Co‐constructing a Student‐Led Discussion: Students’ and Teachers’ Talk in a Democratic Classroom

Abstract

While previous research has identified discourse practices beyond IRE in which students and teachers can engage during student‐led literature‐based discussions, little research has examined how young children discuss issues of interest outside of a literature discussion model. This ethnographic study conducted in a local a public elementary school tracks students’ and teachers’ navigation practices and contributions during weekly “student‐led” discussions to better understand issues of intellectual agency and authority within democratic classrooms. The research question is how does a group of multiage students and their teachers construct and navigate democratic, student‐led discussions? Subquestions are 1) What practices dostudents engage in during the discussions? (2) What practices do teachers engage in during the discussions? (3) What ideas are introduced, explored, and examined during the discussions?