Talking in Class: Synthesize!
Building synthesis skills through student dialogue activities

ELMLE Pre-Conference Day 2018 with Brianna Gray and Jacob Rosch
www.talkinginclass.com/synthesize

Welcome!

Picture
After you are comfortably settled, please visit the Talking in Class website and, if you have not already, complete the pre-workshop survey at
https://tinyurl.com/TiCsynthesize
​We will begin shortly!

Overview

8:45


10:30
10:45
12:00
12:45

1:30
1:45
​
​3:30
Introductions and objectives
Rationale, research, and results
Defining synthesis
Break
The value of synthesis
​Lunch
Synthesis in your classroom
Questions for Life
​Break
Assessing synthesis
​Designing activities
Close

Session Objectives

  1. Understand the research behind student dialogue use and best practices
  2. Define synthesize
  3. Determine the importance of synthesis to 21st century citizens 
  4. Understand how to use questioning techniques to scaffold synthesis 
  5. Learn to assess synthesis 

Standards for Professional Development

UK Department of Education, July 2016
     1. Professional development should have a focus on improving and evaluating
        pupil outcomes.
    2. Professional development should be underpinned by robust evidence and
        expertise.
    3. Professional development should include collaboration and expert challenge.
    4. Professional development programmes should be sustained over time.
And all this is underpinned by, and requires that:
​    5. Professional development must be prioritised by school leadership.

Five Core Skills for 
Academic Conversation

  1. Elaborate and Clarify
  2. Support Ideas with Examples
  3. Build on or Challenge a Partner's Idea
  4. Paraphrase
  5. Synthesize
Picture
From Talking in Class: Increasing the Quality and Quantity of Student-to-Student Dialogue in the Classroom (2013)

Planning and Application

  1. ​Benefits of Synthesize: https://tinyurl.com/elmleparagraphs
  2. ​Rubric to Assess Synthesize: https://tinyurl.com/synthesizerubric
Picture
From Academic Conversations: Classroom Talk that Fosters Critical Thinking and Understanding (2011)

For effective implementation...

The VAlue of Synthesis (combining sources activity)

1. Read both articles and take notes on post-its (15 min)
   No more than 5 words per post-it!
2. As a group, discuss and group your post-its into pods by topic. (10 min)
3. Write a paragraph on the value of synthesis based on one pod: www.tinyurl.com/elmleparagraphs (15 min)

email Jake and Brianna:
[email protected]