Math teachers know the first step to meaningful mathematics discussions is to ask students to share how they solved a problem and make their thinking visible; however, knowing where to go next can be a daunting task.

In Intentional Talk and Listening: How to Structure and Lead Productive Mathematical Discussions, Elham Kazemi and Allison Hintz provide teachers with a practical framework for planning and facilitating purposeful math talks that move group discussions to the next level while achieving mathematical and social goals. Each chapter focuses on a different type of conversation, including:

● Open Strategy Sharing

● Compare and Connect

● Why? Let’s Justify

● What’s Strategic and Why?

● Define and Clarify

● Troubleshoot and Revise

In this second edition of the book, Kazemi and Hintz provide new vignettes and classroom examples. They explore the role of children’s and communities’ funds of knowledge in mathematics problem solving and focus on supporting students’ active participation as listeners and speakers. Written from the stance that all students are sense makers with valuable ideas, Intentional Talk and Listening supports teachers’ decision making as they facilitate conversations that help students make meaning of, and find joy in, math.

Elham Kazemi is a professor of mathematics education at the University of Washington. She collaborates with school leaders, coaches, and teachers to create student-centered mathematics classrooms. Building strong professional communities for teachers who learn from and with their students is an essential part of this work.

Allison Hintz is a professor of mathematics education at the University of Washington, Bothell. She partners with educators and families to imagine and create communities where children are heard, understood, and inspired as mathematical sense makers.