![Teacher.jpeg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmYwXMtDMoQtWuD948mb4dvkkgnw2jGJqoeVPHt4xWGGE2/Teacher.jpeg)

**Every child deserves to learn but not every child learns the same way.**

**Every child can learn but not every child can learn the same amount within a stipulated time.**

**As a parent or educator, are we guilty of being too demanding to a slow progress learner?**

Teaching low progress learners is not just about delivering knowledge but it is about confidence building and inculcate the love for learning so that they can become lifelong learners even when they grow into their adulthood.

![Read.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZeob2J9vbg5DisLmqPjA9nEU8zDD27pM4MZzQL679C9j/Read.jpg)

This article is going to discuss about one commonly used questioning technique called 'Talk Moves' that teachers often used without knowing the terms of the questioning technique.

#### What are five commonly used Talk Moves?

**1)	 Revoicing**
**2)	 Repeating**
**3)	 Reasoning**
**4)	 Add on**
**5)	 Wait time**


![What were you thinking.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmQUkiasL1uJdgMR1QawmAjz77pLUQ3BmvHn23aPHpmy6W/What%20were%20you%20thinking.png)

#### Revoicing

This is really used often in the classroom especially when a teacher does not fully understand what a pupil has shared so that the teacher can verify or clarify further the shared information rather than brushing it aside since it was hard to understand.

The point is this. Every child deserves a teacher’s attention regardless of their learning ability or how good their answers may be. In a low progress learning classroom, confidence building is one of the most essential element to have a successful learning culture.

Examples of revoicing:

1)	Are you trying to say …
2)	Do you mean …
3)	That is an interesting point. Are you highlighting …

![see not hear not talk not.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmTNXfyntoLEML2uhpGaqk8yYQi3sWDaTQ6DdVFvv2mBXP/see%20not%20hear%20not%20talk%20not.png)

#### Repeating

In a classroom, the bright ones are usually the ones who give all the answers and the low progress ones will be left alone or daydreaming since he/she is unable to contribute.

This questioning technique is a very simple way where everyone can have a voice within the classroom regardless of ability as long as you are paying attention to what others are saying.

In simple, when a teacher or classmate has mentioned an opinion or statement, the teacher can simply ask another student to repeat or rephrase what have been shared. 

By having the same information shared again, it does reinforce it as well as getting pupils to be attentive and respect everyone when he/she is sharing.

By doing so, the low progress learners can become active participants in the classroom.

Examples of repeating:

1) Can you repeat what John has just shared?
2) Can you share what David has just shared in your own words?

**One important thing to note is that we should never ask anyone to repeat a wrong concept.**

Repeating a wrong concept is like reinforcing the wrong idea so a teacher should only ask another child to repeat a right concept or statement.

Bear in mind, practice makes perfect and if a child gets to hear the wrong concept over and over again, it will be hard to change later on even if the right one is shared.

Start it right and never dwell too long in a wrong concept but rectify it asap.

![Question mark 1.jpeg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmVG9WAGqXJ1RSmnwj38ErN37WBdN6kJZKSJDZWEEEFsz2/Question%20mark%201.jpeg)

#### Reasoning

Within a classroom, most teachers tend to ask a close-ended question where students are only required to answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. 

Bear in mind that there is a 50% chance of getting correct even by guessing. 

It does not mean your pupils have understood what you have taught even the whole class answer correctly using ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.

In simple, we should try to use open-ended question for more reasoning or add a ‘why’ to your close-ended question.

Examples of reasoning:

1)	Is it true that …..? Why do you agree or disagree?
2)	What is the evidence that you can find to state your point?

![idea.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmRcTAnAJbaPSz3LEjBrSX1VeJZkTnpHiysyTvECXYiWXT/idea.png)

#### Add on

This is a simple method that engaging teachers like to use to get more students to participate in a discussion with additional ideas. 

It is simply asking for more points to be added to what have been shared by a teacher or student. 

We can have many add-on answers and every point should be valued regardless of how minute it may be.

Examples of add on:

1)	Does anyone have extra ideas that you can add to what is shared?
2)	Do you have an additional point to add on?

![baby.jpeg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmTZoFi9Uc2gMatovMEMJF6XsrFUqE1z89YSQwHydGvm6n/baby.jpeg)

#### Wait time

The purpose of wait time is not to wait forever for a pupil to answer and get the whole class to get bored and start to make noise. 

It is to provide time for thinking so that a pupil can think about your question even if he/she is slow in his/her thought processing. 

This is also an opportunity for the rest of the pupils to think about the same question and they may be able to add on to the point that another child is supposed to answer.

How long a teacher should wait really depends on the class profile. 

As a teacher, he/she should know roughly an estimated time that is needed for an answer from each of her students.

During the wait time, the teacher should just be quiet and not to say a single thing as wait time should be in total silence for thought processing. 

If a teacher keeps talking, most pupils will not be able to concentrate and think.

#### In conclusion

The 5 talk moves are just one of the many questioning techniques that can be used to help students but it is not the only useful questioning approach. 

The most important thing that a teacher should always do is to explore a good variety of strategies to see what works and what does not work for their classes. 

**Different classes may need different methods and there is no such thing as one size fits all.**

As educators, we should not just deliver knowledge since internet is so advance that a child can literally gain any information in advance. 

We should focus on building confidence in learning as well as the joy and love for learning. 

Getting our students to find the use of their learning in the outside society to make learning authentic rather than just lots of ideas or concepts that are isolated. 

Children learn the best when they are engaged and having fun!

Disclaimer: This is my personal reflection and I am not in any position to instruct anyone what they should do. I am not responsible for any action taken as a result of this post. My post can only be a reference for your further research and growth. By reading this post, you acknowledge and accept that. All images and pictures were taken from google images that are free from copyright under labelled for reuse.