With a Little Help from My Friends: Conversation-Based Instruction for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Classrooms

Drawing on their work with more than 800 teachers and administrators from more than 29 districts, the authors present a pedagogical model that challenges teachers to modify the way they plan and implement their lessons to better support the linguistic, cognitive, and social-emotional development of culturally and linguistically diverse students.

Table of Contents:
Contents Acknowledgments vii Preface xi Sociocultural Context of Today and Why We Need This Conversation-Based System xi Evolution of the Arch Model for Collaborative Conversation-Based Instruction xii How to Navigate this Book xvii 1. Introduction 1 Why Conversation as a Means of Instruction? 1 The Arch of Collaborative, Conversation-Based Instruction 11 2. Laying the Foundation: Creating a Safe Classroom Environment 15 The Affective Filter and Its Importance in the Classroom 15 Creating Norms for Collaborative Conversations 16 The Importance of Teaching Social–Emotional Skills   in Facilitating Academic Engagement 23 3. Building the Columns: Accessing and Capitalizing on Teachers’ and Students’ Assets  25 Reframing Our Outlook: Funds of Knowledge Are Assets Not Deficits 25 Home Language 27 Background Knowledge and Experience 30 Social Interaction Skills 33 Content Literacy Skills 36 Motivations 38 Aptitudes 39 Reviewing Our Assets: The Columns of Strength 45 4. Framing the Scaffolding: Providing Differentiated Support 46 Listening 47 Purposeful Planning 54 Task Cards 56 Complex Questioning 65 Habits of Collaboration Tools 71 The Scaffolding and Social–Emotional Learning (SEL)  78 5. Integrating the Voussoir Blocks: Enacting Meaningful, Complex, Collaborative, Conversation-Based Lessons 81 Language and Literacy 82 Contextualization 95 Challenging and Complex Activities 108 Collaboration 115 Purposeful Conversation 123 6. Placing the Keystone: Designing the Joint Productive Activity (JPA)  130 The JPA: The Keystone That Holds the Arch System Together 131 Building a Joint Productive Activity (JPA) 138 Considerations for Getting Started 163 References  167 Index 175 About the Authors 186

About the Author :
Paula J. Mellom is the associate director of the Center for Latino Achievement and Success in Education (CLASE). Rebecca K. Hixon is a postdoctoral research and teaching associate for CLASE. Jodi P. Weber is the assistant director of professional development for CLASE. CLASE is a research and development center housed within the University of Georgia's College of Education.