Many of us struggle with what to say during small group or whole group instruction to facilitate a conversation of deep thinking.\u00a0 Our objective is for students to learn how to think critically; therefore, becoming self assessors.\u00a0 In an RA classroom, critical thinking and self assessment begins when the teacher has created a safe, collaborative learning environment–thinking is valued, confusion is cool, and ambiguity is tolerated.\u00a0 Students learn what to do when they are confused and feel anxious about a complex text.<\/p>\n
As facilitators, drawing out a student’s thinking is done through a variety of routines.\u00a0 In order for us to assess where a student is struggling, we need to “see” their thinking; thus, the importance and value of metacognition.\u00a0 Routines built into an RA classroom’s instructional design become the vehicle with which metacognition takes place and becomes evident.\u00a0 When this occurs, student and teacher returns to goals and objectives with next steps in mind.<\/p>\n
I’ve attached teacher talk stems compiled from Reading for Understanding<\/em>, as well as, facilitator talk during pd.\u00a0 I trust this will aid your facilitation of student thinking.<\/p>\n