This three-part series invites K–6 teachers, coaches, and leaders to explore the power of dialogic talk to deepen student comprehension, thinking, and learning. Through dialogic talk, students engage in purposeful, collaborative conversations that move beyond surface-level responses, fostering deep understanding and critical thinking. This approach boosts student engagement by inviting learners to actively participate in meaning-making, make personal connections to content, co-construct knowledge, and develop the ability to transfer and apply their learning across contexts.
Anchored in research and practical classroom models, these sessions build from foundational concepts to powerful applications within ELAL and across the disciplines. Participants will leave with practical tools to support dialogic talk, leading to increased student engagement, agency, and easy ways to shift classroom conversations from surface participation to rich, reflective thinking.
Session 1: The What and the Why
What is dialogic talk, and why does it matter for student motivation and success outcomes? Grounded in decades of robust research, this session introduces the core concept of Dialogic Talk, shares examples from practice, and models how classroom context and questioning shape student engagement.
Session 2: The How in a Read-Aloud
Building on foundational ideas from session 1, this session models how dialogic talk can live inside a read-aloud or classroom text. Using a simple framework and classroom protocol, participants will leave with ways to set the context, gather ideas, and dive deep, while honouring and acknowledging students’ diverse ideas and perspectives. This session will also share success stories from kindergarten through grade six.
Session 3: The Bigger How
How can we leverage dialogic talk across subjects and empower students to lead it? This final session expands the model into other disciplines and structures. We will explore four lines of questioning and consider how student modeling, peer-to-peer conversation, and thoughtful assessment can elevate both agency and understanding.