READ STOP THINK TALK: Triad Routines

Students read their anthology today in triads or groups of three.

In one classroom I coached I noticed many procedures that had already moved to routines even though it is not even Halloween!  As I reflected on the lesson I observed, I started thinking about the reasons I believe in my routines.

There are many decisions the teacher made to make the triad (triangle knees group) run smoothly. 

1.  Each child brings strengths to the triangle knees group (triad).  There were usually three levels of reading ability in a triad or group of three (high reader, middle reader, and low reader).  At least one child in each group is a comfortable oral processor. This child is not necessarily the highest reader.  Usually the middle or low reader is capable of becoming a better word coach or fix-it strategy coach.  In contrast, the highest reader typically just spits words at the other children when they miss a word until taught what to do instead. Whereas the middle reader and low reader have been taught the fix-it strategies so they are better at coaching them.

Triangle Knees Groups posted so groups are easily formed

 

2. Routine Read Stop Think Talk

 

Language Objectives: 

Students will read a passage outloud with two other students.

Students will listen to a passage read outloud with two other students.

Students will word coach when one of their partners appeals for help.  (Teacher previously taught and provided sentence starters.)

 

My routine of Read, Stop, Think, Talk is perfect for developing language objectives related to speaking.  The triad will read three pages of text because there are three students reading. Partners read two pages of text, then stop reading.  If the text is long or a chapter book, the students will read a ‘handful of text’ or a paragraph. 

READ  Student decides ‘together’ or ‘alone’.  For example, Andrew said, “Together.” His two reading partners, Ashleigh and David starting reading chorally with Andrew. All three read “Andrew’s page chorally.”  When the teacher stopped in and listened to the group, she coached reading with expression.  She read chorally with the students modeling stopping at the period and pausing at a comma.  The students practiced reading fluently as they continued reading together.  Pacing is worth spending time on. Sometimes a high reader misinterprets reading really fast as being a good reader.

Language Objective: Students will listen to the teacher read using expression: how the voice goes up and down, pauses at commas, stops at the ends of sentences.

READ Ashleigh decides to read alone.  For example, Ashleigh is reading outloud as the other two are listening. She was stuck on a word, Andrew gave her the word. David gently reminds Andrew to wait until Ashleigh asks for help. In the next sentence, Ashleigh is stuck on a word. She appeals for help. David and Andrew word coach. Ashleigh rereads the sentence. In the next sentence, Ashleigh miscues and doesn’t seem to notice.  Andrew said, “Try that again.” She did self-correcting.  Ashleigh finished the page asking for word coaching as needed.

Language Objective: The student will ask for word strategy help. (Your job today is to notice when you are stuck on a word and ask your partners for word strategy help.)

READ David said together. The three worked on their fluency language objective without the teacher who was working with other triads.

Language Objective: Students will listen to the highest reader read using expression: how the voice goes up and down, pauses at commas, stops at the ends of sentences. The students echo read after the highest reader practicing using expression.

READ READ READ is completed for round one.

STOP reading is clear.  Just stop.  All three people in the triad read. 

THINK

The students think about their job today.  This  is the content objective.  Examples of Shared Reading “Your Job today is…”:

• Today while you read, notice if Bear is still lost.
• Today while you read, make a prediction, read more, adjust or confirm your prediction.
• Today while you read, your job is to _______. Every day, there is a content objective taught before the students read (in the BEFORE READING section).

TALK

After the triangle knee or triad group sits quietly thinking for approximately 20 seconds, they begin discussing the content object for the day. One student states the job for the day. They discuss what they know about the job so far. 

Language Objectives:

• The student will orally explain to a partner why he or she thinks ______.
• The student will display their knowledge of _____ by using complete sentences when discussing the content objective with triad groups.

• The student will use sentence frames to respectfully agree or disagree with other class members’ perspectives about _________:   “I disagree/agree with _____ because ______”

Repeat READ STOP THINK TALK routine until reading time is done.

 

Formats – How we engage all students in reading

Four Square or Triangle Knee Conversations After Self-Selected Reading

My experience in classrooms has led me to believe that triads or ‘triangle knees’ are the ideal size groups.  A group of three students form a cooperative group that I refer to as triangle knees.  Each member in the group sits criss-cross applesauce so that each persons knees touch the person on both the left and right.  This small group forms the geometric shape of a triangle.    This Triangle Knee Format allows all the members in the group to look at each other in the face.  This group lends itself to a perfect quiet conversation in a classroom.  Partners can also face each other for a conversation, but the conversation is not as diverse between two people.    The Four Square Share Format allows for indepth conversation too.    The teacher and students should know and establish their triangle knees /triads before the lesson begins.  If the triangle knees partnerships are established for a few weeks, the members will become comfortable with each other instead of trying to get comfortable with each other each day. 

As students get ready for the small group conversation, the students need to think about what page will I share?  Do I want to leave a sticky note on it so I can find it easily?  How do I indicate tracks of my thinking?  Since this is school, I cannot write in my books.  I can write on a sticky note (post-it) note though.  I have to make sure that this is just a quick jot.  I am not going to read it to my group.  I might write a word or just leave it on the page.  I will not read anything to my group. 

In the beginning of the discussion time, I lead a triad or triangle knees group.  I asked 2 students to join me (or3).  We modeled how to have a discussion.  Day after day, we went through my whole class list.  ALL students participated in the Fish Bowl triangles knees  modeling.  This allowed for lots of opportunities for success.  If I had 30 students in my classroom, it took approximately 10 days to model.   One triangle group models per day in the fish bowl.     After the fish bowl triad/triangle group model, then every triangle knees group has a chance to try-it.  The teacher is coaching conversations as needed.  The teacher tries to listen and only prompts the students as needed. 

  If the teacher hears a statement that is not supported with evidence, the teacher might ask the students to support their thinking with one of these evidence based terms:
-because
-for instance
-for example
-let me explain
-the author said
-earlier it said on page ___
-from our reading we know that…

If the triangle group of students is sharing very light weight thinking in the share groups, the teacher might help the groups dig deeper by prompting with questions:
- Can you explain why you think that?
-What make you think that?
-Why did you say that?
-Can you tell me more about that?
-How can you explain that?
-Would you please give us evidence for that idea?
-What facts do we know that support your thinking?

Remember the purpose of the teacher monitoring conversations is support and teaching.  The teacher is not hearing all the conversations.  The students are learning to have conversations without the teacher.  The children are learning to value each other’s opinions and conversations.  The interactions are student centered.  The students are learning to look at each other, to honor each other’s responses, to connect to the text and to stay on the topic being discussed. 

Reflecting on How Sharing Went
After Triads or Four Square Share, lets think about how it went. Some groups think questions such as these help:
-How did we sit?
-Were we ready for the discussion?
-Did we have a sticky note marking our page that we shared?
-Did we look at the person talking?
-Did we listen to each other and respond to what the other person said?
-Did we refer to the book?
-Did we talk to each other?

Sometimes in the beginning of these conversations I teach a procedure to get the children started. The children share their books after Self-Selected Reading using a simple procedure called Four Square Share.  Child 1 says three ideas about book 1.  Child 2 says, “I heard you say ____.”  Child 2 is repeating something that Child 1 said showing that Child 2 listened to Child 1.  Child 3 says, “I heard you say ___.” Child 4 says, “I heard you say ___.”  If anyone gets stuck, Child 1 should help the child by repeating something in the book if needed.  The goal is that this procedure becomes a conversation eventually as written about above.  My experience in classrooms, is that it does with modeling and coaching.