Next Steps with Academic Conversations

Dr. Jeff Zwiers, an educational researcher at Stanford University, has spent the last 15 years analyzing classroom conversations to see how they can be better used and improved in classroom settings. Teachers who have worked with him report significant growth in students’ engagement, content learning, language, creativity, and sense of agency. Zwiers introduced his initial vision for classroom conversations Academic Conversations: Classroom Talk that Fosters Critical Thinking and Content Understanding. His follow-up book, Next Steps with Academic Conversations: New Ideas for Improving Learning Through Classroom Talk, expands the first book with updated classroom strategies and practices. In this new version, teachers will discover:

How to introduce buildable ideas and teach students how to develop and support them

Equitable classroom discussions and how diverse backgrounds conversing can benefit social skills and emotional intelligence

Highlights of new research-based theories on classroom conversation

Ways to develop students' confidence in conversation and how classroom skills can apply to real world interactions

This resource is the product of his extensive research, co-teaching, and collaborating with a wide range of educators. It was written for busy teachers who want a practical guide for strengthening the quality and quantity of productive conversations in their lessons.