Classroom talk, by which children make sense of what their peers and teachers mean, is the most important educational tool for guiding the development of understanding and for jointly constructing knowledge. So what practical steps can teachers take to develop effective classroom interaction?

Bringing together leading international researchers and drawing on the pioneering work of Douglas Barnes, this book considers ways of improving classroom talk. Chapters cover:

- classroom communication and managing social relations;

- talk in science classrooms;

- using critical conversations in studying literature;

- exploratory talk and thinking skills;

- talking to learn and learning to talk in the mathematics classroom;

- the 'emerging pedagogy' of the spoken word.

With an accessible blend of theory, research and practice, the book will be a valuable resource for teachers, teacher-trainers, policy makers, researchers and students.