Conversation Starters

Last year I was having trouble with the conversations that were occurring in the small groups within my classroom.  Students were reluctant and didn't seem to know how to get started or how to continue the conversation. They sounded a bit like this . . ."What did you get?"  "I didn't get it?"  "okay" . . . end of story. A bit unproductive in my mind.

A colleague that I met at one of the summer professional development sessions I attended suggested that I should come up with a list of conversations starters.  So after scouring my resources - peers, Pinterest, books, and listening in to the conversations that were going well - I compiled what I had found.  Now, when I create assignments which requires table talk, I pick and choose the most relevant conversation starters and include them on the assignment.  It has been working well so far and it is a hoot to hear kids using the words on the page.  Here is a link to the list of conversation starters I have thus far.  If you have any to add - please let me know in the comments below.