Engaging in Collaborative Conversations
Engaging in Collaborative Conversations Objective: Students will practice participating in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 5 topics and texts, focusing on building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the importance of listening to others during conversations.
- Practice sharing ideas clearly in group discussions.
- Learn to build on classmates’ ideas respectfully.
Materials Needed
- Short story or article appropriate for 5th grade
- Whiteboard or paper for note-taking
- Pencils or pens
- Conversation prompt cards
Key Vocabulary
- Collaborative Conversation
- A discussion where everyone shares ideas and listens to others to learn together.
- Partner
- A person you work with in a learning activity.
- Express
- To share or communicate your thoughts or feelings.
Detailed Activities
Partner Talk Practice
- Introduce the term ‘collaborative conversation’ and explain its meaning.
- Read a short story or article aloud to the student.
- Give a conversation prompt related to the story, such as ‘What was your favorite part and why?’
- Student and parent take turns sharing thoughts on the prompt, modeling listening and responding to each other’s ideas.
- Repeat with a new prompt to encourage building on ideas, such as ‘Can you add more to what I said?’
Group Idea Sharing
- Write a simple question related to the story on the whiteboard or paper.
- Ask the student to think about their answer silently for a minute.
- Encourage the student to say their answer clearly and listen carefully to the parent’s response.
- Model how to connect ideas by saying, ‘I agree with you because…’ or ‘That makes me think of…’.
- Practice this back-and-forth exchange 2–3 times.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- Encourage your child to speak clearly and listen carefully during conversations.
- Model positive conversation skills by showing interest and building on your child’s ideas.
- Keep the tone supportive and patient, allowing your child time to think and respond.
Assessment Questions
- Can you tell me one idea your partner shared during the conversation?
- How did you add to your partner’s idea when you talked?
- Why is it important to listen when someone else is talking?
Extension Ideas
- Have your child lead a short conversation with a sibling or friend using the skills learned.
- Record a conversation and listen together to identify moments when ideas were built upon.
- Create a simple chart showing how ideas connect during a discussion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start with short, simple prompts and encourage your child gently without pressure. Praise any effort they make and gradually increase the length of conversations.
Use everyday opportunities like talking about a story or daily events to practice these skills. Model good listening and speaking habits, and remember that practice helps build confidence.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Students may think talking over others is acceptable rather than waiting their turn.
- Some students might struggle to connect their ideas to what others have said.
- Children may focus on speaking rather than listening during conversations.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Provide sentence starters like ‘I agree because…’ or ‘I think that…’ to support responses.
- Use visual aids or gestures to reinforce conversation rules.
- Keep group sizes small to reduce pressure.
For Advanced Students:
- Encourage your child to ask follow-up questions to deepen conversations.
- Introduce more complex topics related to the story to challenge thinking.
- Have your child summarize the conversation to demonstrate understanding.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Begin with brief 5–10 minute conversations and slowly increase duration.
- Repeat activities over several days to build confidence and skills.
- Use varied topics to maintain interest and engagement.
Standards
- 5.SL.1b — Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and build on others’ ideas to express their own clearly.
Printable Worksheet
Plan Your Own Lesson
Looking for a custom lesson plan? Try our Lesson Planning Generator — create standards-based plans for any topic, instantly!
Common Core Aligned Lesson Plans
Looking for another common core lesson? See all of the lesson plans here.
More Free Lesson Plans
We’re adding more every week! Check back soon or explore all our lesson plans here.
Leave a Reply