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Wenatchee

Finding Their Voice: Wenatchee Students Embrace Classroom Accountable Talk

Finding Their Voice: Wenatchee Students Embrace Classroom Accountable Talk

Across classrooms in the Wenatchee School District, a quiet revolution is underway. It's a revolution of voices—student voices, to be exact—as educators work to empower all learners, especially multilingual learners, to confidently engage in academic discussions.

This movement toward accountable talk is a key focus of the district's professional development this year, building on the success of last year's implementation of WSD Essential Strategies. These strategies, designed to boost student engagement and learning through structured partner talk and academic discussions, have been met with enthusiasm by teachers and students alike.

One strategy, aimed at addressing the all-too-common "I don't know" response, involves explicitly teaching students alternative phrases to express their thinking. Imagine a first-grade classroom, where students practice saying "Would you please repeat the question?" with accompanying hand motions, replacing a shrug and mumbled "IDK" with confident, clear communication. Teachers are already witnessing the impact, with students using these phrases and reminding each other to do the same. Even at Pioneer Middle School, newcomer students are learning to advocate for themselves with "Instead of I Don't Know" posters in both English and Spanish.

Sentence stems and visual aids are also proving invaluable, providing scaffolding for students to construct complete sentences and engage in meaningful conversations. At Orchard Middle School, newcomers with just a few weeks in the district are already using sentence stems to write about their hobbies in English, while high school CTE students grapple with complex medical vocabulary with greater confidence.

The magic, however, doesn't stop with single sentences. Teachers are employing innovative strategies like the QSA, a research-based routine that transforms the way students respond to questions. With clear steps for thinking, signaling for wait time, and using sentence stems, the QSA ensures 100% student participation. Another technique, known as WIT (What I Think), teaches students the art of extending conversations by summarizing, elaborating, and paraphrasing their partner's ideas.

As teachers continue to refine their implementation of these strategies, the impact on students is becoming increasingly evident. From kindergarteners crafting informational writing about meteorologists to high school seniors collaborating on college essays, students are finding their voices and actively shaping their own learning. The district's commitment to high-quality instruction through ongoing professional development and supportive follow-up ensures that this revolution of voices will continue to echo through the halls of Wenatchee schools for years to come.

 

Upcoming Events

November 7

READY! for Kindergarten

5:00 PM - 7:30 PM

November 11
November 12

Interagency Meeting

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

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