What Does Conferring Look Like?

The structure, or anatomy of the writing conference is important.  Using a structure allows me to have a framework for approaching the writer.  I don’t have to invent an organizational plan with each child approach. Also, by having a format or an organizational plan, I can deviate from it or adapt it to suit the situation.  Finally, there is intentionality when entering a conference with a format. I can be focused and confident in my approach.  There are several approaches regarding the anatomy, or structure, of a conference. 

Lucy Calkins (2005) suggests that within each 5-7 minute conference, the teacher will move through four phases with the writer:
1.     Research    
2.     Decide
3.     Teach
4.     Link

Research
Calkins explains the research phase must begin with the teacher engaged as listener. I am mainly an observer at this point, although I will also want to take notes for recording purposes. As I listen to the writer, I can begin to fully understand him and what he is writing about and what his intentions are for his writing.

Decide
In this phase, the teacher must decide how she can best help the writer by sharing a strategy or craft. I need to consider what I know about both the writer and the writing. Rather than reading the entire piece, I may focus on just one part. Although it is likely the writer will have many things to work on, as young writers often do, it will be most effective to choose just one thing to teach. Calkins says to “teach the writer” and “not the writing” (1994). I will decide what I can compliment the writer on doing well, what should be taught, and how to teach it. Whatever I decide, it needs to be focused on the child as a writer.

Teach
This phase is also referred to as “Compliment and Teach”. Once I move to the teaching phase, the student should know that the conference is taking a turn. I will name, or compliment, something the student is doing in his zone of proximal development. He may not even realize he is doing it! I can also say something like, “Can I teach you something writers do?” Calkins says “We need to give the writer something that will help not only today, with this piece of writing, but also tomorrow, with other pieces of writing” (1994). It is crucial that I explain why and how to do whatever it is I am teaching.

Link
In the final link phase, the teacher names what the child has done as a writer and reminds the child to continue to do this in future writing. I might say something like, “Now every time you write you can reread to make sure you put down all of the sounds you hear in the word” 

I find four phases listed by Calkins to be the most straightforward for me to remember and the clearest for me to impart to my students as well. Calkins says that the students should recognize a distinct shift between each phase of the conference and this approach would also lend itself to a simple form of record keeping for conferences.

Reading & Writing Conference Form from Jessica Hursh @ The Teacher Talk