An Analysis of a Teacher’s Use of Revoicing During a Third Grade Literature Discussion

ABSTRACT

This article details findings of an analysis of a third grade classroom’s read-aloud discussions spanning a 6 week period. Data were analyzed first using the constant-comparative method, followed by an analysis of selected interactions in which the teacher revoiced students’ utterances. Findings suggest students co-constructed knowledge through their discussions, in part because of the teacher’s use of revoicing. This revoicing invited students to consider how others’ thinking may impact their own and allowed students to build understandings together over time. These findings are significant because they suggest the critical nature of the learning opportunities made available through strategically led, dialogic discussions, even within a test driven, high stakes educational environment.

KEYWORDS:

• Children’s literature
• comprehension
• elementary
• qualitative research
• revoicing