Ep 013: Rethinking Turn and Talk

Whether you've never used 'Turn and Talk' in your classroom before or are a seasoned expert, this episode packs in lots of practical advice for improving pupil outcomes.

If you already use Pritesh and Neena's favourite strategy (they swear by using 'Turn and Talk' 20 times or more per lesson), this episode is going to turn conventional wisdom on its head. They say 'no' to specifying which partner goes first. 'No' to 'cresting the wave' (waiting for the buzz in the room to die down as a way of knowing when to end the turn and talk). 'No' to circulating during the turn and talk to hear conversations or support a struggling pair. No, no, no. So what do they recommend instead?

Pritesh and Neena discuss when to use turn and talk and, importantly, when NOT to use it. They diagnose why it can go wrong and what to do about pupils not rehearsing sufficiently or going off-task. They go through what they do before, during and after a turn and talk.

Strap in, because this is probably the single highest-leverage technique a teacher can use to transform pupil outcomes and their experience of a lesson.

To read more about Turn and Talk see Pritesh's blog: https://bunsenblue.com/2023/12/30/turn-and-talk/

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Hosts: Pritesh Raichura and Neena Sharma

Operation Education is a Bunsen Blue production.