G. Young – 29-year veteran social studies teacher, Maine South High School, Des
Plaines, Illinois
School faculty receives curriculum slides and speaker notes from these workshops for departmental practice and self-study.
Our Online Community of Practice provides classroom-ready lesson plans, assessments and live monthly trainings for your entire faculty – teachers, counselors, administrators and support staff – to improve conversation skills over time.
Students talking for just 1.7 minutes longer in class increases scores by 13.7%
(Sedova, et al, 2019)
Student discussion is more effective than 94% of other classroom influencers.
(Hattie, 2018)
Student discourse increases analytical thinking and high-level comprehension.
(Murphy et al., 2018)
Classroom dialogue supports inter-disciplinary learning and mastery.
(Howe et al, 2019)
Research shows that the median of students talking in class is only 5.5 seconds. It’s crucial to equip teachers with effective tools to engage students in meaningful conversations. Metadata studies have also demonstrated a clear correlation between the amount of time students spend participating in classroom discussions and their academic achievement. (Sedova, et al, 2019)
Conversations empower minds, connect hearts and build stronger schools
During great conversations, everyone feels safe to weigh in on the topic and experiences are shared in an open, non-judgmental setting. Metadata studies conclude that when students connect new concepts directly with past experiences, student achievement is accelerated faster than over 98% of common influencers (Hattie, 2010).
But student engagement is only half of the equation. It is just as important that the teachers themselves are engaged with the curriculum, so that they to can become a student in their own classroom and reinvigorate their own passion for learning.
Enrolling in our conversational development program is a step you can take now to support productive relationships between your teachers and students and ensure that your school community becomes a testament to critical thinking and compassion. We have all the resources you need to make unforgettable conversations routine. We look forward to partnering with you.
Ask yourself what you want to see when you visit a teacher’s classroom. Who’s talking? Is it the kids or the teacher? What kind of community is caring about learning what?
Copyright © 2025 Teach Different. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2023 Teach Different. All rights reserved.
Short, profound quotes and a simple protocol are more than just useful conversation starters. They give universal access to higher-order thinking skills and opportunities for social interaction to drive acquisition of academic content for those struggling with a new language.
Big questions arise organically from authentic conversations. Great discussions motivate great questions and make learning memorable and classrooms unforgettable.
Great conversations compel students to consider opposing ideas and resolve disagreements through critical analysis and perspective taking.
(Your invite will be sent within 24 hours)
