This document outlines the objectives and content of a seminar on spoken language and exploratory talk. It includes learning objectives around children's language development, key research on speaking and listening, and the role of the teacher in facilitating exploratory talk. The seminar schedule is provided, along with assignments on using exploratory talk to support reading comprehension. Background is given on exploratory talk, including definitions and characteristics. Examples of exploratory talk and ground rules are discussed.

1. Year 1
Seminar 1
22nd September 2014
NC 2013: Spoken Language

2. Learning objectives
 To understand children learn to explore , develop and
sustain ideas through talk
 To be aware of some key research related to speaking and
listening
 To become familiar with exploratory talk
 Consider the relationship between thought and language
 Understand that spoken language is central to learning
 Know about the role of the teacher in facilitating
exploratory talk

3. Share the books you have brought
with you
 Please use the book
prompt grids and show
the copies of the books if
you have them
One book I enjoyed as a child
Title and Author
The story is about… The author/ illustrator has been
particularly successful in my
opinion because s/he…
The best characters are… Why I liked this book and what it
meant to me when I read it.
I found out about the book because (e.g. it was a TV tie in,
my friends, Blue Peter, teacher or friend recommended it
etc)…

4. Week
Number
Lead Lecture Seminar
1 Spoken language: talking
together
2 Reading comprehension
3 Reading and talk
4 Lead Lecture
Talking and the reading environment
Reading into writing
5 Lead Lecture
Creative talking and reading
Phonics 1
6 Essay preparation micro
seminars
7 Phonics 2
12 Reflection and application
Choice of seminars

5. Assignment
Everything we talk about in this seminar will be relevant
to your assignment to be handed in Monday 10th
November W8 of semester 1 and for the essay
preparation seminar in W6. You are advised to look at
your handbook this week to familiarise yourself with the
assignment title and guidance.

6. How can teachers use exploratory talk to support
comprehension skills in guided reading?
Essay: 2000 words
Hand in: Week 8 Monday
10th November
understanding of:
 comprehension skills
 exploratory talk
 guided reading
 the teacher’s role
 comprehension teaching strategies
 Identify reasons why exploratory talk
supports reading comprehension
 Reference to key research, reports and
academic texts both within the reading
pack and beyond
 Appropriate use of English and referencing

7. Reading Logs
 In addition you should take the opportunity to read as
many children’s books as you can, as the study of
children’s literature is an important aspect of the
programme. Read books from every level, from picture
books to more complex books for older children and
include anthologies, poetry and children’s non-fiction.
If possible, spend some time sharing books with
children so that you can experience their reactions too.
You should begin to build up a collection of books
which you can draw on when you are working in
schools. Your reading should include a range of
authors and genres (e.g. historical, fantasy, myths,
legends, fairy stories, science fiction, contemporary
realism, and humorous). Some authors worth
exploring are: Philip Pullman, Jon Scieszka, Jacqueline
Wilson, Malorie Blackman, Anthony Brown, Quentin
Blake, Michael Morpurgo, Anne Fine, Martin Waddell,
Philip Ridley, Gillian Cross, John Burningham, Joan
Aiken, but the list could be endless, so enjoy reading
and discover the good authors for yourselves (and
rediscover some from your own childhood reading!).
For poetry, you could make a good start with John
Agard, Allan Ahlberg, Charles Causley, Ted Hughes,
Grace Nichols, Michael Rosen, Jackie Kay, Judith
Graham. For non-fiction you could look at texts by
Dan Green and by Philip Ardagh, as well as exploring
the Insiders series and the Infinity series
Make a reading log
 30 books
A selection of
picture books
novels, non fiction
 Different age groups
Watch the Film on
the Learning
Network

9. What do you already know about
exploratory talk ?
 Answer these questions
with a friend on your table
 What is a definition of
exploratory talk?
 What is a community of
inquiry?
 What is IRF?
 Who is Neil Mercer?

10. What does the research tell us about talk
that goes on in the classroom?
I Initiation
R Response
F Feedback
(Sinclair and Coulthard 1975)

11. Alma a chilling doll story
 http://www.literacyshed.com/the-ghostly-shed.html

12. Mercer’s Types of Talk
Disputational
Cumulative
Exploratory

13. Exploratory talk
 Because
 If
 Why
 I think
 What if

14. Relationships
I broke up with a guy and two
weeks later he went out with
my best friend. I was really
upset as she has done this
before and knew how sad I
was then. They’ve broken up
now, but we still haven’t
talked. I feel all of our friends
have taken her side. I’m
really alone and I just want
all my friends back. Please
help!
 Shout, D.C. Thompson 527 September 2014

15. Relationships
 I like this boy in my class
and he’s really popular. He
used to be fine with me but
now he’s suddenly started
being mean. He says stuff
like “I hate you” and “you
rally annoy me”. I don’t
know what I’ve done, and
I’ve tried asking him but he
won’t give me a straight
answer.
 Shout, D.C. Thompson 527 September 2014

16. Mates
 I’m always down and get
upset easily over small
things. I’m really
uncomfortable around
my friends – they’ve said
I’m a nobody and have
sent me horrible
Facebook messages. I
don’t know what to do.
Can you help me?
 Shout, D.C. Thompson 527 September 2014

17. Life
 My best fiends are all going
to a party but my mum
won’t let me go. My friends
keep talking about how
excited they are and what
they are going to wear – I’m
starting to feel a bit left
out. Everyone in my year is
going-should I keep trying
to persuade my mum? I’m
worried people will think
I’m a freak if I don’t go…
 Shout, D.C. Thompson 527 September 2014

18. Life
 I can’t sleep. Every night I feel
like someone is watching me
when I am alone, and trying
to warn me about something.
When my dog comes into my
room, he gets uncomfortable
and starts whining. I’ve also
been screaming, “Leave me
alone!” in my sleep! My mum
is taking me to see a doctor
but I’m scared they’ll think
I’m crazy. Am I crazy?
 Shout, D.C. Thompson 527 September 2014

19. Talking in groups
Voting should be allowed at 16
 Sixteen and 17-year-olds
should be allowed to vote in
UK elections, say youth
campaigners.
 It follows calls from the Welsh
government to lower the
voting age.
 At the moment you can join
the armed forces, get married
and pay taxes at 16.
 The British Youth Council (BYC)
believes people from that age
should also get to influence
decisions that affect their lives.

20.  Joint activity
 Interthinking
 Intermental space
 Intramental space
 Articulate
 Analyse
 Chains of response
 Modify in the light of other people’s contributions

21. Exploratory talk is thinking aloud together - constructing
knowledge through talk
Exploratory talk is hesitant and incomplete because it
enables the speaker to try out ideas, to hear how they
sound, to see what others make of them, to arrange
information and ideas into different patterns…in
exploratory talk the speaker is more concerned with
sorting out his or her own thoughts
Mercer, N. & Hodgkinson, S. (eds) (2008) Exploring Talk in School London: Sage

22. What does exploratory talk look
like  Actively participate
 Ask each other questions
 Share relevant information
 Give reasons for their views
 Constructively criticise
 Try to reach agreement
Mercer (2007)
o Asking questions
o Including relevant
information
o Justifying ideas
o Having ground rules
o Using reasoning words –
if, but, because
o Trying to reach an
agreement
o Trusting each other and
acting as a team
Mercer et al (1999)

23. Ground Rules – Teacher Version
 Partners engage critically but constructively with each other’s ideas
 Everyone participates
 Tentative ideas are treated with respect
 Ideas are offered for joint consideration may be challenged
 Challenges are justified and alternative ideas or understandings are offered
 Opinions are sought and considered before decisions are jointly made
 Knowledge is made publicly accountable (and so reasoning is visible in the
talk)
Mercer M. & Hodgkinson, S. (eds) (2008) Exploring Talk in School London: Sage pp.
66-67

24. Ground rules
 Share ideas
 Give reasons
 Question ideas
 Consider
 Agree
 Involve everybody
 Everybody accepts
responsibility
On a poster in classroom
 We share our ideas and
listen to each other
 We talk one at a time
 We respect each other’s
opinions
 We give reasons to explain
our ideas
 If we disagree we ask ‘why?’
 We try to agree in the end

25. Spoken Language in the National
Curriculum
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/210969/NC_framework_docum
ent_-_FINAL.pdf
Pupils should be taught to:
 listen and respond appropriately to
adults and their peers
 ask relevant questions to extend their
understanding and build vocabulary
and knowledge
 articulate and justify answers,
arguments and opinions
 give well-structured descriptions and
explanations
 maintain attention and participate
actively in collaborative conversations,
staying on topic and initiating and
responding to comments
 use spoken language to develop
understanding through speculating,
hypothesising, imagining and
exploring ideas
 speak audibly and fluently with an
increasing command of Standard
English
 participate in discussions,
presentations, performances and
debates
 gain, maintain and monitor the
interest of the listener(s)
 consider and evaluate different
viewpoints, attending to and building
on the contributions of others
 select and use appropriate registers
for effective communication.

26. Examples from New Curriculum for
English
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/210969/NC_framework_document_-_FINAL.pdf
 Year 1
 participate in discussion about what is read to
them, taking turns and listening to what others
say
 explain clearly their understanding of what is
read to them
 discuss what they have written with the teacher
or other pupils
 Year 2
 listening to, discussing and expressing views
about a wide range of poetry (including
contemporary and classic), stories and non-fiction
at a level beyond that at which they can
read independently
 Y3&4
 plan their writing by:
 discussing writing similar to that which they are
planning to write in order to understand and
learn from its structure, vocabulary and grammar
 discussing and recording ideas
 Y5&6
 discuss and evaluate how authors use
language, including figurative language,
considering the impact on the reader
 distinguish between statements of fact
and opinion
 retrieve, record and present information
from non-fiction
 participate in discussions about books that
are read to them and those they can read
for themselves, building on their own and
others’ ideas and challenging views
courteously
 explain and discuss their understanding of
what they have read, including through
formal presentations and debates,
maintaining a focus on the topic and using
notes where necessary
 provide reasoned justifications for their
views.

27. Locking it in Go back to the
questions we
asked at the
beginning of
the seminar
and see if you
can answer
them a little
better now?

28. Preparation for next seminar
 Read the article and
annotate it. Be prepared to
discuss it with peers in
seminar 2 next week:
 Mercer, N. (2004)
‘Development through
Dialogue’ in Grainger, T. (ed)
The Routledge Falmer
Reader in Language and
Literacy London : Routledge
Falmer pp.121-137
 Start a reading log with at
least 1 book in it
 Write a 50+ word paragraph
defining exploratory talk e.g.
‘Exploratory talk is…

29. Bibliography
Corden, R. (2000) Literacy and Learning Through Talk Buckingham: OUP
Mercer, N. (1995) The Guided Construction of Knowledge Clevedon: Multilingual
Matters
Mercer, N. (2000) Words and Minds London: Routledge
Mercer, N. & Littleton, K. (2007) Dialogue and the Development of Children's
Thinking London: Routledge
Mercer, N. & Hodgkinson, S. (eds) (2008) Exploring Talk in School London: Sage
Sinclair J. & Coulthard, M. (1975) Towards an Analysis of Discourse: The
Language of Teachers and Students London: Oxford University Press
Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Muttock, S., Gilden, R., & Bell, D. (2002) Researching
Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years Research Briefing 356, Nottingham: DfES

30. Alma animation teaching ideas
 Teaching Ideas
Let the children listen to the soundtrack of the film, turn off IWB, can they guess what
kind of film this is? Thriller etc? What moods? There is quite a lot of suspense etc.
Children could predict what happens at certain points e.g. What will happen when she
goes into the shop?
Children could ask questions at specific points e.g. Why is the town empty? Why does
the doll just look like her? Where is the shopkeeper? What does he do with the dolls?
The children could write a sequel to this film perhaps changing parts of it.
Can the children draw/describe what they think the owner of the shop looks like? Maybe
produce a wanted poster.
Here is some fabulous work create by the Year 6 class at Greenfields Primary School.
http://www.mapleclassgreenfields.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/story-writing.html?m=1
These are tremendous stories with some very sophisticated plots and sentence
structures.

32. School experience focus
 Activity - C Focus on Language
 Observe, listen and make notes on the range of speaking
and listening in the classroom. How does the teacher
encourage groups to use speaking and listening to solve
problems? For one lesson note all the questions the teacher
asks. How do the children respond, e.g. hands-up,
whiteboards, talking to a friend?
 Activity - D Focus on English
 What opportunities do the children have to choose and
talk about books? What reading resources are available for
children? How does the teacher organise reading
opportunities in the classroom?

33. Reading log
 English
 The study of English involves understanding how children acquire language and literacy, what factors affect this and
what knowledge teachers need to be able to teach effectively. You will need to study English at your own level as well as
studying the primary curriculum.
 Useful introductory supporting texts are:
 Browne, A (2009) Developing Language and Literacy 3-8 London: Sage
 Corden, R. (2000) Literacy and Learning Through Talk Buckingham: OU Press
 Graham, J. & Kelly, A. (2007) Reading under control Teaching reading in Primary School London: David Fulton
 Graham, J. & Kelly, A. (2009) Writing under control Teaching writing in Primary School London: David Fulton
 Grugeon, E. (2005) Teaching Speaking and Listening in the Primary School London: David Fulton
 Lewis, M. & Ellis, S. (2006) Phonics: Practice, Research and Policy London: Sage
 Lockwood, M (2008) Promoting Reading for Pleasure in Primary School London: Sage
 Myhill, D. et al. (2006) Talking Listening Learning: Effective Talk in the classroom Maidenhead: OUP
 In addition you should take the opportunity to read as many children’s books as you can, as the study of children’s
literature is an important aspect of the programme. Read books from every level, from picture books to more complex
books for older children and include anthologies, poetry and children’s non-fiction. If possible, spend some time
sharing books with children so that you can experience their reactions too. You should begin to build up a collection of
books which you can draw on when you are working in schools. Your reading should include a range of authors and
genres (e.g. historical, fantasy, myths, legends, fairy stories, science fiction, contemporary realism, and humorous).
Some authors worth exploring are: Philip Pullman, Jon Scieszka, Jacqueline Wilson, Malorie Blackman, Anthony
Brown, Quentin Blake, Michael Morpurgo, Anne Fine, Martin Waddell, Philip Ridley, Gillian Cross, John Burningham,
Joan Aiken, but the list could be endless, so enjoy reading and discover the good authors for yourselves (and rediscover
some from your own childhood reading!). For poetry, you could make a good start with John Agard, Allan Ahlberg,
Charles Causley, Ted Hughes, Grace Nichols, Michael Rosen, Jackie Kay, Judith Graham. For non-fiction you could look
at texts by Dan Green and by Philip Ardagh, as well as exploring the Insiders series and the Infinity series