When Our “Turn and Talks” Don’t Work—and What We Can Do Instead

After spending time in classrooms across grade levels and content areas, I noticed something consistent—and concerning. During “turn and talks,” some students jumped right in with their partner. But others, especially our emergent bilingual students, sat quietly, unsure of what to say or how to begin. Too often, those students were invisible in the conversation, and teachers seemed at a loss as to how to get students involved in conversations. 

What I have learned this year is this isn’t a case of disengagement—it’s a case of missed structure. Without the right support, the right lead-up, and the right expectations, students can be left out or behind.

I started searching for a better way to structure student conversations—something that would increase engagement, especially for students learning English, and help teachers feel confident that every student was participating in meaningful talk.
That’s when I found QSSSA, ( QSSSA: The Essential Method for Structuring Conversations in All Classroom ) a structured routine that completely reframes how we think about student discourse. 

QSSSA is a five-step strategy that gives students the support they need to think, speak, and engage in academic conversations. It works in any classroom—whether you're teaching Algebra 1, World History, Biology, or 2nd grade reading.

Here’s how the structure works—and more importantly, what teacher moves I think make it work along with a few tips I have seen teacher use.  
                                                           Q – Question
Teacher Move: Be intentional.
Craft an open-ended question before the lesson. This isn’t a spur-of-the-moment check for understanding. It’s a thoughtfully designed question that pushes students to think critically and use content-specific language.

Tip: Post the question where students can see it. Reference it throughout the discussion to keep focus and clarity. If there are vocabulary terms you want students to use, embed them in the question.
Examples:

• What evidence from the text supports your idea?
  
  
• Based on the data, what patterns do you notice?
  
  
• Why was that character’s decision important to the outcome?

                                                            S – Signal
Teacher Move: Expect full participation—and wait for it.
This step is easy to skip when you're pressed for time, but it's where equity begins. Ask students to show a nonverbal signal (thumbs up, “thinker’s pose,” hands on hips) when they're ready to respond. Then wait. Don’t call on anyone until everyone signals. This wait time is critical, especially for students who need time to process, translate, or build their confidence before speaking.

Tip: Narrate your observations positively: “I see lots of thoughtful faces... just a few more thinkers left.” Students learn you value thinking time, not just quick answers.
                                                         S – Stem
Teacher Move: Model and rehearse the language.
Give students a sentence stem to start their response—and then model how to say it. Repeat it together. Build in a choral response. This is especially helpful for students building fluency, but honestly—it helps everyone organize their thinking.
Examples:

• I noticed ___, and I think that’s important because…
  
  
• One connection I made was…
  
  
• I solved this problem by first ___, then ___.

Scaffold further: Provide a word bank or visual if needed. This move ensures students have the tools they need to participate successfully.
                                                        S – Share
Teacher Move: Set clear expectations—and teach the structure.
Now it’s time for students to talk. But don’t just say “turn and talk.” Tell them how to share.
Who goes first? How long will each person speak? What should they do if their partner finishes early?
Tip: Demonstrate a quick “partner talk” with a co-teacher or student. Show how to face each other, take turns, and build off one another’s ideas. Normalize what academic talk looks and sounds like.
This structure helps quieter students feel safe and helps talkative students know when to pause. While they share, walk the room. Listen. Take notes. Capture strengths, misconceptions, and language use to inform your next move.
                                                      A – Assess
Teacher Move: Hold everyone accountable—with grace.
After students have shared, assess their thinking. You might randomly call on a few students, ask for volunteers, or have everyone jot down a written response.
What matters most is that students know they’ll be expected to show what they thought about—not just the one student who always raises their hand.
Tip: Use phrases like:

• “Let’s hear a few different perspectives.”
• “Take 30 seconds to jot down what you said, or what your partner said that you want to remember.”

This step reinforces that student thinking is visible, valuable, and part of the learning process.

Why I believe QSSSA Works—When We Make the Right Moves, QSSSA isn’t just a routine—it’s a way to shift the culture of your classroom. It helps us move from one-student-at-a-time questioning to all-students-engaged learning. But what makes it truly powerful are the teacher moves behind the scenes:

If you’re ready to move beyond “turn and talk” and toward real, inclusive, academic conversations, QSSSA is a strategy worth trying.
If you try it in your classroom, let me know how it goes—or share it using #QSSSA. I’d love to hear what your students are saying.