What are Talk Trees?
Talk Trees are AI-generated visualizations that show patterns in student talk. They highlight a type of quality student conversations that support learning known as academically productive talk¹. Talk Trees visualize student talk in the form of a flowering tree which helps teachers and students notice and celebrate class discussions and participation.
How do they work?
You first record a classroom discussion. When you upload an audio recording or transcript to Talk Trees, our in-house tools automatically convert it into an anonymous transcript, differentiates between student talk and teacher talk, then identifies different types of student talk which are represented as flowers and leaves in the tree.
Blue flowers: Making a claim
Red flowers: Providing evidence
Yellow flowers: Relating to another student
Leaves: Any student talk
What can I do with them?
The goal of Talk Trees is to foster productive classroom conversations and grow student voice. You can use Talk Trees to engage in reflective practice² and share Talk Trees with students to recognize their ideas and encourage discussion. You can engage in classroom activities such as celebrating student talk or comparing between different lessons and setting specific goals.
How can I get started?
Start by establishing a routine. Talk Trees are most effective when used regularly with your students, such as reviewing one each week or after a specific activity. For example you can have ‘Talk Tree Fridays’ where students review Talk Trees from the week, celebrate their discussion, and set goals for next week’s conversations.
O'Connor, C., Michaels, S., & Chapin, S. (2015). "Scaling Down" to Explore the Role of Talk in Learning: From District Intervention to Controlled Classroom Study.
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H., (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research.