Appraisal

published:September 2006

Appraisal
The book based on this study is:
Talking, listening learning: effective talk in the primary classroom
Myhill, D., Jones, S. and Hopper, R. (2006)
Open University Press, Maidenhead

Robustness    
This well-designed study described Project TALK (Talk to Activate Learners’ Knowledge) which set out to explore and develop teacher-pupil interactions for learning during whole class lessons in primary classrooms. It provides a variety of perspectives: those of researchers, teachers and pupils and a contextual perspective. The author, who was the project director, referred to a considerable body of research literature about social learning in which children work together to construct meanings, and the way language is used in the process (function) and the type of language used (form). The study explored a number of questions including:

• How interactive are whole class episodes?
• How do teachers build on prior pupil knowledge?
• How do teachers use questions?
• What do teachers believe about talk as a tool for learning?

The study took place over a two and a half year period and had two phases: the first phase offered the teachers the opportunity to observe and reflect on classroom interactions that they were part of; the second provided scope for teachers to adapt their approach in the light of the professional learning they had acquired.

A particular strength of the study was the involvement of teachers in the research, which was considerably greater than is generally the case with educational research. Three headteachers from the schools acted as key teacher-researchers. They undertook much of the research themselves, including data collection and analysis (with the support of a research assistant and the project director). Extensive cross-validation of the data analysis was held to ensure both reliability and validity of findings. All the participating teachers took some part in the research in addition to being its subjects. Data were collected using classroom observation, teacher reflections and pupil interviews; the researchers used video recording so they could analyse and code interactions later.

Relevance
The exploration of teacher-pupil interactions in the primary classroom is very relevant in England where whole-class interactive teaching is a core feature of the national strategies. The study highlights the difference between the types of interactions teachers would like to have and those they actually do have in the classroom. This suggests implications for professional learning in relation to teachers’ understanding of assessment for learning which CPD coordinators and providers will find relevant to their work. The findings will interest any teacher who is trying to build effective discourse into whole class teaching. There are also implications for practitioners undertaking curriculum planning. The report included quotations from teachers involved in the project that provide useful insights into teachers’ professional development and engagement in research.

Applicability    
The findings showed that the teachers were aware of the value of talk in allowing children the chance to express their thinking. The teachers identified a range of features in their own whole class teaching, which they viewed as important areas for development: teachers dominated the patterns of interaction, pupil-pupil interaction was rare and teachers rarely explored and built on children’s prior knowledge gained from out of school contexts. The teachers also recognised that their responses tended to be heavily focused on their own agendas and they noted a tension between responding to individual needs and catering to the needs of the class as a whole, especially the need to ensure their pupils performed well in national tests. The study contains many illustrations of teacher-pupil interactions including an analysis of how these changed between the two phases of the research. The illustrations and the extensive teacher reflections reported will enable readers to compare their own experience with that of the project teachers.

Writing    
The report is written without jargon in a user-friendly style. All the main features of the study are helpfully signposted with subheadings and additional material is presented in appendices. The report includes several tables with numerical data, but there are no technical or statistical data.