Newsletter #11: Chalk Talk

How to Engage Quiet Students

I have three students in every class that want to answer every question. They know all of the answers (or aren’t afraid to be wrong). A common problem in classrooms or in group settings is engaging participation from every person. How do we get socially anxious students, distracted students, or those less inclined to participate in group discussions? How do we tamp down the loudest voices and allow the quiet voices to be heard?

A Silent Discussion Routine

Chalk Talk, a thinking routine from Project Zero, gives everyone a voice. Project Zero, a Harvard Graduate School of Education initiative, creates simple, research-based thinking routines which can be used to educate children to think, engage, and participate. This routine “asks learners to consider ideas, questions, or problems by silently responding in writing both to the prompt and the thoughts of others” (Ritchhart, Church & Morrison, Thinking Made Visible).

• Set up: Write a question or prompt on a large sheet of paper or butcher’s paper and place one prompt per table around the room. Decide if you want students to participate as individuals or as a small group.
• Present the Prompt: Invite students to think and respond both to the prompts and to each other’s comments and responses. Decide how much time each round should take.
• Circulate: Provide enough time for students to circulate around the room and participate in each discussion. 
• Facilitate: You may need to demonstrate how learners should respond: by making connections, by elaborating, or just making comments or suggestions.
• Share the Thinking: Allow students to return to their original starting places to read and review what others have written. What patterns emerge? Are there common reactions? What surprised them? Ask students to explain how their thinking developed.

How to Track Participation

Assign a color to a particular student if you’d like to track answers OR lay out various colors for anonymity. Because this routine has movement, talk and fidgeting are limited. Time is critical to Chalk Talk. This routine may be quicker for adults and advanced students, while more time may be needed for younger students. If you have dominant voices in your classroom, give Chalk Talk a try - you might find this routine a great way to give all of your students a voice and space to contribute their experiences and unique ideas!