Using Questions, Discourse, and Movement to Improve Thinking in Grades 6-12

This professional development workshop addresses the common misconception that writing instruction belongs solely in the Reading/Language Arts (RLA) classroom.

Designed for secondary educators across all content areas - including Math, Science, Social Studies, CTE, PE, and Fine Arts. This course provides practical, low-prep strategies to make student thinking visible, precise, and permanent. Participants will explore how higher-level questioning, structured academic dialogue, and purposeful movement serve as critical pre-writing tools that bridge oral discourse to meaningful written expression across every discipline.

Learning Objectives By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Design Higher-Level Questions: Craft strategic questions that challenge students to engage in deeper critical thinking rather than simple factual recall.
• Facilitate Structured Academic Discourse: Guide students through purposeful, interactive discussions - both seated and through structured movement - to articulate their thinking orally.
• Bridge Talk to Writing: Utilize pre-writing discussions and dialogue structures as an effective on-ramp to improve formal student writing across all content areas.
• Adapt Strategies Across Disciplines: Customize questioning, discourse, and writing techniques to fit specific content standards and classroom needs, including non-traditional subjects like CTE, PE, and Fine Arts.