What to expect this week:
5 min read
This week, we dive into chatty classrooms from an engagement perspective. Here’s what you’ll learn:
Tech Talk: Supercharge your class discussions using AI.
Surplus Scoop: How to REALLY celebrate teacher appreciation week.
Brainy Bits: The Swedish method of listening to your students.
Tech Talk
Everyone has so much to say
Let’s tackle the most universal classroom problem - students who won’t stop talking. We’ve all been there, and it’s one of the biggest causes of student distraction. But what if we’ve been looking at the problem all wrong? What if we use it to our advantage?
Granted, we’re not naïve here at The PEN Weekly - we know this might not work in every class; but Parlay might be the tech to do this. Parlay works with your existing LMS (Google Classroom, etc.) as opposed to being a standalone app. Think of it as a supercharged discussion board that encourages your students to share their never ending chatter in a way that gives you more control. Here’s how it works:
Start by creating a question, either by yourself, using their catalog of curriculum questions, or using their new AI genie to help.
Students then submit their responses 'anonymously’ (you can still see who typed what, but the students won’t be able to tell).
Students can then read through other responses (only after submitting their own); teachers can even include prompts to make responding to each other easier.
Teachers can then use all of the discussions as graded work, including rubrics and feedback.
Summary data is even provided at the end of every discussion to help keep track of individual participation. If your students are more vocal chatters than texters, there’s even a verbal discussion tool, too.
It has the same setup as the written form, but now students can tap in to the conversation when it’s their turn; teachers can even queue the students in an order to allow for peace as opposed to chaos.
Why would a tool like Parlay even work? It all comes down to barriers. With regular classroom chatter, there is no order or control from the teacher’s perspective. Don’t get us wrong, that can sometimes be a good thing from a creative standpoint. But if all your students want to do is chat with each other, a tool like this can help steer the conversation in a more favorable, less distracting direction. Not to mention some of the socio-emotional benefits of having a safe and encouraging discussion platform for students who may feel shy to share on their own.
Cost wise, well, it’s actually not scary at all. We’re (as always) not endorsed or even known by Parlay, so we feel no shame in saying this - stick with the free version only. It covers more than most teachers would need to conduct their organized discussions. Should you want to upgrade, $120 USD/year is what you’re looking at for a slew of assessment tools that then come packaged with it.
Give your tired vocal chords a break and let the students carry the conversation. What other tips and tricks do you use to steer your student conversations?
Surplus Scoop
Here’s our weekly roundup of interesting education stories from around the world. Click each link to learn more:
The great teacher shortage hits permanent positions as 5,000 teachers quit in this Canadian province.
This home-swapping-home-schooling family is traveling across Europe and saving money at the same time.
Even if you believe it should be students’ job to be engaged, you accept that it’s your job to engage them.
Brainy Bits
The Swedish method to really hear your students
Photo by Martín Castañeda on Unsplash
If tech like Parlay can help you control your classroom chatter, what does the research say about talkative students? For this, we turn to a collective exploration study out of Sweden by Baldini et al. (2024). This study asked 7 different doctoral researchers what they prefer about the Swedish method of student listening, and how it can impact your classroom.
Why Sweden? Well, as of 2020, there is actual Swedish legislation in place to protect a child’s right to be listened to. How does this country place such a high value on the words of their youngest students? Here’s what the researchers had to say:
Listening to younger students is not just about the words they speak. You’ll learn more from observing their everyday ‘boring’ interactions. 👀
The Swedish idea of ‘Educare’ involves caring for a child’s wellbeing and education; this can be challenging in large groups. Model this skill to your students by teaching via questions and build on their answers. You’re their conductor and your students are the orchestra. 🎻
Every word a student says carries weight, especially in serious situations. Respect their words accordingly and don’t ignore things just because they are young. 🗣️
In Sweden, voluntary school hours outside of regular class time leads to more engaged conversations, as students participate in activities that they enjoy; they want to be there and so are more inclined to verbally share. 🏅
We must not forget to listen to students who cannot speak and/or have exceptionalities. Find other ways to to listen in a way that reflects their point of view and experience. 🧠
It’s more than just words. Pay attention to sensory indicators to better understand your students. For example, hold periods of silence and observe how students react to them. This can provide valuable insights to their learning behaviors. 👂
Your country may not have a similar law, but we can all better appreciate what our students have to say. Do you have a chatty classroom? Listen first. And yes, we understand how impossible that might sound. Sometimes you just need to get through a lesson - we’ve been there and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. However, disciplinary yelling and shushing can only go so far. If it’s day one of the year, it may be a better angle to show students you're listening to what they have to say. Then really turn them on their heads and incorporate those topics into your lessons.
Have you tried these Swedish listening techniques before? Got a better way to control the chatter? Hit reply and let us know!
Tell your friends about us!
Like what you’ve seen? Forward us to your friends and colleagues so y’all have something to talk about next week. 😎
Have an idea for some classroom tech, strategies, or research that you think is valuable for the community? Hit reply on this email and let us know.
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References
This week’s issue adapts information from the following sources:
Tech Talk:
Parlay. (2024). The future of student driven class discussion. Retrieved from www.parlayideas.com
Brainy Bits:
Baldini, M.H., Tiefenbacher, R., Terzoglou, E., Strand, J., Hallqvist, V., Strid, E.H., Antoli, O., Sparrman A, & Tesar, M,. (2024). Listening to children and young people in Sweden: practices, possibilities, and tensions. Global Studies of Childhood 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/20436106241246065