4. Talk Partners

Foundation Stage/Year 1

Hampshire

Teachers created success criteria for talk partners because the children did not talk! These then linked well with the Early Learning Goals.

Pairs are chosen randomly by a computer randomiser, upside down photos or lollysticks. No hands up mean that anyone can be asked to respond so all are encouraged to contribute.

Children have enjoyed the fairness of the random partners. They are working and talking with different children and coping with different responses. All children are valued and given a voice and the children who are always keen to speak can’t take over any more.

Essex

One teacher had renamed talk partners ‘learning partners’ which she believes has made children more focused on learning rather than chatting. It reinforces for them why they have a partner.

It was agreed that there needs to be flexibility with partners and seating, or the same partner can be ‘too much’. Snowballing and changing partners was common practice.

It was useful to get partners to discuss first then when working to be alone and focus quietly.

Talk partners were successfully checking work against success criteria together, deciding on successes and making improvements together.

Talk partners have resulted in all children being able to contribute and be supported.

Sheffield

Teachers agreed that talk partners had been very positive and the most successful aspect. Children are paired randomly and change either weekly or two weekly. Children are now a lot more confident to answer questions. They get time to talk through their ideas.

Creating talk partner success criteria works well and ar3e referred to by teachers and children to each other. Teachers are training children to help their talk partner talk where there is reluctance and modelling good talk partner talk. Children create targets to help develop talking skills.

Teachers are now asking pairs to respond rather than individuals, using lollysticks randomly to say who will respond. Children help each other in the response.

Some teachers have ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ talk, focusing on telling your partner what you liked about working with them.

Behaviour has improved and children’s social skills have been developed.

Hertfordshire

All teachers were using random talk partners, chosen by www.harmonyhollow.com (THE HAT), face down photos of the children or lollysticks. One teacher uses magnetic photos with magnetic paper. Children are excited by the choosing and like to get a new partner. All teachers change partners weekly or daily, keeping it flexible. Threes are used with EAL and language difficulties.

Reception teachers also kept the same partner as a ‘walking partner’, which helped when children are walking to somewhere in the school. Children like the security of this.

No hands up was used by all teachers some of the time.

By being able to talk with a partner, children are realising that they are on the right track, so their confidence is boosted. Underachievers may get their first taste of achievement and success when working with a talk partner.

Year 1/2

Hampshire

Lollysticks had been used to choose pairs. Children did not believe they were being picked randomly so the harmony hollow software is now being used in some schools. In one case children did not want to be with an SEN child, but then gradually gained deeper understanding of people’s qualities. This positive reinforcement has had a positive effect on many children.

Children respond well, working with a partner and enjoy this strategy. Children have recognised how their behaviour improves when sitting with a particular child.

Success criteria had been generated by children for talk partners, which has led to all children being on task, working collaboratively and becoming better friends.

The teacher’s role has changed, becoming more of an observer. Comments made by children would not have previously been heard.

Children are now less pressured to answer a question and can support one another. Their discussions will have included answers so this acts as a rehearsal. Quieter, less confident children are able to respond more confidently.

Talk partners help to maintain pace and can be used at any stage of a lesson.

Essex

Teachers had used photos or lollysticks to choose the random pairs, changing on either Mondays or Fridays. Success criteria for talk partners had been created and some teachers have introduced compliment slips which children write to their partner at the end of the week.

The impact has been that children are more able to share their ideas and are more confident in class. Children are more able to mix with others and from different friendships.

In one case, talk partners highlighted one child who struggles to work with anyone.

Lower achievers feel more valued as they have a real opportunity to work with others. High achievers often have to take on a ‘teaching’ role.

Hertfordshire

All teachers had trialled talk partners, sometimes in threes, changing weekly in mainstream and daily with SEN in a MLD school. Children are very enthusiastic, reminding the teacher on a Monday morning. Some children clearly don’t like their choice of partner.

Teachers are usually allowing pairs to sit where they want, with some necessary teacher intervention.

In some classes, ability grouping has been scrapped and carpet spaces allocated. Most children are able to take responsibility for sitting in an appropriate place.

Most teachers had created talk partner success criteria with the class which allowed children to use them to evaluate themselves and their partner.

Teachers in a MLD school had tried to keep to known routines, using talk partners on a limited basis.

Talk partners have widened children’s social understanding and increased their tolerance of other people.

Year 3/4

Hampshire

Talk partners were all being changed weekly and were randomly paired. There were talk partner success criteria and self and peer evaluation against these at the end of the week. Fixed carpet spaces and lollysticks are being used as well as photographs to visually display the partners.

Children are motivated and better organised. They are more accepting of each other and more reflective of themselves as a talk partner. Children have learnt how to deal with children who have behaviour needs and have become flexible about who they work with.

Language has improved through the discussion and lower achievers get more chance to answer. All children are actively involved and focused.

Essex

Most teachers had used photos of the children shuffled and chosen then displayed for the random pairings. Success criteria for talk partners had been created. Compliment slips were given in many schools with children writing things such as ‘You helped me stop fiddling’ ‘You shared good ideas with me’.

The impact of talk partners was positive. Children have more energy and know how to be a successful talk partner. They are putting in more effort and the quality of language has improved. Children are cooperative because they know they only have to be with that partner for one week.

Talk partners is good for quiet children because they have to talk - the same is true for lower achievers.

Some teachers are now moving away from ability grouping, which has made children more confident. Behaviour is better and children are better listeners, with no-one having to be put on the spot.

Other teachers in the schools have also introduced talk partners and the effect has been very positive.

Sheffield

All teachers agreed that everyone loves talk partners. There was more sharing and generating of ideas and a higher achievement level. Children were learning to appreciate each other’s strengths and making new friends.

One school had talk partners talking in their first language which had raised those children’s confidence, knowing that their language is valued.

Another school used a microphone for children to speak so that everyone can hear.

In one school partners are displayed by movable photos of children’s heads being placed on a cut out torso wearing the school sweatshirt!

Hertfordshire

Teachers are using lollysticks to choose the random partners and one teacher has an ice breaker of listening to your partner.

Having created talk partner success criteria, children give each other verbal and written feedback. This makes them aware of talk partner skills and helps them want to improve.

Children are now willing to work with others and barriers have been removed. Talk partners means that all children are included. Children who previously would not join in now do. Partners support each other, valuing each other.

Children are more willing to answer a question. They now have time to think.

One teacher found a solution for a child who was reluctant to speak: ‘I’ll come back to you in one minute…’

Year 5/6

Hampshire

All teachers have talk partners which change weekly. Children love the strategy and remind the teachers to change them. Photos are displayed showing who is paired with who. Evaluation sessions involve children in saying what went well and how to improve.

Asking A and B to take turns to feed back has stopped one child doing all the responding.

Behaviour has improved and listening has been developed. Children have more support and more ideas and as all are expected to talk and answer there is more participation. All children are actively involved. Children have increased their tolerance of each other.

Essex

One school had changed to ‘learning partners’ and felt that there was now more focused talk.

Teachers agreed that weekly change on partners worked well – two weekly was good but four weekly was a nightmare.

Children appear to enjoy spending time together and their increased tolerance of each other linked with growth mindset discussions.

One teacher found that weekly changes caused too much disruption, so changed to fortnightly, which worked well. One teacher found that children’s feelings were hurt if someone voiced an opinion that they did not like their partner.

It was agreed that parents need to be given the rationale for talk partners.

Talk partners work better in a mixed ability class, where children can help each other.

Sheffield

Some teachers had changed talk partners to ‘learning partners’. Similar ability pairing worked well with difficult questions but was not so good for open ended questioning.

One school organised partners so that they were together for introductions to lessons then moved to set places for Literacy or Numeracy lessons. This meant that higher achievers get to talk and explain to lower achievers and there is greater sharing of ideas.

Teachers said that children need to be trained and teachers have to be well organised in giving out resources.

In one school the talk partner was the person the child sat with and the learning partner was the random partner.

The impact of learning partners has been that social skills and relationships are improved and confidence is raised, especially for lower achievers and children who don’t have many ideas.

Hertfordshire

Talk partners were used by all teachers and were changed weekly, choosing on a Monday and evaluating on a Friday. Lower achievers have been supported, are more alert and all children are interacting with each other. Children’s speaking and listening skills have been enhanced.

At the end of the week children evaluate themselves and their partner (e.g. one thing you did well/didn’t do well/what worked well/how did you help each other…)

Some parents have questioned where their child sits, higher achievers especially. This is usually solved when the rationale for talk partners is explained.

Children are being ‘drawn off’ for guided groups at times, remaining children then repairing.

In some classes, challenges are implemented (choice of differentiated activities) but children are not always making the best choice. This caused discussion in the team and it was agreed that children should be encouraged, in an ethos of honesty and growth mindset, to try an activity and aim for a level of challenge which is doable, changing their mind if it doesn’t feel right after a while. Trialling continues…

Secondary

Essex

Schools had drawn up success criteria for talk partners with students and displayed these. The process of talk partners had led to children bonding and other staff being interested and eager to introduce them.

One school had used a ‘name picker’ program. Students had to work together and the use of lollysticks for who will respond had also encouraged cooperation.

Some teachers found that talk partners can highlight divisions previously unknown to the teacher but they can lead to improved relationships and more confidence.

Talk partners were mainly used in the introductory part of lessons.

It was noticed that talk partner skills are transferrable skills.

Sheffield

Teachers agreed that random partnering was difficult with the limited time in a secondary lesson, so ‘turn around and talk to the person behind you’ etc. was more commonly used.

More time is now being given over to discussion and questioning, students have more thinking time and there are more focused and meaningful discussions. One teacher regrouped talk partners and rephrased her questions when she didn’t get the responses she was expecting.

Overall, talk partners had improved teaching and learning.

Hertfordshire

There was a problem with one teacher’s students complaining about their choice of partner when this was done randomly.

Three teachers had used ‘The Hat’ or ‘Fruit Machine’ to choose partners and saw that students appreciated the random fairness of the pairings.

Three teachers had generated seating plans and some teachers felt that they needed to control ability combinations so did not seat students randomly.

During feedback to each other about their talk partner skills, it was felt that students are aware of their achievements and weaknesses but the process does not necessarily help them to improve.

Using talk partners after asking a question has led to greater involvement of students who are more confident after talking to a partner.