Standard 1: Speaking and Listening

Students will speak and listen effectively in a variety of situations including, but not limited to, responses to reading and writing.

6.1.R.3 Students will engage in collaborative discussions about appropriate topics and texts, expressing their own ideas clearly while building on the ideas of others in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings.

Student Actions 

Teacher Actions 

• Students will work together and discuss appropriate topics and texts.

• Students will clearly share ideas as an individual.

• Students will draw from and build on the ideas of others in a discussion.

• Teachers will establish expectations and procedures for group collaboration early, and continue these procedures throughout the entire year. 
• Teachers model how to share clearly organized ideas.
• Teachers provide opportunities for each student to share their ideas.
• Teachers provide opportunities for students to receive feedback.
• Teachers provide procedures for collaborating and discussing topics and texts.
• Teachers provide an opportunity for students to practice collaboration and discussion.
• Teachers monitor the students to ensure that the students participate productively and effectively in each type of collaborative discussion.
• Teachers monitor and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback.

• Teachers model how to share clearly organized ideas.

• Teachers provide opportunities for each student to share their ideas.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to receive feedback.

• Teachers model building on ideas during discussions by using phrases such as “I agree with you but…”, “You make a good point, and…” etc.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to practice building on ideas during discussions.

• Teachers monitor and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback.

Supporting Resources  

Teacher Insights  

teachthought.com:collaborative learning 

Edutopia: collaborative learning

Cornell University Center for Teaching Education: collaborative learning

Thinkingcollaborative.com

Group Work Roles

Cafe Conversations

Collaborative Learning Tips and Strategies

The following three strategies provides student with opportunities to engage in collaborative dialogue:

• Collaborative discussions allow students to work with others in a closer setting to develop existing ideas with input from others.

• Collaborative dialogue with students to students or in groups should be a common practice of everyday lessons. This gives students the opportunity to be engaged in thinking, talking, and responding.

• Collaborative discussions are discussions that provide opportunities for speakers and listeners to use dialogue and interaction to raise issues, explore ideas, make claims, discover differences, and find ways to explore all aspects of ELA. These take many forms such as Socratic seminars, Think-Pair-Share, or debate are a combination of students in small or large discourse communities.

• Collaborative discussions are characterized by purposeful talk focused around topics and texts appropriate to the grade level and discipline. They are sustained discussions between students in which ideas are presented, defended, elaborated upon, and responded to.

• Collaborative conversations require procedures, practice, and routines. For ideas in setting up expectations for collaborative conversations, see Supporting Resources. 

Due to recursive nature of the standards, it is essential that teachers are aware of how all objectives within and between strands work together for optimal instruction.