With a Little Help from My Friends: Conversation-Based Instruction for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Classrooms

Grounded in research-based practice, this book will help all teachers make classroom learning more interactive and conversation-based.

Drawing on their work with more than 800 teachers and administrators from 29 districts and 2 countries, the authors present a pedagogical model that challenges teachers to promote emotionally safe classroom environments, activate the assets they and their students bring to the classroom, and modify the way they plan and implement their lessons to better support the linguistic, cognitive, and social–emotional development of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. The text includes teacher-tested tools for lesson planning and for scaffolding collaborative student learning activities across grade levels and content areas.

With a Little Help from My Friends will be an invaluable resource for educators interested in increasing all students’ social–emotional skills while also improving their linguistic and academic development.

Book Features:

• Shows teachers how to integrate collaborative conversations to support content instruction, avoiding one-size-fits-all solutions.
• Promotes students’ development and practice of social-emotional skills while simultaneously engaging them in content learning.
• Provides teacher-tested tools and practical strategies that can be applied across grade levels and integrated within existing curricula.
• Operationalizes research showing that conversation promotes empathy.
• Includes user-friendly features such as authentic examples from the field and reflective activities that help readers apply and extend their learning.
• Offers a companion online platform complete with supplemental materials such as planning aids, sample lesson plans, videos, and downloadable resources.

Paula J. Mellom is the associate director of the Center for Latino Achievement and Success in Education (CLASE). Rebecca K. Hixon is a postdoctoral research and teaching associate for CLASE. Jodi P. Weber is the assistant director of professional development for CLASE. CLASE is a research and development center housed within the University of Georgia’s College of Education.