**4.1. The talking to learn project rationale**

on their capacity for talking and interacting with their students (as a core pedagogical tool) [17, 18], it stands to reason therefore that such a focus is not only warranted, but essential if indeed the promises of education are to be realised. The central argument in this chapter therefore asserts that an explicit knowledge of the role of classroom talk and the development of a repertoire of dialogic talk moves cannot be taken too lightly in preservice teacher education. Further, that to change current practices in teacher education requires changing the practice architectures that enable and constrain learning dialogicality as a critical dimension

In recent years, a new line of enquiry in practice theory offers a new way of conceptualising practice and practice development. Among others, Green [19], Kemmis and Grootenboer [20] and Schatzki [21] have sought to show how practices–like practices of teaching and learning – are held in place by distinctive preconditions which enable and constrain particular kinds of interconnected activities, language and relationships which together constitute a practice of one kind or another. Theoretically, the chapter draws on the theory of practice architectures [20, 22] which proposes that practices – like teacher education, teacher learning and teaching – are informed and shaped by particular *cultural-discursive* arrangements (the sayings of a practice), *material-economic* arrangements (the doings of a practice) and *social-political* arrangements (the relatings encountered in practice) which prefigure, but not

In this vein, the multidimensionality of the practice arrangements of learning to teach during school-based professional experiences is explored. This theory seeks to understand teaching and learning practices in the sites within which they happen *as* they happen; that is, it seeks to make meaning of the existential and site ontological dimensions of practice in school classrooms [23]. After Schatzki [21] and Kemmis et al. [22], considering the existential (that which actually exists in time and space) and site ontological (where practices actually happen) dimensions of practice means grappling with the robustness and complexities of lived realities and site-based conditions that influence the social orders that exist in actual sites or places where social practices like teaching and learning are enacted. Through empirical material, the chapter seeks to provide dynamic descriptions of the particular conditions that stimulate and support the practice development of PSTs through their interactions with students in classroom sites. Specifically, participant accounts and how the particular practice arrangements of interacting with students in classrooms form the intersubjective mechanisms for understanding how learning about teaching dialogically take place will be presented. This view of practices aims to provide the means to analyse practices like teacher education and to discover the conditions (the practice architectures) which make them possible. Practically, the nature of the interactions PSTs have with students in classrooms as a platform for learning about teaching, learning about learning and connecting this to theory will be examined. What PSTs learn about dialogic

of teaching practice.

determine, the practice.

**3. Theoretical framework**

70 Contemporary Pedagogies in Teacher Education and Development

The project was developed based on the fundamental premise that it is through quality interactions with students in classrooms that teaching efficacy is constituted [28]. It centred on the development of quality classroom interactions and dialogic pedagogies of PSTs–issues of practical concern for education globally [29–32]. In fact, it aimed to redress the fact that classroom talk and developing dialogic teaching practices in classrooms remains implicit, takenfor-granted and under-examined in preservice teacher education courses [33]. Furthermore, explicit instruction along focused opportunities for 'practising' engaging in dialogic pedagogies with students in classrooms, currently receives little dedicated space in many preservice education courses [28]. This neglect leads to a tendency for PSTs to enact a default practice in placement classrooms based on replicating known patterns of interaction of those observed and those experienced in their own education [33].

Therefore, the *Talking to Learn* project aimed to support PSTs understand how classrooms work interactively and, in particular, draw their attention to the organisation of classroom discourse as a powerful way of showing them the situated construction of classroom life, learning and culture. Further, supporting PSTs to critically examine the nature and extent of their learning about and enacting pedagogical dialogues was considered critical for their development as a teacher. Explicating the role of particular teacher talk moves, as core for generating teaching practices necessary for generating learning and thinking, formed an explicit focus for postsession learning conversations between teacher mentors and PSTs [28]. These conversations took place in classrooms after PSTs practiced interacting with small groups of students. This feature of the project provided an authentic context for 'informed participation' in critique about teaching practice [34].

**4.** giving learning focused responses

reflection and mentoring feedback).

through their interactions with students in the classrooms.

interaction experienced in their own school education [33].

**and interacting with students**

**5.** reflecting on and reviewing learning

• develop quality dialogic practices through authentic learning experiences with small

Knowing Pedagogical Dialogues for Learning: Establishing a Repertoire of Classroom…

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.78968

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• talk with peers and classroom teacher mentors through mentoring conversations (critical

These weekly in-class observations, practice sessions and mentoring conversations (after [35]) were conducted over 12 weeks in the first semester of their Bachelor of Education degree.

Research on what PSTs learn through authentic experiences in classrooms is overwhelmingly dominated by reports on what they learn from listening to and interacting with supervising teachers. However, there is a dearth of research specifically describing what they learn

The idea of learning to observe and listen to students in classrooms is not new. 'Kidwatching' (coined by Yetta Goodman [36]) emerged and evolved over time as a concept which encompasses listening to and observing students in classrooms with the aim of assisting teachers learn to develop responsive practices and enhance their professional work. However, 'kidwatching' has remained a province of teachers rather than as a focused approach for strengthening the learning of PSTs. Moreover, although quality interactions are recognised as a feature of effective teaching, it typically receives little dedicated space for development across many teacher education programs. Research has shown that a limited focus on developing effective classroom interaction leads to a tendency for PSTs to enact, predominantly by default, more traditional communication practices in placement classrooms (such as didactic teacher dominated talk). Their interactive practices are often based on replicating known patterns of

Interestingly, research reporting on PSTs observing and listening to students in classrooms appears to be mainly locating in analysing videoed lessons [37], or in lessons focused on the subject of Mathematics [38, 39] or music [40]. This chapter is an attempt to re-theorise the development of quality teaching practices in teacher education [41] and to illustrate how a focus on *practising* interacting with students in classrooms influences what PSTs learn about dialogic teaching from listening to and interacting with their students in their school placements. Furthermore, I aim to show how learning to listen and learning to interact in contextually relevant sites is critical for bridging and extending the theory-practice nexus. It will be argued that to know about the role of classroom interaction for learning is simply not enough, what is required for PSTs to develop a repertoire of dialogic talk moves is overt *designed-in* opportunities to focus on learning to listen, observe and interact with students in classrooms.

groups of students in classrooms by practising a repertoire of talk moves; and

**4.3. Learning through authentic experiences in classrooms: observing, listening to** 
