Skip to main content

Quality Talk and Content Learning: An Exploration of Students’ Background Schemata and Thematic Discussions

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The Theory and Practice of Group Discussion with Quality Talk

Part of the book series: Learning Sciences for Higher Education ((LSHE))

  • 421 Accesses

Abstract

This study investigates the application of the Quality Talk (QT) framework in higher education classrooms based on cross-disciplinary content learning with theme-based class lessons and topical discussions. Specifically, this chapter discusses the correlation between participants’ schemata and the variety of question types prompted in small-group discussions under the QT framework in relation to conducting content-based university lectures in English-as-a- foreign-language (EFL) classroom settings. By drawing on theories from the QT framework, content-based instruction, and theme-based model, the qualitative and quantitative findings of students’ class entries and survey responses provide an enhanced understanding of the relationship between the variety, depth, and scope of questions associated with interdisciplinary learning in an EFL context. Overall, the analysis of various content areas and students’ familiarity with subject matter in relation to their self-initiated higher-order thinking questions, as well as identified challenges, illuminates the understanding of a relatively new domain.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Addison, N. M., & Walker, R. J. (2012). Contending with content: Notes on introducing a content-based instruction (CBI) approach in a media English course for third/fourth year elective students in a Japanese university. Journal of Bunkyo Gakuin University, Department of Foreign Languages and Bunkyo Gakuin College, 11, 241–257.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brinton, D. M., Snow, M. A., & Wesche, M. (2003). Content-based second language instruction. University of Michigan Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buterbaugh, J. (2017, September 27). Quality Talk increases critical thinking in high school STEM classrooms. Penn State News. https://news.psu.edu/story/484285/2017/09/27/academics/quality-talk-increases-critical-thinking-high-school-stem.

  • Butler, Y. G. (2005). Content-based instruction in EFL contexts: Considerations for effective implementation. JALT Journal, 27(2), 227–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, J. (1979). Linguistic interdependence and the educational development of bilingual children. Review of Educational Research, 49(2), 222–251.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, J. (1981). The role of primary language development in promoting educational success for language minority students. In California State Department of Education (Ed.), Schooling and language minority students: A theoretical framework. Evaluation, Dissemination and Assessment Center California State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, J. (1984). Bilingualism and special education: Issues in assessment and pedagogy. Multilingual Matters.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davies, M., & Meissel, K. (2016). The use of Quality Talk to increase critical analytical speaking and writing of students in three secondary schools. British Educational Research Journal, 42(2), 342–365.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Desautel, D. (2009). Becoming a thinking thinker: Metacognition, self-reflection and classroom practice. Teachers College Record, 111(8), 1997–2020.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dueñas, M. (2004). The whats, whys, hows and whos of content-based instruction in second/foreign language education. International Journal of English Studies, 4(1), 73–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kızıltan, N., & Ersanlı, C. Y. (2007). The contributions of theme-based CBI to Turkish young learners’ language development in English. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 3(1), 133–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krashen, S. (1981). Beyond language acquisition and second language learning. Oxford: Pergamon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, P. K., Firetto, C. M., & Greene, J. A. (2017). Enriching students’ scientific thinking through relational reasoning: Seeking evidence in texts, task, and talk. Educational Psychology Review, 29(1), 105–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, P. K., Firetto, C. M., Greene, J. A., & Butler, A. M. (2017). Analyzing the talk in Quality Talk discussions: A coding manual. https://doi.org/10.18113/S1XW64.

  • Murphy, P. K., Greene, J. A., Allen, E. M., Baszczewski, S., Swearingen, A. K., Wei, L., & Butler, A. M. (2018). Fostering high school students’ scientific argumentation and conceptual understanding performance through Quality Talk discussions. Science Education, 102(6), 1239–1264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, P. K., Greene, J. A., Firetto, C. M., Hendrick, B. D., Li, M., Montalbano, C., & Wei, L. (2018). Quality Talk: Developing students’ discourse to promote high level comprehension. American Educational Research Journal, 55(5), 1113–1160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, P. K., Rowe, M. L., Ramani, G., & Silverman, R. (2014). Promoting critical analytic thinking in children and adolescents at home and in school. Educational Psychology Review, 26(4), 561–578.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, P. K., Wilkinson, I. A., Soter, A. O., Hennessey, M. N., & Alexander, J. F. (2009). Examining the effects of classroom discussion on students’ comprehension of text: A meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 101(3), 740–764.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ngan, N. T. C. (2011). Content-based instruction in the teaching of English for accounting at Vietnamese College of Finance and Customs. English Language Teaching, 4(3), 90–100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reznitskaya, A., & Gregory, M. (2013). Student thought and classroom language: Examining the mechanisms of change in dialogic teaching. Educational Psychologist, 48(2), 114–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reznitskaya, A., Kuo, L., Clark, A., Miller, B., Jadallah, M., Anderson, R. C., & Nguyen-Jahiel, K. (2009). Collaborative reasoning: A dialogic approach to group discussions. Cambridge Journal of Education, 39(1), 29–48. https://doi.org:10.1080/03057640802701952.

    Google Scholar 

  • Satilmis, Y., Yakup, D., Selim, G., & Aybarsha, I. (2015). Teaching concepts of natural sciences to foreigners through content-based instruction: The adjunct model. English Language Teaching, 8(3), 97–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwarz, B. B., Neuman, Y., & Biezuner, S. (2000). Two wrongs may make right .if they argue together! Cognition & Instruction, 18(4), 461–494.

    Google Scholar 

  • Villalobos, O. B. (2013). Content-based instruction: A relevant approach of language teaching. Journal of Innovation Education, XV(20), 71–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warrington, S. D. (2010). Concerns with content-based instruction (CBI) in Asian EFL contexts. The Buckingham Journal of Language and Linguistics, 1, 129–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wegerif, R., Mercer, N., & Dawes, L. (1999). From social interaction to individual reasoning: An empirical investigation of a possible sociocultural model of cognitive development. Learning and Instruction, 9(6), 493–516.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wegman, B., & Knezevic, M. (2014). Mosaic 2 Reading. (Sixth edition). McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilkinson, I. A., Soter, A. O., & Murphy, K. P. (2010). Developing a model of Quality Talk about literary text. In M. G. McKeown & L. Kucan (Eds.), Bringing reading researchers to life: Essays in honor of Isabel L. Beck (pp. 142–169). Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yugandhar, D. K. (2016). Content-theme-based instruction to increase the quality of EFL class. International Journal on Studies in English Language and Literature (IJSELL), 8(4), 86–90.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to (Bess) Yu-Shien Tzean .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Tzean, (.YS. (2021). Quality Talk and Content Learning: An Exploration of Students’ Background Schemata and Thematic Discussions. In: Chen, CC., Lo, ML. (eds) The Theory and Practice of Group Discussion with Quality Talk. Learning Sciences for Higher Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-1409-5_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-1409-5_8

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-16-1408-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-16-1409-5

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics