Examining the Role of Student Leaders During Small-Group English Language Arts Discussions

• In Event: Language and Strategic Metacognitive Strategies for Comprehension

Abstract

Engaging in productive interactions is important for language skill acquisition and literacy development. Examined in multiple global contexts, Quality Talk (QT) is a teacher-facilitated, small-group discussion approach that promotes meaningful interactions among students. However, teacher facilitation of every group discussion can be infeasible in classroom contexts where class sizes are large and many groups are necessary. Training students as discussion leaders may be useful in circumventing this feasibility issue. The current study examined discussions from a language arts class in South Africa where the teacher assigned a student leader as a discussion facilitator in each small group. Through analyzing recorded videos of discussions, we found that, over time, student leaders became proficient in using teacher moves to facilitate peers’ learning.

Authors

• Sara E. Baszczewski, Pennsylvania State University

• P. Karen Murphy, Pennsylvania State University

• Rachel Miriam Vriend Croninger, Pennsylvania State University

• Yue Tang, Pennsylvania State University

• Margaret Funke Omidire, University of Pretoria

• Liesel Ebersohn, University of Pretoria