Pedagogy First. Technology Second.

Accountable Talk

The strategy, as published

Exactly as it appears on the card

Part of Dialogic Teaching & Discussion in 04 Questioning & Discussion, where it sits alongside its neighbouring strategies, the infographic and the thinking for the whole area.

Why you might use it

The problem it may help with

Michaels, O'Connor and Resnick's accountable talk holds discussion to two standards at once: accurate knowledge and rigorous reasoning. The route in is language. Teach the moves explicitly: I agree because, the evidence is, say more.

The card's last three words carry the theory: language shapes thinking. Give pupils the sentence shapes of reasoning and you give the reasoning somewhere to go.

What it might look like

One version of it, in a classroom

During a discussion of a historical source, the sentence starters sit on the board. A pupil begins, the evidence is, and then has to find some in the source before the sentence can end. The stem does not decorate the claim; it obliges the pupil to complete it.

Try it

A way to begin

Introduce two of the moves, not the whole set, and ask for them in one discussion this week.

What to notice

Reading what happens

  • Whether the stems are changing the reasoning or just the phrasing around it.
  • Which moves pupils adopt without prompting, and whether say more starts passing between pupils rather than only from you.

Things to think about

Before and while you use it

  • Accountability here is to knowledge and reasoning, not to talking more; a short contribution with evidence beats a long one without.
  • The stems are scaffolds, and scaffolds are for fading once the habits of reasoning stand on their own.

Inclusive practice

The lens this connects with

Through the inclusive practice lens, this is one of the approaches that may reduce barriers around:

The wider thinking

Where the evidence sits

Accountable talk comes from Michaels, O'Connor and Resnick's long programme of work on academically productive talk, and it shares its ground with Mercer: the quality of talk is teachable. The card’s attribution stands as published: Michaels, O’Connor & Resnick.

The fuller picture, sources included, is in further reading and evidence for Questioning & Discussion.

Keep exploring

Where next?

Back to this strategy in 04 Questioning & Discussion, across to what you're trying to improve, or into all 144 at once.

Want to take this further?

Support is available

Pedagogy First gives you a starting point. If you want support exploring how approaches like this can work across your school, trust or professional learning programme, that work is available.

Work with Mark