Col2 explaining the chain conversations.mp4
Col2 part 2 whole class.mp4

Direct Instruction

At the latest CoL meeting, Jannie Van Hees talked about chain linking conversations. I had never heard of it before but felt excited to give it a go. A big idea with chain-linked conversations is that person 2 replies to person 1 said by adding on new information about something they had said, rather than only agreeing or asking a question. Therefore, both parties gain new information about each other.

As a class, we practiced having conversations, then we discussed what was actually happening while we were talking (video 1).

To try it as a whole class, we used our inquiry topic to ensure students had something to 'add on' (video 2). Although this is not a conversation per se, it was our first practice at having a chain-linked dialogue.

Extended plan here.

Reflection on the video clip

  • This lesson was very teacher-directed, as it was the first time introducing the idea of chain linking conversations. I could have gotten students to do a lot more talking, especially think pair share. A good time to do so would have been in the first clip, when I asked what happened during the conversation. They could have talked together before one or two people telling me. It would have been a lot richer for them than sitting and listen to me talk for ages.

  • I loved that every person could add something to our whole-class links. We chose a topic that everyone knew something about to encourage this to happen.

  • At one point, a student added on to what I had said about the sun, but we had moved onto talking about the moon by then. I loved that moment because another student, rather than myself, reminded the first student that they had to add-on to the last thing that was said, so talking about the moon wasn't relevant anymore.

Chain-linked story we came up with

  • The sun is the centre of the solar system.

  • The sun is surrounded by 8 planets.

  • The 8 planets orbit the sun.

  • Venus is the hottest planet.

  • Earth is the only planet with organic life.

  • Earth has one moon.

  • The other name for the moon is lunar and it has 8 phases.

  • The moon orits the Earth.

  • The moons light is a reflection of the suns light.

  • The sun gives us light and heat.

  • Solar energy gives us power.

  • The solar energy gives us power to use on lights.

  • The sun gives us heat and warmth.

  • The sun gives us solar energy so we can power electric cars.

  • Electric cars don't need gas.

  • Petrol is a kind of gas.

  • Another kind of gas is Hydrogen.

  • The sun is made of Hydrogen and Helium.

  • The sun is the biggest part of our solar system.

  • The sun gives us heat and light.

  • The second name for the sun is Sol.

  • The sun is a dawrf star.

  • The sun is not a planet.

  • Neptune is the coldest planet.

  • Mars has the highest mountain.

Chain linking information.

My blog post from this CoL meeting - click here.

Karen Ferguson (CoL for Tamaki College) - blog post



Learner Generated Content

Hiria and Vina

Railey and Leon

Syraiah-Lee and Waiari