Dialogue Not Monologue

Mind Frame 5:  Teachers engage in dialogue, not monologue – John Hattie  Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning 

Research has shown that teachers talk between 70 and 80% of classroom time.  Traditionally a monologue flows from the teacher and then the students are asked to complete a task to demonstrate their understanding.  From extensive research, Dr. John Hattie has found that “One of the difficulties of so much teacher talk is that it demonstrates to students that the teachers are the owners of the subject content.”  The monologue format creates the misconception that the teacher is the deliverer and the controller of the learning.  No wonder many students disconnect.  Maybe the more important job for us as educators is to listen more and talk less.

Listening requires a dialogue and dialogue involves our students in the learning process.  Much of our intelligence is developed through speaking and listening and this dialogue is an ongoing process that helps us learn about the world around us.  This process is also instrumental in developing our creativity, problem solving,and relationship skills.  Yes – sometimes it can seem more “efficient” for us to simply deliver the information, but the result is the sharing of knowledge that merely glazes the surface.  If we want our students to be deep thinkers who are able to analyze, synthesize, and be critical problem solvers – we need to involve them in questioning, debating, critiquing, discussing, and making connections with the learning.

Constructive dialogue opens the door to thinking and learning.  As teachers, we shape the kind of talk that happens in our classrooms – the type of dialogue that enhances and deepens learning.  Discussions should be collaborative, not competitive, and seen as a respectful time to exchange and appreciate the ideas of others.  When students have a chance to be part of the dialogue, they are allowed opportunities to ask questions, share experiences, develop thinking, gain new strategies, and develop empathy and understanding.  Students find that their ideas, and the ideas of others, are valuable and this has a positive impact on learning.  Teachers are allowed insights into the thinking processes of students and this will guide the next steps to more meaningful instruction.  To be effective educators, we need to know when to talk and when to actively listen to our students.

“To listen well is as powerful a means of communication and influence as to talk well.”  – Chief Justice John Marshall