Conversation Strategy Descriptions

Respuesta Física Total – Total Physical Response (TPR) 

The teacher says the new vocabulary word for the students.  As the teacher says the word, they use gestures, facial expressions, and/or body movement to illustrate the meaning of the word. Then the teacher prompts the students mimic the same gestures, facial expressions, and/or body movement as they say the word.

Inicios de oraciones en parejas – Sentence Starters

The teacher reviews the sentence or question stems with the students. Then in pairs students use the sentence stems to talk to each other.

Gira y comparte con tu compañero – Turn and Talk

The teacher poses a question or prompt for students to discuss for one-to-two minutes. Then the students turn to a partner near them and discuss.

Piensa, voltea y habla – Think – Pair - Share

The teacher prompts the students or asks them a question. The students then think of their response. Then the students to pair up and share their responses for one-to-two minutes. Reconvene the class and ask pairs to report back on their conversations.

Parejas A y B – A and B Partners

The teacher instructs students to pair up with a classmate. The teacher or students identify who is partner A and partner B. Then partner A asks the question and partner B to respond without A interrupting. Then teacher prompts them to switch roles.

Boleto de salida – Exit Ticket

The teacher shares a question or pose a problem on the Exit Ticket, or post the question or problem for students to see. The students turn in their completed Exit Ticket to the teacher waiting at the door. The teacher sorts the exit tickets into common responses and then shares them at the beginning of the next lesson.

Some definitions were adapted from The Teacher Toolkit.