Response Chaining

This strategy has quickly become one of my favorites!  I must admit, I tried it last year and couldn't get it to work, so I quickly abandoned it.  With a new school year beginning I decided to visit this strategy again.  With the help of a colleague, we worked out what didn't seem to work last year and got it to work this year.  I do not use this strategy EVERY day, just occasionally.

This strategy is used to maintain my students engagement when asking questions or posing a situation. Response chaining links students' responses to questions.  This strategy begins with a question or prompt to which a specific student responds.  I then ask students to vote regarding the accuracy of the response using three options: thumbs up when the answer is correct, thumbs sideways if the answer is partially correct, or thumbs down if the answer is incorrect. For example, we have been working on main idea and summarizing.  After reading a short passage students write a summary sentence on an index card. While students are writing I circulate and look for a summary I can use response chaining with.  

I look for a decent summary, one that is accurate but lacking some information.  I display the card on the document camera, read it, and then ask students to show me (using their thumbs) if the summary is correct, incorrect, or something needs to be added. I tell the students that I shouldn't see any thumbs pointing down because the summary is correct or partially correct. 

After counting, 1, 2, 3 "show me", students indicate their response with their thumb.  The expectation is that ALL students must show me their thumb.  Of course I have students who will show me a thumbs up (saying the summary is correct) to avoid speaking or adding anything.  In order to keep ALL students engaged, I will also call on students with thumbs up to explain why they feel the summary is correct.

When students respond, they must paraphrase what the previous student said.  For example, after I put up a summary Student A will say "I partially agree with the summary, but I think we need to add the information about how trees provide shelter for animals".  After students show their thumbs, I will call on another student with a thumb turned sideways.  Student B will begin with "I heard Student A say to add information about how trees provide shelter for animals, but I think we also need to add something about how we can get medicine from the Rain Forest".  Again, students show their thumbs, I will call on a student with a thumb turned sideways.  Student C will begin with "I heard Student A say....", Student B said ..., I agree with them, but I also think we need to add...".

Depending on the task I will limit the question or "prompt" to four or five students.   After the last student paraphrases then add to the summary, I then have the students revise their own summary.

My students have used this strategy since about September.  It was challenging at first, but now students have developed excellent listening skills and can now add detail to their answers, summaries, and prompts.