The Art of Conversing PVF

Ron Nash describes how to model and teach students specific skills like summarizing or asking for a point of clarification...all linked to that first day lesson on "Active Listening". The strategy PVF paired verbal fluency gives students an opportunity to perhaps process something new that they have just viewed or heard. Ask the students to find a partner and decide who will be "A" and who "B". A will explain something for 30 seconds, and then switch to B who works at summarizing what A said. Then have the students switch roles from Listener to Speaker. B talks while A listens and then summarizes. Encourage the same "Active Listening" strategies that are now in place (appropriate body language, facial expressions, and eye contact). Having student use a sentence starter such as "You mentioned _____; tell me more about that." should help students begin to learn how to paraphrase what has been said.