Math teachers know the first step to meaningful mathematics discussions
is to ask students to share how they solved a problem and make their
thinking visible; however, knowing where to go next can be a daunting
task. In Intentional Talk: How to Structure and Lead Productive
Mathematical Discussions, authors Elham Kazemi and Allison Hintz
provide teachers with a framework for planning and facilitating
purposeful math talks that move group discussions to the next level
while achieving a mathematical goal.
Through detailed vignettes from both primary and upper elementary
classrooms, the authors provide a window into how teachers lead
discussions and make important pedagogical decisions along the way. By
creating equitable opportunities to share ideas, teachers can orient
students to one another while enforcing that all students are sense
makers and their ideas are valued. They examine students' roles as both
listeners and talkers, offering numerous strategies for improving
student participation.
Intentional Talk includes a collection of lesson planning
templates in the appendix to help teachers apply the right structure to
discussions in their own classrooms.