Turn and Talk is widely used in early‐grade classrooms, but very little rigorous research or evidence‐based guidance has been offered to teachers. In this exploratory paper, we take the first step toward establishing a teacher‐friendly discussion on this common technique. After briefly describing the Turn and Talk technique, we first ask: What does research on adult–child and child–child conversations in classrooms tell us would make Turn and Talk as effective as possible for early language development? We summarize evidence‐based guidelines from the research. Second, we ask: What specific, real‐world examples show how preschool, kindergarten, and first‐grade teachers can use Turn and Talk in ways that align with research recommendations? We share short vignettes from observations of teachers bringing these research recommendations to life. We conclude with reflection questions for teachers who are currently using, or considering using, Turn and Talk.

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