Date of Award
5-2017
Document Type
Action Research Project
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Education
Department
Education
First Advisor
Siri Anderson
Department/School
Education
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to improve ELL and low-income students outcomes in
mathematics through the use of Accountable Talk® enhanced by consistent integration of higher-order questioning and technology to track student fidelity to the Accountable
Talk® model and competency in their evolving math skills. To evaluate the impact of the
intervention, previous year’s students’ outcomes were compared with student outcomes
following implementation of the enhanced Accountable Talk strategy in an urban fourth
grade classroom. After learning and practicing the strategy, students worked in groups to respond to higher-order questions tied to the mathematics lesson weekly. They recorded these conversations. Analysis, through the use of a rubric, determined their level of implementation. Pre and post assessments for each unit showed significant growth in mathematics relative to previous years’ outcomes. Students using the Accountable Talk® model grew more than students in previous years without the strategy. Though other factors may have contributed, it is likely Accountable Talk® influenced this growth. These results encourage the use of this strategy in mathematics perhaps, in particular, with students who may be struggling with English language fluency, academic language, and math concepts. Further research is needed to assess what effect more time and different grouping may have.
Recommended Citation
Imbertson, Danelle. (2017). The Importance of Student Talk and Strategies for Promoting Classroom Conversations. Retrieved from Sophia, the St. Catherine University repository website: https://sophia.stkate.edu/maed/204