ABSTRACT
In this chapter, classroom talk takes center stage as a means through which sense is made and identities in schools are created, particularly in terms of the stance that teachers take in talking with students and the nature of the opportunities students are provided for talk. The first step toward talking with students is anchored in respecting their names, followed by working with the assumption that students are knowledgeable and capable. Peter Johnston’s work on teacher talk that cultivates a dynamic-learning frame versus talk that encourages a fixed-learning frame is explored. Examples are provided for how language and literacy concepts can be infused into daily classroom talk and for how space can be made for student talk in classrooms. Consideration is given to how children’s language can be used as a resource so that teacher talk time can be reduced and benefits can accrue to plurilingual learners as well as monolingual learners.
