Description
This presentation is sponsored by McGraw Hill Education.
Language classrooms often reward correct answers over real thinking. This session adapts Peter Liljedahl's Building Thinking Classrooms strategies — open-ended tasks, vertical non-permanent surfaces, and student autonomy — for L2 learning contexts. Participants will explore how shifting from passive reception to active, thinking-driven language use helps students move beyond memorized phrases toward genuine communication: finding their own voice locally, with the confidence to use it globally.
Abstract section 5: References
Liljedahl, P. (2020). Building thinking classrooms in mathematics, grades K–12: 14 teaching practices for enhancing learning. Corwin Press. Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based language learning and teaching. Oxford University Press.
Abstract section 3: Content/method
The session begins with a brief overview of Liljedahl's key principles and their relevance to language teaching. Participants will explore adapted examples of thinking classroom strategies applied to L2 contexts, including open-ended tasks designed to promote authentic communication. Interactive discussion will be woven throughout, inviting participants to reflect on their own classroom practices and consider practical ways to introduce thinking-driven approaches in their teaching contexts.
Abstract section 1: Relevance
Peter Liljedahl's Building Thinking Classrooms (2020) has reshaped how educators approach engagement and cognition in mathematics education. However, its principles are highly transferable to language learning contexts, where surface-level compliance and answer-focused instruction continue to limit authentic communication. Research in L2 acquisition consistently supports the value of task-based and inquiry-driven approaches in promoting deeper language processing and learner autonomy (Ellis, 2003). This session bridges these frameworks, making the case that thinking classrooms are not just for mathematics — they are essential for language learners seeking genuine communicative competence.
Abstract section 2: Contribution/research questions
This practice-oriented presentation explores how Building Thinking Classrooms strategies can be meaningfully adapted for K–12 English language classrooms. The central question guiding the session is: How can teachers shift classroom culture from answer-seeking to thinking-driven communication? Participants will examine how open-ended language tasks and collaborative structures promote student autonomy and authentic language use, moving learners from rehearsed responses toward real communicative confidence.
Abstract section 4: Outcomes/results
Participants will leave with a clear understanding of how Building Thinking Classrooms principles can be applied in K–12 English language settings. They will gain practical strategies for designing open-ended language tasks that promote student thinking and authentic communication, and will explore how shifting classroom culture — from answer-focused to thinking-driven — supports deeper language acquisition and learner confidence. Participants will also reflect on actionable first steps they can take to begin transforming their own classrooms.
| Title | Beyond the Answer: Building Thinking Classrooms |
|---|---|
| Teaching Context | General |