Building Kindergartener's Independence with Text‐Based Conversations

Abstract

Young students can engage in rich, meaningful discussions about text. Learn how to support kindergarteners' success and independence with text-based discussions by teaching academic conversation skills. I n Mrs. Turner's kindergarten listening center, children point to text as they pause the recording of Mrs. Nelson is Missing! and say: Zaire: She probably would never wanted to come back because.Aliyah: (interrupting) Her did come back! Zaire: She probably never wanted to come back the last time cuz' they was being bad.Aliyah: (interrupting) Her had a costume on.In this snippet of conversation, kindergartners grapple with why Mrs. Nelson disappeared as they infer Mrs. Viola Swamp and Mrs. Nelson are the same person.While there often is a misconception that young children cannot independently engage in rich discussions such as the one above about books, kindergarteners are actually expected to participate in "collaborative conversations" where they "build on others' talk" and "follow agreed-upon rules for discussion" (NGACBP & CCSSO, 2010, p. 23).