Classroom conversations: What will it take? A commentary on Abbot-Smith et al., 2023

Abstract

In their excellent review paper, Abbot-Smith and colleagues call for an emphasis on whole-classroom, tier-1 intervention approaches to supporting conversational skills in the preschool and primary grades. In our commentary, we discuss the benefits of and challenges to classroom conversation, particularly during the school transition period (ages 2 through 6), and we highlight several pathways that might help teachers foster more conversation with young children.