and policies that allow racism to be active in the lives of children and the business of our schools.
We have to change the facts, not just the feelings that nurture and are nurtured by deep and historic
social engineering that divides races and economic classes in America. It will take honest dialogue and
leadership, but also much more than that to put our society and our students on equitable footing.”
National Urban Alliance for Effective Education, National Advisors: Alan E. Farstrup, Peter Gerber, Asa
Hilliard, III, Lisa Delpit.
“I worry that in this country, we’ll only learn to value differences one at a time — work on each separately,
difference by difference by difference. We view life in terms of its dualism: good (my way) or bad (your
way). Instead, I wish we could learn, truly learn, that the fundamental problem is our basic attitude toward
difference.”
Barbara Walker, Teaching Diversity, Gallos et al, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, 1997
“Even in schools with very small populations of color, educators are becoming more aware of the need to
prepare white students to live in a multiracial society. Yet this is a world with which the current teaching
force has limited experience. Most white teachers were raised and educated in predominantly white
communities. Their firsthand knowledge of communities of color and their cultures and histories are quite
limited.”
Sandra M. Larence and Beverly Daniel Tatum, “White Educators as Allies: Moving from Awareness to
Action”, from Off-White, edited by Fine et al
Protocols are most powerful and effective when used within an ongoing professional learning community and facilitated by a skilled facilitator. To learn more
about professional learning communities and seminars for facilitation, please visit the School Reform Initiative website at www.schoolreforminitiative.org

“Because of the prejudice and racism inherent in our environments when we were children, I assume that
we cannot be blamed for learning what we were taught (intentionally or unintentionally). Yet as adults, we
have a responsibility to try to identify and interrupt the cycle of oppression. When we recognize that we
have been misinformed, we have a responsibility to seek out more accurate information and to adjust our
behavior accordingly.”
Beverly Daniel Tatum, ”Talking about Race, Learning about Racism: the Application of Racial Identity
Development Theory in the Classroom,” Harvard Educational Review, Spring, 1992.
“For White students, the internalization of a newly defined sense of oneself as White is the primary task of
the Autonomy stage. The positive feelings associated with this redefinition energize the person’s efforts to
confront racism and oppression in his or her daily life. Alliances with people of color can be more easily
forged at this stage of development than previously because the person’s antiracist behaviors and attitudes
will be more consistently expressed.”
Beverly Daniel Tatum, “Talking about Race, Learning about Racism: the Application of Racial Identity
Development Theory in the Classroom,” Harvard Educational Review, Spring, 1992.
Protocols are most powerful and effective when used within an ongoing professional learning community and facilitated by a skilled facilitator. To learn more
about professional learning communities and seminars for facilitation, please visit the School Reform Initiative website at www.schoolreforminitiative.org

Activities to Use With Provocative Prompts
Essential Question: What does it really mean to do “equity work”?
Using the attached list of quotations from various sources, choose one of the following activities:
1. Each member of the group chooses one quotation and shares why it is his/her choice in a go-round—
five minutes each.
2. Members of the group walk around and find a partner; each person shares with that partner one
quotation which has made them think differently. Variation: After sharing with the first partner, finding a
new partner and now taking on the point of view of the first person talked with. And so on.
3. Members of the group answer the essential question referring to the quotations.
4. The paper is cut into individual strips with one quotation each. Quotations are given out randomly and
each person reads the one she/he gets and responds to it.
5. The quotations are used with a text-based protocol (e.g. The Final Word).
Protocols are most powerful and effective when used within an ongoing professional learning community and facilitated by a skilled facilitator. To learn more
about professional learning communities and seminars for facilitation, please visit the School Reform Initiative website at www.schoolreforminitiative.org

National
School
Reform
Faculty
Harmony
Education
Center
www.nsrfharmony.org
Save the Last Word for ME
Developed by Patricia Averette.
Purpose
To clarify and deepen our thinking about articles we read.
Roles
Timekeeper/facilitator, who both participates and keeps the process moving.
The process is designed to build on each other’s thinking, and not to enter into a dialogue.
Participants may decide to have an open dialogue about the text at the end of the 30 minutes.
Timing is important; each round should last approximately 7 minutes.
Total Time
approximately 30 minutes.
The Protocol
1. Create a group of 4 participants. Choose a timekeeper (who also participates) who has a watch.
2. Each participant silently identifies what s/he considers to be (for him or her) the most significant idea
addressed in the article, and highlights that passage.
3. When the group is ready, a volunteer member identifies the part of the article that s/he found to be most
significant and reads it out loud to the group. This person (the presenter) says nothing about why s/he
chose that particular passage.
4. The group should pause for a moment to consider the passage before moving to the next step.
5. The other 3 participants each have 1 minute to respond to the passage — saying what it makes them
think about, what questions it raises for them, etc.
6. The first participant then has 3 minutes to state why s/he chose that part of the article and to respond to
— or build on — what s/he heard from his/her colleagues.
7. The same pattern is followed until all four members of the group have had a chance to be the presenter
and to have “the last word.”
8. Optional open dialogue about the text and the ideas and questions raised during the first part of the
protocol.
9. Debrief the experience. How was this a useful way to explore the ideas in the text and to explore your
own thinking?
Protocols are most powerful and effective when used within an ongoing professional learning community such as a Critical Friends Group ® and facilitated
by a skilled coach. To learn more about professional learning communities and seminars for new or experienced coaches, please visit the National School
Reform Faculty website at www.nsrfharmony.org.

Socratic Seminar
A Socratic Seminar is a method to try to understand information by creating a disciplined classroom
conversation in regards to a specific text. In a Socratic Seminar, participants seek deeper
understanding complex ideas in the text through rigorously thoughtful dialogue. This process
encourages divergent thinking rather than convergent.
> Choosing a text: Socratic Seminars work best with authentic texts that invite authentic
inquiry – an ambiguous and appealing short story, a pair of contrasting primary documents
in social studies, or an article on a controversial approach to an ongoing scientific problem.
> Preparing the students: While students should read carefully and prepare well for every
class session, it is usually best to tell students ahead of time when they will be expected to
participate in a Socratic seminar. Because seminars ask students to keep focusing back on
the text, you may distribute sticky notes for students to use to annotate the text as they read.
> Prepare the question: Though students may eventually be given responsibility for running
the entire session, the teacher usually fills the role of discussion leader as students learn
about seminars and questioning. Generate as many open-ended questions as possible,
aiming for questions that relate more directly to students’ lives, so the entire conversation is
rooted in the context of their real experiences.
> Establishing your role: Though you may assume leadership through determining which
open-ended questions students will explore (at first), the teacher should not see him or
herself as a significant participant in the pursuit of those questions. You may find it useful to
limit your intrusions to helpful reminders about procedures (e.g. “Maybe this is a good time to
turn our attention back the text?” “Do we feel ready to explore a different aspect of the
text?”). Resist the urge to correct or redirect, relying instead on other students to respectfully
challenge their peers’ interpretation or offer alternative views.
> Assessing effectiveness: Socratic seminars require assessment that respects the central
nature of student-centred inquiry to their success. The most global measure of success is
reflection, both on the part of the teacher and students, on the degree to which text-centred
student talk dominated the time and work of the session. Reflective writing asking students
to describe their participation and set their own goals for future seminars can be effective as
well. Understand that, like the seminars themselves, the process of gaining capacity for
inquiry into text is more important than “getting it right” at any particular point.

Setting it up:
Classroom Environment
The classroom should be arranged so that students can look at each other directly. A circle or
square works well. Some teachers like to use desks and have students use name card tents;
others prefer simply to use chairs without desks. The discussion norms should be prominently
posted. Some teachers like to also post the initial key question.
Questions
Prepare several questions in advance, in addition to questions that students may bring to class.
Questions should lead participants into the core ideas and values and o the use of the text in
their answers. Questions must be open-ended, reflect genuine curiosity, and have no ‘one right
answer’! Choose one question as the key interpretive question of the seminar to focus on and
begin discussion.
During the seminar, use particular questions to move the discussion along. Towards the end of
the seminar, some teachers like to use closing questions that encourage participants to apply
the ideas to their personal experiences and opinions. Answering these closing questions does
not require uses of the text but provides students with the chance to share their own
perspectives. Lastly, debriefing questions help students reflect on the process of the seminar.
> Sample questions to serve as the key question or interpret the text:
What is the main idea or underlying value in the text?
What is the author’s purpose or perspective?
What does (a particular phrase) mean?
What might be a good title for the text?
What is the most important word/ sentence/ paragraph?
> Sample questions to move the discussion along:
Who has a different perspective?
Who has not yet had a chance to speak?
Where do you find evidence for that in the text?
Can you clarify what you mean by that?
How does that relate to what (someone else) said?
Is there something in the text that is unclear to you?
Has anyone changed their mind?
> Sample questions to bring the discussion back to the students in closing:
How do the ideas in the text relate to our lives? What do they mean for us personally?

Why is this material important?
Is it right that…? Do you agree with author?
> Sample debriefing questions:
Do you feel like you understand the text at a deeper level?
How was the process for us? Did we adhere to our norms?
Did you achieve your goals to participant?
What was one thing you noticed about the seminar?
Socratic Structure
The Seminar can be divided into three time periods:
Before the Seminar
> Introduce the seminar and its purpose (to facilitate a deeper understanding of the ideas
and values in the text through shared discussion.
> Have students read the text. They may use one of several formats to process the
information.
o
The Open-Ended Questions and/ or the Critical Reasoning Analysis Sheet can
be used to help students understand the content. These can be used as the
‘ticket’ to participate in the seminar. Share any expectations related to
assessment.
> Review the Discussion Norms
> In addition to the classroom discussion norms you may have already set, it is important
to include the following norms, or ones that are similar:
o
o
o
o
Don’t raise hands
Listen carefully
Address one another respectfully
Base any opinions on the text
Additional norms might include:
o
o
o
o
Address comments to the group (no side conversations)
Use sensitivities to take turns and not interrupt others
Monitor ‘air time’
Be courageous in presenting your own thoughts and reasoning but be flexible
and willing to change your mind in the face of new and compelling evidence.

During the Seminar
> Be seated at the level of the students and remind them to address each other and not
you?
> Pos the key question.
> Ask participants to relate their statements to particular passage, to clarify, and to
elaborate.
> If the conversation gets off track, refocus students on the opening question by restating
it.
> Use additional questions to move the discussion along.
> Invite those who have not spoken into the conversation. Some teachers use talking chips
(each student is allotted a number of chips that they use when they make a contribution)
or a talking chain (asking each person to comment or pass in a circle). The chips may be
especially useful when working with very young children but should be used only until
students ‘get the idea’.
> You may wish to record for your own purposes the main ideas discussed, and the
contributions people make (using a shorthand or diagram) to refer to as you facilitate.
> If can be helpful to summarise the main points made in the discussion, either at a quiet
point or towards the end of the discussion.
After the Seminar
> Ask debriefing questions of the students.
> Share your own experience with the seminar as a facilitator.
*Variation: Fishbowl*
If you have a large class, it may be helpful to divide the students into two groups and use a
fishbowl format.
One half of the class is in the ‘centre’ facing each other and discussing the text, while the
remainder is on the ‘outside’ observing and listening. Members of the outer circle can take notes
or use an evaluation form to track the overall conversation or to focus on specific participants.
The Rubric for Evaluating Classroom Discussions, as well as the Socratic Seminar Fishbowl
Discussion Partner Evaluation could be used for this purpose.
During the seminar, some teachers reserve an empty ‘hotseat’ for those in the outer circle who
really want to jump in to make a contribution and then leave.
At the end of the conversation, the outer circle can share their observations. The groups then
switch to allow the outer group a change to discuss.

Harmony
Education
Center
Purpose
National
School
Reform
Faculty
www.nsrfharmony.org
Text Rendering Experience
Developed in the field by educators affiliated with NSRF.
To collaboratively construct meaning, clarify, and expand our thinking about a text or document.
Roles
A facilitator to guide the process.
A scribe to track the phrases and words that are shared.
Set Up
Take a few moments to review the document and mark the sentence, the phrase, and the word that you
think is particularly important for our work.
Steps
1. First Round: Each person shares a sentence from the document that he/she thinks/feels is particularly
significant.
2. Second Round: Each person shares a phrase that he/she thinks/feels is particularly significant. The scribe
records each phrase.
3. Third Round: Each person shares the word that he/she thinks/feels is particularly significant. The scribe
records each word.
4. The group discusses what they heard and what it says about the document.
5. The group shares the words that emerged and any new insights about the document.
6. The group debriefs the text rendering process.
Protocols are most powerful and effective when used within an ongoing professional learning community such as a Critical Friends Group ® and facilitated
by a skilled coach. To learn more about professional learning communities and seminars for new or experienced coaches, please visit the National School
Reform Faculty website at www.nsrfharmony.org.

National
School
Reform
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Harmony
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www.nsrfharmony.org
The Constructivist Listening Dyad
Adapted from the National Coalition for Equity in Education by Victor Cary
Purpose
To create a safe space to become better at listening and talking in depth. Constructivist listening dyads
help us as we work through feelings, thoughts, and beliefs that sometimes produce anger, passivity,
undermine confidence, or cause interference in relationships with students or colleagues.
Time allotted: 2 to 30 minutes
Group format: Pairs.
Supplies: A timer
Facilitation tips: Talk about the purpose of a constructivist listening dyad.
The simplest form of doing constructivist listening is a dyad, which is the exchange of constructivist
listening between two people….
I agree to listen to and think about you for a fixed period of time in exchange for you doing the same for
me. I keep in my mind that my listening is for your benefit so I do not ask questions for my information.
Start with two minutes — at first it may seem difficult. But participants, over the course of time, may work
their way up to 5-8 minutes and more each. Remind participants that the purpose of a constructivist
listening dyad is that the listening is for the benefit of the talker. This is an essential point to access the
usefulness and power of a constructivist listening dyad.
Guidelines for Constructivist Listening:
1) Each person is given equal time to talk. (Everyone deserves to be listened to.)
2) The listener does not interpret, paraphrase, analyze, give advice or break in with a personal story.
(People can solve their own problems.)
3) Confidentiality is maintained. (People need to know they can be completely authentic.)
4) The talker does not criticize or complain about a listener(s) or about mutual colleagues during their
time to talk. (A person cannot listen well when she/he is feeling attacked or defensive.)
The Activity:
1. Each person will have two minutes or more to respond to a prompt. It is very useful to scaffold the prompts.
Ex: When is the last time you remembered being fully listened too? How did it feel?
Growing up, what was your experience as a learner? What felt supportive? What interfered with your learning?
How did race, class or gender impact your experience as a learner in school?
Reflection questions following the activity:
• What came up for you using this structure? What came up for you reflecting on the prompt?
• What worked for you? What was difficult for you?
• What purpose do you think it might serve?
• When could it be used?
Protocols are most powerful and effective when used within an ongoing professional learning community such as a Critical Friends Group ® and facilitated
by a skilled coach. To learn more about professional learning communities and seminars for new or experienced coaches, please visit the National School
Reform Faculty website at www.nsrfharmony.org.

Harmony
Education
Center
National
School
Reform
Faculty
www.nsrfharmony.org
The Final Word
Adapted from the original by Jennifer Fischer-Mueller and Gene Thompson-Grove for the NSRF.
Purpose
The purpose of this discussion format is to give each person in the group an opportunity to have their
ideas, understandings, and perspective enhanced by hearing from others. With this format, the group can
explore an article, clarify their thinking, and have their assumptions and beliefs questioned in order to gain
a deeper understanding of the issue.
Roles
Facilitator / timekeeper (who also participates); participants
Facilitation
Have participants identify one “most” significant idea from the text (underlined or highlighted ahead
of time), stick to the time limits, avoid dialogue, have equal sized circles so all small groups finish at
approximately the same time.
Process
1. Sit in a circle, and identify a facilitator/time-keeper.
2. Each person needs to have one “most” significant idea from the text underlined or highlighted in the
article. It is often helpful to identify a “back up” quote as well.
3. The first person begins by reading what “struck him or her the most” from the article. Have this person
refer to where the quote is in the text - one thought or quote only. Then, in less than 3 minutes, this
person describes why that quote struck him or her. For example, why does s/he agree/disagree with the
quote, what questions does s/he have about that quote, what issues does it raise for him or her, what
does s/he now wonder about in relation to that quote?
4. Continuing around the circle each person responds to that quote and what the presenter said, briefly, in
less than a minute. The purpose of the response is:
• to expand on the presenter’s thinking about the quote and the issues raised for him or her by the quote,
• to provide a different look at the quote,
• to clarify the presenter’s thinking about the quote, and/or
• to question the presenter’s assumptions about the quote and the issues raised (although at this time
there is no response from the presenter).
5. After going around the circle with each person having responded for less than one minute, the person
that began has the “final word.” In no more than one minute the presenter responds to what has been
said. Now what is s/he thinking? What is his or her reaction to what s/he has heard?
Protocols are most powerful and effective when used within an ongoing professional learning community such as a Critical Friends Group ® and facilitated
by a skilled coach. To learn more about professional learning communities and seminars for new or experienced coaches, please visit the National School
Reform Faculty website at www.nsrfharmony.org.

6. The next person in the circle then begins by sharing what struck him or her most from the text. Proceed
around the circle, responding to this next presenter’s quote in the same way as the first presenter’s. This
process continues until each person has had a round with his or her quote.
7. For each round, allow about 8 minutes (circles of 5 participants: presenter 3 minutes, response 1
minute for 4 people, final word for presenter 1 minute). The role of the facilitator is to keep the process
moving, keep it clear and directed to the article, and keep time so everyone gets an opportunity for a
round. Total time is about a forty minutes for a group of 5 (32 minutes for a group of 4, 48 minutes for a
group of 6). End by debriefing the process in your small group.
Protocols are most powerful and effective when used within an ongoing professional learning community such as a Critical Friends Group ® and facilitated
by a skilled coach. To learn more about professional learning communities and seminars for new or experienced coaches, please visit the National School
Reform Faculty website at www.nsrfharmony.org.

The Harvard ‘Project Zero’ discussion protocol
This activity takes about 35 minutes, but times can be easily adapted. It encourages close
reading, listening to others, group work, and the synthesising and ordering of key ideas. It has
the advantage of a ‘no wrong answer’ instruction, so students are encouraged to take risks in a
low-stakes environment. Other advantages are that every student has the opportunity to be
heard, and everyone has a chance to do some of the reading if they have not already done so!
If a student has had difficulty with the content, they have the opportunity to hear what other
students gained from the reading.
STEP ONE:
Silent reading: Take 10 minutes to revisit the reading you prepared for today’s class
> Choose a word, phrase and sentence from the reading that had insight for you (10
minutes)
STEP TWO:
From groups of four and appoint a scribe
> Group listening: Each person has two minutes to talk about their word, phrase and
sentence and why they chose it. During this time, they ‘have the floor’ – they shouldn’t
be interrupted by the others. (8 minutes)
> Group discussion: After everyone had contributed, the group decides on the three most
important elements that have emerged from the reading for them. (4 minutes)
STEP THREE:
Each group of four has two minutes to share its insights with the whole group (10 minutes)

Think-Pair-Share
Purpose
This protocol promotes productive and equitable conversations, where all students are given the time and space to
think, share, and consider the ideas of others. It ensures that all students simultaneously engage with the same text
or topic, while promoting synthesis and the social construction of knowledge.
Materials
Guiding questions, decided beforehand
Optional: recording form with questions and answer spaces for students
Procedure
1. Move students into pairs and invite them to label themselves A and B.
2. Pose the question and give students time to think independently and silently about their answer to the question.
3. Invite partner A to ask partner B the question.
4. Give partner B a specified timeframe (e.g., 30 seconds, 1 minute, etc.) to share his or her response.
5. Have partners reverse roles and repeat steps 3–4.
6. Using a total participation technique (e.g., cold call, equity sticks, etc.), invite students to share their responses
with the whole group.
7. Repeat this process with remaining questions.
Variations
Pair the Think-Pair-Share protocol with a close reading lesson to allow students time and space to collaboratively
work on their answers to text-dependent questions.
Expand groupings to include three students (Think-Triad-Share). Ensure all students have time to think, repeat
the question to a group member, and share their thoughts.
References
Lymna, F. (1981). The responsive classroom discussion: The inclusion of all students. In Mainstreaming digest.
College Park, MD: University of Maryland College of Education.
| Language Arts Curriculum 40

Harmony
Education
Center
National
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Faculty
www.nsrfharmony.org
Three Levels of Text Protocol
Adapted by the Southern Maine Partnership from Camilla Greene’s Rule of 3 Protocol, 11/20/03.
Purpose
To deepen understanding of a text and explore implications for participants’ work.
Facilitation
Stick to the time limits. Each round takes up to 5 minutes per person in a group. Emphasize the need to
watch air time during the brief “group response” segment. Do 1 – 3 rounds. Can be used as a prelude to a
Text-based Discussion or by itself.
Roles
Facilitator/timekeeper (who also participates); participants
Process
1. Sit in a circle and identify a facilitator/timekeeper
2. If participants have not done so ahead of time, have them read the text and identify passages (and a
couple of back-ups) that they feel may have important implications for their work.
3. A Round consists of:
• One person using up to 3 minutes to:
LEVEL 1: Read aloud the passage she/he has selected
LEVEL 2: Say what she/he thinks about the passage (interpretation, connection to past experiences, etc.)
LEVEL 3: Say what she/he sees as the implications for his/her work.
• The group responding (for a TOTAL of up to 2 minutes) to what has been said.
4. After all rounds have been completed, debrief the process.
Protocols are most powerful and effective when used within an ongoing professional learning community such as a Critical Friends Group ® and facilitated
by a skilled coach. To learn more about professional learning communities and seminars for new or experienced coaches, please visit the National School
Reform Faculty website at www.nsrfharmony.org.

Turn and Talk
Purpose
Turn and Talk is one of the easiest, quickest, and most efficient means of creating collaboration among students. It
can be used practically at any time, anywhere, in a lesson in any content area.
Materials
None
Procedure
1. When prompted, students turn to a shoulder buddy or neighbor.
2. In a set amount of time, students share their ideas about a prompt or question posed by the teacher or other students.
3. Depending on the goals of the lesson and the nature of the Turn and Talk, students may share some key ideas from
their paired discussions with the whole class.
Variations
Students can use a written version of Turn and Talk, brainstorming their answers on paper very briefly and shar-
ing them aloud, or switching papers.
| Language Arts Curriculum 54

World Café
Purpose
To discuss a topic or various topics, rotating the role of leadership and mixing up a group of people. This protocol is
an extensive exercise in listening and speaking skills.
Materials
Chart/poster paper
Marker for the leader/recorder
Procedure
1. Form three groups of 3 or 4 and sit together at a table.
2. Each group selects a “leader.”
3. The leader’s role is to record the major points of the conversation that takes place at the table and to then summarize
the conversation using the recorded notes.
4. The group discusses the topic at hand until time is called. Groups can be discussing the same topic or related
topics.
5. The leader stays put; the rest of the group rotates to the next table.
6. The leader (who didn’t move) presents a summary of the conversation recorded from the former group to the new
group.
7. Each table selects a new leader.
8. Again, the new leader’s role is to record the major points of the conversation that takes place at the table and to
then summarize the conversation using the recorded notes…a bit later.
9. The group discusses the topic at hand until time is called.
10. Repeat the process, ideally until all students have had a chance to lead.
11. After the final round, the last group of leaders present to the whole group rather than reporting out to a “next
rotation.”
Variations
Mix the Room: For large groups, begin with everyone in a circle. Number off around the circle, from one to five.
The teacher provides a prompt, and at the teacher’s signal, each group of five clusters into a small circle to discuss
a topic for a designated amount of time. The teacher then signals for the 1’s to advance to the next cluster. Ones
then provide a summary of the last group’s discussion, before the newly formed group discusses a second prompt.
Each time a new prompt is given, the teacher asks a different number to move forward to the next cluster, thus
“mixing the room” for each new prompt.
References
Adapted from: www.theworldcafe.com
| Language Arts Curriculum 42