Teacher Talk Cards

The new Common core State Standards (CCSS) will require teachers to rethink how they are promoting interaction with text. Traditionally, teachers have been trained to focus on developing higher level thinking question stems for students to answer. However, teachers must also model and train students on how to ask their own questions. This can be facilitated by teacher talk. 

Teacher talk consists of the teacher asking and answering his or her own questions by using the think-aloud method. Use questions that promote Previewing, Activating & Building Background Knowledge, Predicting, Visualizing & Sensory Imaging, Questioning, Determining Importance, Inferring & Drawing Conclusions, Summarizing, and Synthesizing question cards (90 total). By modeling this interaction with the text, students will learn how to develop their own variety of questioning and comprehension strategies. The goal is to foster the reading and comprehension of “complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently” (CCSS, p.10).

Create question cards and copy each page on a different color cardstock. Cut the cards apart and group by color. Place the title card of that comprehension skill as the first card. Whole-punch each card, and then place the cards on a ring. You can place each skill set on its own ring, or place all of the cards on one giant ring. Teacher talk cards can be used during modeled reading, shared reading, or guided reading.

Graphics by ThistleGirl Designs and Lettering Delights.