6 Ways to Maximize Turn and Talk

Though turn and talk is a go-to peer-to-peer reflection activity in many classrooms for a reason, teachers can face some common setbacks when they implement it. It’s easy for conversations to get off-topic or stall. Students can get stuck in ruts of pairing with the same people, or they can get left out altogether. But engaging with classmates to discuss class topics is an important practice for students, and a few simple structures teachers can put in place will help everyone get the most out of turn and talk.

To give students a way to partner up with peers they do not usually work with, teachers can introduce a simple and fun pairing system. Splitting the class into two equal groups—such as lions and tigers, stripes and polka dots, or bread and butter—and having each student match up with someone from the opposite group and then rotate provides a way to diversify who students chat with. And when teachers clearly explain who will speak first and who will listen first, students can jump right in with clarity and confidence. If the room is feeling quiet or shy, teachers can try kicking off the activity with a warm-up question like: Summer or winter? Cats or dogs? Mountains or beaches? After 30 seconds of responses, the class may feel more comfortable diving into the subject matter. 

Often, as students discuss, they can get off-topic or stall out. If there are sentence starters written somewhere where all can reference them, it’s easier for conversations to find their way back to addressing the content at hand. Sometimes, the best way for teachers to get students to loosen up in conversations is by having them get up and move around the room, pairing with someone to walk and talk with. Lastly, in cases where a student is left without a partner, teachers can celebrate the group who includes them, creating a culture of inclusion within their classrooms. There are lots of ways to make turn and talk as inclusive as possible. 

With the right scaffolding and a bit of intention, turn and talk can be a space where all perspectives are listened to.
To find even more ways to adapt this classic activity, read Lory Walker Peroff’s article for Edutopia, “7 Easy Ways to Elevate Turn and Talk.”