Learning the art of instructional conversation: The influence of self-assessment on teachers' instructional discourse in a reading clinic

Over 2 decades of sociolinguistic research describe the teacher's powerful role in creating the communication system that supports students' learning. Yet research evidence about how to prepare and develop professionals for t his role beyond their natural discourse tendencies and style remains sparse . This study examined self-assessment as a means of teacher learning that d evelops teachers' understanding and use of discourse strategies that suppor t instructional conversation. Using a discourse analysis tool and related p rocedures (transcription, analysis, and interpretation), 9 teachers examine d the conceptual and social functions of their talk from videotaped excerpt s of tutorial instruction over 5 weeks. Although the teachers' analyses did not grow more precise, their interpretations of their talk revealed a grow ing ability to treat their discourse as an object of knowledge. Repeated en gagement in the 3-phase self-assessment activity may have provided a form o f self-assistance that promoted conceptual understanding. Design features o f the self-assessment activity as a learning structure are also discussed.