Chalk Talk

What is the Chalk Talk thinking routine?

Chalk Talk is a thinking routine where a class discusses a question without speaking. The question goes in the middle of the board or a big sheet of paper, and everyone writes round it: their own ideas first, then replies to each other’s, joined with lines. Talking comes last.

How do you run Chalk Talk with a class?

Put the question up and say no talking from here. Give a few minutes for first thoughts, then ask them to answer somebody else’s note: agree, disagree, add an example or ask a question. Only then break the silence and ask what kept coming up. A silent timer on the board helps.

What makes a good Chalk Talk question?

One with more than one good answer that everyone can reach. ‘What makes a good friend?’ works with Year 2. ‘Was the Great Fire of London anyone’s fault?’ works with Year 5. Avoid a question with a single right answer, because the replies dry up after the first note.

Which subjects does Chalk Talk suit?

Any subject with a question worth thinking about for more than a minute.

• PSHE: fairness, friendship, rules, anything where every child has a view.
• History: a question about why something happened, or whose fault it was.
• Science: what they think will happen in an investigation, and why.
• English: a question about a character’s choice or the meaning of a poem.

What usually goes wrong with Chalk Talk?

Notes that all say the same thing, because the first one set the tone. And replies that just say ‘I agree’. Model a good reply before you start, one that adds a reason, an example or a question, and the rest of the class copies the shape of it.

Which year groups is Chalk Talk for?

Chalk Talk works from Year 2, grade 1 in the US, with a simple question and short notes. In Year 2 you can scribe while the class stays silent and points. From Year 4 they write their own, and the replies get sharper as the year goes on.

What do you do with it afterwards?

Ring the notes worth talking about and start the discussion from those. Then photograph the board. The rings show what the class thought mattered, and the lines show who was listening to whom, which is useful to know.

How often should you use Chalk Talk?

Two or three times a half term. The silence is what makes it work, and it wears off if it becomes the normal way of doing things. Save it for a question worth the quiet, or for a class where the same five voices always win the discussion.

Chalk Talk compared with Silent Debate

Both are conversations in writing. A Silent Debate is an argument with two sides. Chalk Talk is an open question with no sides, where the aim is to think together rather than to win. Use Chalk Talk to explore, and Silent Debate when you want a class to take a position.