Research School Network: The Four Rs – Reason, Routines, Resources and Reflection Embedding structured talk

Talk moves: The Four Rs

Nurturing both expressive and receptive language skills requires intentional teaching strategies and thoughtfully designed resources.

This is where the Four Rs – Reason, Routines, Resources and Reflection – provide structured moves for meaningful, purposeful dialogue in the classroom and beyond. A clear reason for talk, established routines, well-chosen resources and opportunities for reflection all work together to support interaction and deepen learning.

Fuelling talk with knowledge

High-quality teaching drives both language development and knowledge acquisition. It’s easy to fill classroom time with activities that keep pupils busy, but genuine progress in communication skills and understanding is not automatic. Educators can step back and ask:

• What should pupils gain from this lesson in terms of speaking, listening and building knowledge?
• What specific language skills, strategies or content knowledge will they develop that they didn’t have before?

Planning for meaningful talk means avoiding superficial activities that prioritise engagement over substance: talk is a powerful tool for deepening understanding, not just an end in itself. Pupils cannot speak – nor listen – competently, confidently or critically about topics they do not know much about. Thoughtfully planned, language-rich tasks that connect to content learning are essential because knowledge fuels conversation and conversation fuels knowledge!

Reason for talk

Pupils are more likely to engage when discussions are relevant and connected to real-world ideas. Providing clear reasons for talk, such as problem-solving, decision-making or debating different perspectives, ensures discussions go beyond surface-level participation and encourage deep thinking.

Routines for talk

Structured routines provide the foundation for successful discussions. Groupings, protocols, guidelines and strategies all help create an environment where pupils feel comfortable expressing their ideas. By embedding talk routines into daily practice, teachers establish clear expectations and support pupils in developing effective communication skills.

Resources to support quality talk

High-quality talk requires high-quality support. The ABC model—Agree, Build, Challenge — guides pupils in structuring their responses and developing their reasoning skills:

- Agree – pupils affirm and extend others’ points using stems like ​“I agree because…” or ​“That aligns with my thinking because…”.

- Build – pupils add depth to discussions, elaborating on ideas with stems such as ​“Building on that point…” or ​“Expanding on that idea…”.

- Challenge – pupils learn to respectfully introduce alternative perspectives using stems like ​“I see your point, yet…” or ​“On the contrary…”.

Sentence stems provide a scaffold that supports pupils as they learn to navigate discussion norms, fostering both confidence and clarity in their spoken contributions.

Modelling and gradual release

For these supports to be effective, they must be explicitly modelled by teachers and gradually withdrawn as pupils become more independent speakers. Adults should actively use these stems in classroom dialogue, demonstrating how to integrate them naturally into discussions. Over time, pupils internalise these structures, enabling them to participate in discussions fluently and successfully without reliance on prompts.

Reflecting on talk

Encouraging pupils to reflect on their discussions is key to developing strong oral language skills. Understanding the reason, audience, tone and intended effect of their spoken contributions helps shape more meaningful talk. By embedding sentence stems within a structured and consistent approach, we create classrooms where purposeful dialogue thrives, supporting both language development and critical thinking skills.

By embedding structured talk through the four Rs, we create classrooms where purposeful dialogue thrives. When pupils are given the right scaffolds, routines, and opportunities to reflect, they gain the confidence and skills needed for meaningful conversations that deepen learning. Linking language-rich tasks to content not only enhances vocabulary and oral skills but also deepens understanding. The back-and-forth of conversation helps pupils process and apply knowledge in real time, fostering a reciprocal relationship between language development and content knowledge building.