Product Description

The way into thinking skills. The book outlines the importance of talk both at home and in the classroom. It emphasises that talking is more than just communication, it is the way into thinking skills development. How do I know what I think until I've heard myself say it? Some children are never given the opportunity to develop their talking skills in order to structure their thinking. This book addresses this issue head on, with carefully analysed research and a whole host of practical classroom activities to help children into quality talking and deeper thinking.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #389072 in Books
• Published on: 2001-01-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

From the Inside Flap
Get talking, for successful learning. A child of three speaks around 40 000 words a day, but once in class ‘teacher talk’ so often takes over. For many, school puts a brake on talk, but word exchanges are essential to learning. Talking is the way we try out, select and sort ideas before stringing them together into coherent, whole notions. Talking is the quickest, easiest, cheapest and most efficient way of transmitting information. But much more than words is involved. Successful talk brings together multiple messages from a range of sources – you need to know not only what is said where and when, but why it is said and how it is conveyed – context is all-important for understanding. On average, teachers talk for two-thirds of class time in a monologue style quite different to that which most children experience at home. This book helps teachers to understand their students’ difficulties in stepping out of ‘home talk’ into ‘class talk’, and the responsibilities they have to facilitate communication for learning. It explains the range of issues involved in the process of communication, and makes practical suggestions to facilitate successful talk between teachers and children, to improve learning and raise standards. It is time to talk about these important notions!
Class talk:
looks at teacher–student communication and reflects on what is happening in the classroom
looks at how students talk in different classroom situations and evaluates this information in terms of planning children’s learning
considers the problems of transmitting meaning to others
discusses and reflects on practical strategies to improve the quality of talking, teaching and learning
looks at how a teacher’s most important tool – the voice – is used, along with facial expression and gesture, to make the greatest impact on students
looks at how communication and learning happen as a result of the way our brain develops, and discusses education systems in relation to this process
considers the development of talk within a society that has moved away from mechanical and manufacturing industry towards jobs in service industries, which entail, on average, 80% speaking and listening and only 20% reading and writing.

About the Author
Rosemary Sage is a qualified speech and language therapist, psychologist and teacher who has worked in many educational and health service contexts. Her main interest is thinking, language and communication - Class talk is a result of many years of practical experience trying to help students to be successful. Rosemary is well known for her work with the Communication Opportunity Group Scheme, which is used in schools to underpin literacy and numeracy work, and at the tertiary and training levels to support personal and professional development.