Talking Chips
Talking Chips is a Kagan strategy that teaches students the techniques of polite discussion and debate.
Objective
The Talking Chips strategy teaches appropriate social interaction for group work.
Classroom Applications
Develop Listening Skills
Learn Turn Taking
Learn Communication Skills
Use for large/small group interaction
Language functions:
Communication
regulator, Fluency builder
Advantages:
• Every student is held
accountable for participating.
• Develops speaking and listening skills
Structure summary:
Teammates place a
“talking chip” (if small groups up to three chips each) in the center of the team table each time they talk. When they’re out of chips, they may not talk until all teammates have used their chips.
Description: Each student receives one “talking chip.” The
chips can be any kind of game token, or a pen, pencil, eraser, slip of paper, or any other tangible item. It is preferable if each student has a unique color for his/her chips. The students are given an open-ended discussion topic such as, Where in the world would you most want to live and why? In order to speak, a teammate must place his or her chip in the center of the team table. It is his or her turn to speak. Teammates cannot interrupt and must practice respectful listening. When he or she is finished, another student places his or her chip in the center of the team table and is free to add to the discussion.
When a student uses his or her “talking chip”, he or she cannot speak until all teammates have added to the discussion and placed their chip in the center of the table. When everyone has had a chance to speak, each student collects her or his chips and continues with the discussion, using “talking chips” or start again with a new topic.
Talking Chips regulates discussion, ensuring that everyone participates and everyone contributes. Shy students, low achievers, and less-fluent students are encouraged to participate.
Objective
The Talking Chips strategy teaches appropriate social interaction for group work.
Classroom Applications
Develop Listening Skills
Learn Turn Taking
Learn Communication Skills
Use for large/small group interaction
Language functions:
Communication
regulator, Fluency builder
Advantages:
• Every student is held
accountable for participating.
• Develops speaking and listening skills
Structure summary:
Teammates place a
“talking chip” (if small groups up to three chips each) in the center of the team table each time they talk. When they’re out of chips, they may not talk until all teammates have used their chips.
Description: Each student receives one “talking chip.” The
chips can be any kind of game token, or a pen, pencil, eraser, slip of paper, or any other tangible item. It is preferable if each student has a unique color for his/her chips. The students are given an open-ended discussion topic such as, Where in the world would you most want to live and why? In order to speak, a teammate must place his or her chip in the center of the team table. It is his or her turn to speak. Teammates cannot interrupt and must practice respectful listening. When he or she is finished, another student places his or her chip in the center of the team table and is free to add to the discussion.
When a student uses his or her “talking chip”, he or she cannot speak until all teammates have added to the discussion and placed their chip in the center of the table. When everyone has had a chance to speak, each student collects her or his chips and continues with the discussion, using “talking chips” or start again with a new topic.
Talking Chips regulates discussion, ensuring that everyone participates and everyone contributes. Shy students, low achievers, and less-fluent students are encouraged to participate.