When I noticed that only a handful of students were participating in classroom discussions, I realized we didn’t just have an engagement problem — we had an access problem. Students wanted to speak, but they weren’t sure how to enter the conversation or what contribution they could make. That changed when I introduced “talking roles” from Voice 21, a United Kingdom-based nonprofit that helps schools develop students’ speaking and listening skills.

Talking roles are discussion jobs that rotate among group members. Each role has a clear purpose and a set of sentence starters that help students speak with confidence. I adapted Voice 21’s original roles to fit the needs of my class.

The instigator launches the conversation and frames the big idea or question: “Let’s start by looking at …” The builder links ideas between speakers or between the text and real-world contexts: “Building on what you said …” or “This also connects to …”

The clarifier digs into evidence, word choice or tone to clarify meaning and strengthen claims: “Can we look closer at that line because …” The challenger pushes the group with probing questions: “What evidence supports that idea?” or “Could there be another interpretation?”

The synthesizer weaves multiple viewpoints together into a cohesive takeaway: “Combining both ideas, maybe we can say …” or “The main thread I’m hearing is …” The reflector closes the discussion by highlighting insights, shifts in thinking or lingering questions: “What I learned from our discussion is …” or “My perspective changed when .…”

This structure turns participation from random to intentional. Students know their role in the group, and the group learns how to listen for each voice.

Talking roles (below) are discussion jobs that encourage students to enter a conversation in a meaningful way.

Before introducing our small book discussion groups, I model productive academic talk by taking a news article and demonstrating each role. Through cognitive modeling, or “thinking out loud,” I show what the student playing the role might say and how it moves the conversation forward. Students then practice with a brief text. Once they are comfortable, groups select a book from a diverse reading list and meet weekly to discuss it.

Students prepare in advance using a role tracker sheet that guides their reading focus and notes. Rotating the roles ensures that every student practices multiple literacy skills — analysis, questioning, synthesis and reflection — while contributing equitably to group learning.

The impact is immediate. The roles give quieter students a clear entry point, encourage active listening and build accountability. Because all students come prepared, their dialogue and their written reflections show measurable growth in comprehension and confidence.

These talking roles create rigor and empathy grounded in my goal of having students explain their thinking with evidence and reason. When students are responsible for a specific part of the conversations, they listen more carefully, speak more purposefully and engage in genuine dialogue.

Kristen Fusaro-Pizzo, a Big Apple Award winner, teaches at Staten Island Technical HS.