ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the talk we use during whole class lesson introductions. Since introductions often take place with children gathered on the carpet, it is worth including this particular context for learning in an analysis of what makes our talk with children more, or less, effective. In any lesson introduction, many things are happening at once. We need to find out what children already know, help them to share their ideas, and give them new information and things to think about. Meanwhile we have to capture everyone’s attention and make sure that we explain what will happen once the introduction is over.
