With a Little Help from My Friends

Paula J. Mellom is the associate director of the Center for Latino Achievement and Success in Education (CLASE). Rebecca K. Hixon is a postdoctoral research and teaching associate for CLASE. Jodi P. Weber is the assistant director of professional development for CLASE. CLASE is a research and development center housed within the University of Georgia’s College of Education.

• ContentsAcknowledgments viiPreface xiSociocultural Context of Today and Why We Need This Conversation-Based System xiEvolution of the Arch Model for Collaborative Conversation-Based Instruction xiiHow to Navigate this Book xvii1. Introduction 1Why Conversation as a Means of Instruction? 1The Arch of Collaborative, Conversation-Based Instruction 112. Laying the Foundation: Creating a Safe Classroom Environment 15The Affective Filter and Its Importance in the Classroom 15Creating Norms for Collaborative Conversations 16The Importance of Teaching Social–Emotional Skills  in Facilitating Academic Engagement 233. Building the Columns: Accessing and Capitalizing on Teachers’ and Students’ Assets  25Reframing Our Outlook: Funds of Knowledge Are Assets Not Deficits 25Home Language 27Background Knowledge and Experience 30Social Interaction Skills 33Content Literacy Skills 36Motivations 38Aptitudes 39Reviewing Our Assets: The Columns of Strength 454. Framing the Scaffolding: Providing Differentiated Support 46Listening 47Purposeful Planning 54Task Cards 56Complex Questioning 65Habits of Collaboration Tools 71The Scaffolding and Social–Emotional Learning (SEL)  785. Integrating the Voussoir Blocks: Enacting Meaningful, Complex, Collaborative, Conversation-Based Lessons 81Language and Literacy 82Contextualization 95Challenging and Complex Activities 108Collaboration 115Purposeful Conversation 1236. Placing the Keystone: Designing the Joint Productive Activity (JPA)  130The JPA: The Keystone That Holds the Arch System Together 131Building a Joint Productive Activity (JPA) 138Considerations for Getting Started 163References  167Index 175About the Authors 186