“Accountable talk” is student conversation centered on learning.  You can teach students to have conversations about text, to respond to each-other and to articulate their thinking.

Make a chart with a menu of conversation prompts.  Make sure you model each one when you add it to the chart. When your chart is complete, hang it on the wall so that students can refer to it.  You can also make a rubric in order to evaluate student participation - and allow students to rate themselves after discussions.

Accountable Talk Prompts
- I wonder why…
- I have a question about…
- I agree with…
- I disagre with…
- That reminds me of…
- I don’t understand…
- I predict…
- I figured out…
- I liked/disliked….