Description

Math teachers know the first step to meaningful mathematics discussions is to ask students to share how they solved a problem and make their thinking visible; however, knowing where to go next can be a daunting task. In Intentional Talk: How to Structure and Lead Productive Mathematical Discussions, authors Elham Kazemi and Allison Hintz provide teachers with a framework for planning and facilitating purposeful math talks that move group discussions to the next level while achieving a mathematical goal.

Through detailed vignettes from both primary and upper elementary classrooms, the authors provide a window into how teachers lead discussions and make important pedagogical decisions along the way. By creating equitable opportunities to share ideas, teachers can orient students to one another while enforcing that all students are sense makers and their ideas are valued. They examine students’ roles as both listeners and talkers, offering numerous strategies for improving student participation.

Intentional Talk includes a collection of lesson planning templates in the appendix to help teachers apply the right structure to discussions in their own classrooms.
 

About the Author

Elham Kazemi is a professor of mathematics education at the University of Washington. She collaborates with schools to create professional learning communities where teachers learn from and with their students. She is a frequent presenter at national conferences.

Allison Hintz is an assistant professor of mathematics education at the University of Washington Bothell. As an elementary teacher, Allison participated in the Developing Mathematical Ideas professional development with University of Washington professor Elham Kazemi, coauthor of Intentional Talk: How to Structure and Lead Productive Mathematical Discussions. "As I sat with colleagues, drawing pictures and seeing concepts, a new passion was ignited," Allison says.

While continuing to teach, Allison earned her master's and doctorate degrees in curriculum and instruction/mathematics education from the University of Washington Seattle. Allison received a bachelor's degree in education from Washington State University.

"I am constantly amazed by children's thinking, and I deeply appreciate the opportunity to learn from students about what it means to think flexibly about number," Allison says. "I love helping all children and adults realize their mathematical 'smartnesses,' and grow their love and wonder for mathematics."

Allison's areas of specialty include mathematical discussions, early numeracy, and school-based professional development. She believes in the importance of being "shoulder to shoulder" with teachers in their classrooms as a foundation for effective professional development.

Intentional Talk guides teachers through the process of goal setting, planning for, and facilitating meaningful and dynamic mathematical discussions in their classrooms. The book focuses on teacher and student roles in two types of discussions: open strategy sharing and targeted sharing. Vignettes from primary and upper elementary classrooms, paired with author commentary, provide an in-depth exploration of five types of targeted sharing. Planning templates for each discussion type empower teachers to apply the discussion structure to their own mathematics classrooms.

Spending time with her two children is Allison's activity of choice. A lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest, Allison also loves to cook and has a special fondness for "anything with lemons."