Intentional Talk and Listening: How to Structure and Lead Productive Mathematical Discussions

Math teachers know the first step to meaningful mathematics discussions is to ask students to share how they solved a problem and make their thinking visible; however, knowing where to go next can be a daunting task. In Intentional Talk and Listening: How to Structure and Lead Productive Mathematical Discussions, Elham Kazemi and Allison Hintz provide teachers with a practical framework for planning and facilitating purposeful math talks that move group discussions to the next level while achieving mathematical and social goals. Each chapter focuses on a different type of conversation, including: ● Open Strategy Sharing ● Compare and Connect ● Why? Let’s Justify ● What’s Strategic and Why? ● Define and Clarify ● Troubleshoot and Revise In this second edition of the book, Kazemi and Hintz provide new vignettes and classroom examples. They explore the role of children’s and communities’ funds of knowledge in mathematics problem solving and focus on supporting students’ active participation as listeners and speakers. Written from the stance that all students are sense makers with valuable ideas, Intentional Talk and Listening supports teachers’ decision making as they facilitate conversations that help students make meaning of, and find joy in, math.