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Nurturing Courageous Critical Conversations in the Classroom – Podcast Episode 221 | Classnotes Podcast 221

Dr. Lizdelia PiñónDr. Paula Johnson photoClassnotes Podcast (March 23, 2022). Teachers understand the need for students to have substantive conversations to develop their vocabulary and connect to the subject matter. They build into their lesson plans, specific strategies to generate critical thinking, dialogue, problem-solving. And when students want to talk about tough subjects, like social issues that are very relevant to them, we cannot shut it down.

Dr. Paula Johnson and Dr. Lizdelia Piñón discuss the importance of giving students think time, tools for communication and safe spaces to speak and be heard. Dr. Paula Johnson is an IDRA senior education associate and director the IDRA EAC-South. Dr. Lizdelia Piñón is an IDRA education associate with expertise in bilingual and ESL education.

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Show length: 19:04 min.

Resources

Let the Youth Speak for Themselves – Fostering Substantive Conversations and Advocacy in the Classroom, by Dr. Paula Johnson (not online yet)

The Innovation of Translanguaging Pedagogy Enables Students to Use All of Their Tools, by Dr. Lizdelia Piñón (not online yet)

The Role of Conversation in the Classroom – Promoting Student Voice through Instructional Dialogue, May 24, 2016

The Role of Conversation – Engaging Students in Critical Thinking through Dialogue, May 26, 2015

Culturally Responsive Mathematics Education in the Algebra Project, Culturally Responsive Mathematics Education, by R. Moses, M.M. West, & F.E. Davis, 2009

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Show Notes

  • Paula and Liz talk about the need to uplift the voices of emergent bilingual students in the classroom.

  • Liz explains the importance of giving English language learners sufficient thinking time to process academic questions, and then the freedom to “translanguage” their response, including answering in their native language.

  • Liz explains the importance of giving English language learners sufficient thinking time to process academic questions, and then the freedom to “translanguage” their response, including answering in their native language.

  • Paula and Liz discuss giving students a safe space in the classroom to talk about critical and sensitive issues that matter to them, and how to best equip teachers to support these conversations.