Dialogic teaching

in language classrooms

Do you
discover any
Rhinos in your
classrooms?

Do you know
what
RHINOs are?

Really Here In Name Only

When?
Where?
In what contexts?

How often are you a

Rhino?

Well, how often do

you discover
parrots in your
class?

Common types of language

classroom talks

Expository
Interrogatory
Dialogic
Evaluative

Classroom talks as a vehicle

for

Rote learning

Exposition or Explanation

Direct instruction

Scaffolded instruction

Classroom talks as a vehicle

for

Problem solving

Task completion

Enquiry

Discussion

Learning talks

The ability to narrate, explain,

question, answer, discuss, negotiate
and
The preparedness to listen, to be
receptive to ideas

Teaching talk
Rote (teacher class) :

the drilling of forms, sounds etc. through

constant repetition
Recitation (teacher-class or teacher-

group):

cues to stimulate recall of what has been

learned

Teaching talk (cont)

Instruction/exposition (teacher-

class, teacher-group, teacherindividual):

instruct, impart information, explain

Teaching talk (cont)

Scaffolded dialogue (teacher-class,

teacher-group, teacher-individual, pupilpupil):
cueing for responses from pupils through
structured or sequenced prompts

Teaching talk (cont)

Discussion (pupil-pupil with or without

teacher):
talk among members intended to enable ideas,
information to be shared or problems to be
solved

The tripartite dialogic repertoire for

language teachers

Learning talk - narrate, explain, question and

answer, active listening
Teaching talk - rote, recitation, exposition,
discussion, dialogue
Interactive strategies (whole class teaching,
group work led by teacher, group work led by
students, paired work, one-to-one teacherpupil discussion)

Five dialogic principles

Collective:
T/P address learning tasks together
Reciprocal:
T/P active listening and sharing
Supportive:
P expresses freely in a supportive
environment

Five dialogic principles (cont)

Cumulative:
T/P build on own ideas and construct new
understanding
Purposeful:
T plans and steer classroom talk with
specific educational goals in view

Dialogic teaching and

Collaborative Lesson Planning
Manipulating and relating the tripartite
dialogic repertoire and the five dialogic
principles to curriculum planning, putting it
in action, and reflect

Teachers dialogues as triggers to

cycles of transformation
Growth and
Development

Reflections

Problem Situations

Cognitive /
Pedagogical Dissonance

Intervention Strategies
and Learning experiences

Teachers dialogues as triggers to

cycles of transformation
Problem Situations
Cognitive/ Pedagogical

Dissonance

Intervention Strategies and

Learning experiences
Teacher role

Goals
Input

Activities

TASKS

Learner role
Settings

The task is a piece of meaningfocused work involving learners in

comprehending, producing and/or
interacting in the target language, and
the tasks are analyzed according to
their goals, input, activities, settings
and roles.

(Nunan, 1992)

Reflections:
When?
How deep?

Who?

Why?

Features of interactive teaching

Surface features
Engaging pupils
Pupil practical and active involvement
Broad pupil participation
Collaborative activity
Conveying knowledge

Deep features

Assessing and extending knowledge

Reciprocity and meaning making
Attention to thinking and learning skills
Attention to pupils social and emotional
needs/skills

The range of possible questions to

ask in teachers dialogues
On intentions/purposes

What were your intentions/aims/ in using

this strategy
How far successful?
Your expectations on pupils?
Did the context influence your purposes?

On Self awareness

Feelings at the moment?

Roots to this feeling?

On Technical reflection

What were you doing?

How did you decide what outcomes were
appropriate?
Why chose this strategy?
Breaking down into different aspects
How prior experiences influence your
actions?

On Practical reflection

Your assumption?
Alternate actions/solutions?
Other sources of alternate knowledge?
What values were presented in your
teaching?

On Critical reflection

What ethical/moral choices made?

What wider forces applied?
How are pupils affected by your actions?
Does the practice offer equality?
Moyles et. al. (2003)
Interactive Teaching in the Primary School

Growth and development in

knowledge, skills and dispositions in
language teaching and learning
What has been learned?
How is it learned ?

Variations in the curriculum design and teaching

strategies by schools focus of dialogues in the
sharing session
Group 1

Moving away from guided

writing
- Encouraging discussion
among pupils

Variations in the curriculum design and teaching

strategies by schools focus of dialogues in the
sharing session (cont)
Group 2

Using graphic organizers to improve reading

and writing
- Interacting with the prints for meaning

Variations in the curriculum design and teaching

strategies by schools focus of dialogues in the
sharing session (cont)

Group 3
Promoting oral interaction
The Input Practice Feedback loop

Variations in the curriculum design and teaching

strategies by schools focus of dialogues in the
sharing session (cont)
Group 4

Journal writing as a method to

improve students writing
- Allowing genuine
communication between
teachers and students

Variations in the curriculum design and teaching

strategies by schools focus of dialogues in the
sharing session (cont)
Group 5

Students
Construct
meaning

Reading workshop
- Using instructional
strategies to help
construct meaning from
texts

Texts

Teachers

Gp.

Topic

School

Venue

Moving away from

guided writing

SKH St. Peters Primary

School (AM&PM)

Room 407

Using graphic
organizers to improve
reading and writing

PLK Leung Chow Shun

Kam Primary School (PM)

Room 406

Promoting oral
interaction

Chai Wan Kok Catholic

Primary School (AM)

Journal writing as a way

to improve students
writing

Mission Covenant Church

Holm Glad Primary School

Room 405

Reading workshop

Canton Road Government

Primary School

Room 404

Conference
Room G/F

A final note
Beyond the dialogue of the voices,
then, is a dialogue of minds.
(Alexander, 2005)