Getting students to talk to each other in meaningful ways is harder than it sounds—but it’s a crucial part of building classroom community and engagement. In this episode, I’m diving into practical strategies you can use at the beginning of the year to help students feel safe and confident sharing their ideas in class.

From low-risk warm-ups and silly writing prompts to silent debates and structured turn and talks, I’ll walk you through simple, intentional ways to ease students into academic conversation. These routines don’t just get students talking; they build trust, support learning, and help create a classroom where every voice has a place.

Whether you're launching back-to-school routines or looking for fresh ways to increase participation, this episode is packed with ideas you can try right away.

Read more in the show notes.

Resources you may find helpful:

• Introduction to Silent Debates
• Academic Language Sentence Stems
• Story Element Task Cards - Great for starting conversations
• Reader Response Task Cards - Reflective conversations

Related episodes and blog posts:

• Academic Conversations Through Silent Debates
• 12 Ways to Support Academic Conversations
• Building Classroom Community in ELA Classroom
• Task Cards: An Engaging Tool for Middle Schoolers

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