Encouraging exploratory talk: practical suggestions

1. Teach the children how to talk together
How to talk together productively needs to be explicitly taught before children are put around a computer.
Provide small groups of children with exercises in which they have to talk together to reach a joint solution.
To encourage productive talk suggest specific strategies such as using 'because' to give reasons, asking all in the group for their opinions, and discussing ideas before reaching a joint decision.
Once they have had some experience of group work with talk as its aim, encourage the children to decide on and agree to a class set of 'ground rules for talk'. Their experience and your guidance may have made them aware of what is effective and what is not.
Guide the discussion towards rules that are to do with good quality group talk rather than issues such as speaking politely. Write down these rules in the children's own words and keep them prominently on display in class. You and the children can then refer to them as 'our rules'.
Here is an example from one class:

Our rules for talk

• Everyone should have a chance to talk
• Each member of the group should be asked:
  - what do you think?
  - why do you think that?
• Look and listen to the person talking
• Show respect for other people's suggestions

After talking the group should agree on an idea.

2. Think about grouping the children
What is the aim and purpose of the group working together at the computer? If a primary aim is to encourage effective talk, groups who work together must be carefully chosen. It is useful to take the following factors into account.

• Friendship groups. Friends may appear to get on well together, but they may be too 'easily pleased' with one another's suggestions. Separate close friends.
• Gender. Children at work in a group may adopt stereotypical roles taking charge or declining to contribute, acting as 'secretary' or not considering others. Ensure the children are aware that all contributions are equally valuable, and the group is expected to cooperate.
• Ability. One of the group members must be an able reader, so that on-screen instructions are easily understood. Computer literacy should also be considered.
• Sociability, willingness to cooperate, ability to listen, 'shyness', imaginative powers, and subtle aspects of the child's relationships with others will influence group work. The positive individual contribution that children can make to their group should be emphasised to them.

3. Consider the software you use
The following points have been found to be useful indicators of whether software will stimulate and support meaningful discussion. They have been included here as a checklist.

• Are there reasons for choices clearly on the screen where children can point them out to one another?
• Are choices presented as part of a motivating 'story'? Role play in particular seems to help children discuss issues.
• Are choices sufficiently difficult to make? If answers are obvious the programme will support little talk.
• Do the choices have real consequences? If they are arbitrary they will not encourage effective talk.
• Are there multiple choice options rather than typed input?
• Check that the software does not provide a series of unrelated sequential problems: this can lead to competitive turntaking rather than collaboration.

4. Set up the task with discussion as an aim
Make sure that the children know how they are expected to talk together. Ask them to read or recall their 'ground rules for talk'.
Sort out turn taking with the mouse or the keyboard, and seating arrangements, before the computersupported talk task begins. Reinforce the idea that the group reach an agreed joint decision before any choice is made or keyed in.

References

Wegerif, R. and Scrimshaw, P. (Eds) (1997) Computers and Talk in the Primary Classroom. Clevedon, Multilingual Matters.
Grugeon, E. Hubbard, L. .Smith, C. and Dawes, L. (1998) Teaching Speaking and Listening in the Primary School. London, Fulton Press.