Let's Talk, Then Write

Let’s Talk, Then Write
One of the things I remember the most about writing when I was in grade school was how challenging it was for me to come up with ideas to write about.  Often times a writing prompt was written on the board but there was no guide, no structure, and no model provided.  We were just expected to write about the prompt to the best of our ability.  This was quite torturous.  Do your students have a difficult time coming up with ideas or details for their writing?
What if you could develop student writers by simply letting them talk?
	Imagine if your students could improve their writing simply because they were given more opportunities to talk. Let’s not expect our students to write well on any given topic if they themselves don’t have a clear idea of their own views or opinions.  Talking with their peers will help alleviate the anxiety that writer's block produces in them.
“If I can think it, I can say it.  If I can say it, I can write it.  If I can write it, I can read it, and so can others!”
It’s okay to let them talk! Are you fed up with hearing your students say, “I don’t know what to write?”  One of the things my students appreciate is that I give them many opportunities to talk in the classroom before they start writing.  I cannot expect my students to dive right into a writing assignment without first having had the opportunity to share and expand on their thinking through talk.  And it’s not just any type of talk.  It is accountable talk. Accountable talk is defined as “talk that is meaningful, respectful, and mutually beneficial to both the speaker and the listener.  Accountable talk helps students to learn, reflect on their learning, and communicate their knowledge and understanding.”  As I reflect back to my writing experiences in grade school, I realized that one of the reasons I always found it a challenge to write was because I wasn’t given the opportunity to talk to my peers and figure out what to write about.  Give your students plenty of opportunities to figure out what they know and think.  The more classroom talk you allow the more prepared they will be to start writing. One of my favorite ways to structure classroom talk is by using the Kagan Strategy called Talking Chips.   Talking Chips are “manipulatives (e.g., counters, paper tokens, etc.) given to students during small group discussions. Each time a student wants to speak, they “spend” a chip by placing their chip in the center of the group's table.”  This strategy is well loved by students and I love that it’s a great way to ensure that everyone gets a turn to talk.  Click on the following link to see Talking Chips explained in such a cute way! ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0cN9gDFA1Q
	Inspiring Minds, Melissa Hernandez