7 Easy Ways to Elevate Turn and Talk

Many teachers will agree that turn and talk is one of their classroom staples. This simple strategy for guiding students to share their ideas is an effective way to increase participation, hone communication skills, and deepen understanding.

However, over the past several years, I’ve noticed some pitfalls with this approach:

• Some students can’t find a partner and are left out.
• Certain students listen while others consistently dominate the conversation.
• Conversations are off topic.
• Students struggle to find the words to start a conversation.

Whether you’re a new teacher or a veteran, it’s essential for the core of your practice to be focused on creating an inclusive learning environment for every student. In this article, I’ll share some simple tweaks to reduce problems and maximize the effectiveness of the turn-and-talk strategy.

Promote Belonging and Strengthen Communication Skills

Here are two compelling reasons why you might want to consider giving turn and talk a glow-up.

Increase inclusivity. Take every opportunity to make each child feel included in the classroom community. When every member of a community has an opportunity to contribute, they feel valued and appreciated. Additionally, providing scaffolding for quieter students and/or those who are not proficient English speakers to share their thoughts has benefits for all students.

Develop lifelong habits. When you provide structured ways for students to speak and listen in the classroom, they’ll become better speakers and listeners outside of the classroom. Practicing ways to be more thoughtful speakers and empathetic listeners enables students to communicate effectively with a variety of people. Building communication skills will help students develop meaningful relationships with peers and a better understanding of the world around them.

I’ve used the following seven effective strategies in my classroom. Try them with your students to help learners get the most out of turn and talk.

1. Thoughtful Groups

To set your class up for success in turn and talk, begin with thoughtful grouping. I start by dividing my class into two groups. I use odds and evens, but you can use anything—such as stripes and polka dots, rock and roll, or bread and butter. When I do a turn and talk, I tell students to find someone in a different group. For example, odds pair with evens. I recommend providing no longer than 30 seconds to pair up. This is a way to ensure that students speak and listen to a variety of classmates during turn and talk.

2. Turn and Listen

After thoughtfully grouping students, introduce the concept of turn and listen. Explain that in each partner group, there will be a listener and a speaker. Explicitly clarify which role each student will hold. For example, I’ll say, “Odds will be listeners first and evens will be speakers.” After one minute, have students switch roles. This requires all students to practice listening and speaking and creates a protocol that encourages all voices to be heard.

3. Mountains or Beach

I’ve found that some students need a moment to warm up when talking to a new partner. One quick way to activate communication is to start the turn and talk with a quick “either/or” question.

For example, provide a set of two choices (the sillier the better), such as summer or winter, day or night, reptiles or mammals, and have students choose one and provide a reason for their choice. This should be done quickly; no more than one minute is necessary. It’s a low-risk way to break the ice and get communication flowing between partners.

4. Sentence Starters

Sometimes during turn and talk, I notice that conversations have veered off topic. I’ll walk near the partner pair and share a silent signal with them, such as touching my nose. Doing this, without interrupting their conversation, lets them know that it’s time to return to the topic.

Another simple way to reduce off-topic conversations, as well as level the playing field for students who struggle to find the words to start a conversation, is to provide sentence starters:

• I think this is interesting because…
• One example of this is…
• I wonder...
• This reminds me of...
• Some questions I still have are…

I like to post these simple universal sentence starters in the front of the classroom so that my students can refer to them easily if they get stuck.

5. Walk and Talk

Another twist on the turn and talk strategy I like to use is walk and talk. Research shows that exercise such as walking can reduce stress and enhance mood. Adding the option of walk and talk can help shy students feel more calm and ready to talk. This exercise can be done in a few different ways during transition times. For example, when students are putting away materials, I instruct them to partner up and talk about a topic during that transition.

Another way it can be done is by taking a walk around a specific area. I like to take two laps around the basketball court. During the first lap, one student is the listener, and on the second lap they switch roles. I also use walk and talk at other times, such as walking to lunch or resource classes—to maximize students’ learning time.

6. Hero Groups

Simply put, when tasked to turn and talk, no one should be left out. This is where a “hero group” can save the day. If students notice that a classmate is without a partner, they become a hero group by inviting the unattached student to join their group. When a partner group does this, I make sure to shower them with praise.

Another fun way to increase inclusion is bringing a “gift”—a strategy I learned from a friend. When I notice a student who is left out, I discreetly bring that student to a group and say, “You are so lucky, I’ve brought you a gift. This student is a great thinker and will be an awesome addition to your group.”

7. Reflecting on Listening and Speaking

Most educators can agree that speaking and listening are vitally important skills in and outside the classroom setting for students of all ages. However, measuring soft skills such as speaking and listening can be a challenge.

Self-reflection can be an effective way for students to monitor their own growth in these important areas. To reflect on the quality of our turn and talk, I co-construct an anchor chart with students, showcasing desirable speaking and listening behaviors. This commitment to reflection helps students monitor their own growth in speaking and listening.