VTS Basics: Linking Thoughts

As students talk, keep track of various strands of thoughts and draw links among them. For example, you acknowledge agreements and disagreements: "It seems that several people see that," or, "We have a variety of opinions here." You also connect thoughts that build on others: "Rebecca said the woman had a sad expression, and Edward added that he thought it was because of her eyes." You note shifts: "Several of you thought she was sad, but now there are arguments suggesting she might just be thinking about something." Or, "I see you have changed your mind, or added another possibility."

When you link various ideas, creating a kind of outline of the discussion as it builds, students become aware of how thinking unfolds and meanings are discovered. They begin to see how observations stack up and lead to others, and how many interpretations can be achieved if you keep working at something.

Tracking discussions in this way is a difficult thing to do. You have to be attentive to everything that is said and at the same time pull back to think about how one part of the discussion connects to others. You will have time to develop and refine this skill because it takes a while for the students' conversations to deepen and mature.

• What do you mean by 'linking answers'?
• Can you help me to paraphrase and to link?

• Reflect on Practice: Grade K, Lessons 1-7
• Reflect on Practice, Grade 1, Lessons 1-5
• Reflect on Practice, Grade 2, Lessons 1-5
• Reflect on Practice, Grades 3-5, Lessons 3

Click here to view an adult VTS discussion that has been annotated to highlight important aspects of VTS facilitation.