The Importance of Classroom Discussion in Early Childhood
Classroom conversations contribute to children’s learning across several curriculum areas, particularly English, Personal and Social Capability, and Critical and Creative Thinking. These are all key aspects of the Australian Curriculum Foundation to Year 2.
Building Language and Literacy
The Australian Curriculum for early years education highlights that oral language is the foundation of literacy. Children are expected to develop strong speaking and listening skills through daily interactions.
Examples include:
- AC9EFLY02: interact in informal and structured situations by listening while others speak and using features of voice including volume levels
- AC9E1LY02: use interaction skills including turn-taking, speaking clearly, using active listening behaviours and responding to the contributions of others, and contributing ideas and questions
- AC9E2LY02: use interaction skills when engaging with topics, actively listening to others, receiving instructions and extending own ideas, speaking appropriately, expressing and responding to opinions, making statements, and giving instructions
When children engage in classroom discussion, they practise expressing ideas clearly, listening attentively, and taking turns, which are all essential to building communication skills in early childhood education.
Developing Social and Emotional Skills
According to the Personal and Social Capability learning continuum, young children should learn to recognise others’ feelings, cooperate, and manage group tasks. Group discussion in early years helps children:
- Understand others’ perspectives
- Learn to wait for their turn
- Contribute to a shared task
These skills promote inclusion and strengthen relationships, which are key outcomes of early childhood communication skills.
Fostering Thinking and Problem-Solving
Engaging in conversation encourages critical and creative thinking in early years. Children begin to reason, explain, and justify their ideas. These are important cognitive skills supported across all learning areas of the Australian Curriculum Foundation to Year 2.
Practical Strategies to Embed Classroom Discussion
Here are eight classroom-ready methods to embed classroom discussion strategies meaningfully in your daily routine:
1. Ask Open-Ended Questions
Ask questions that encourage reasoning and allow for many possible answers:
“Why do you think that happened?”
“What would you do next?”
“How do you know?”
This supports critical and creative thinking in early years by encouraging deeper exploration of ideas.
2. Use Think-Pair-Share
A structured routine:
- Think – Students reflect individually.
- Pair – Discuss with a partner.
- Share – Present ideas to the group.
This helps children practise speaking and listening skills in a low-pressure way and build confidence.
3. Use Storybooks and Visual Prompts
Quality children’s books and concrete materials are powerful discussion starters. For example, after reading Just Enough! by Steven Huynh, ask:
“Was Emu’s action of hoarding all the quandong selfish? Why?”
This links to both personal and social capability and early childhood communication skills.
4. Hold Yarning Circles
These routines create an inclusive space for group discussion in early years. Use a talking object to manage turn-taking and create a sense of equality. Perfect for building empathy and respectful interaction.
5. Model and Scaffold Language
Introduce sentence starters to guide respectful exchanges:
- “I agree with ___ because…”
- “I think something different. I believe…”
- “Can you tell me more?”
This builds a shared language for discussion and improves early childhood communication skills.
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6. Set Clear Discussion Expectations
Teach simple discussion rules:
- One person speaks at a time
- We listen with our whole body
- All ideas are welcome
Such routines support both personal and social capability and help embed classroom discussion strategies as part of daily classroom culture.
7. Use Small Groups and Role Play
Let children act out stories or real-life scenarios. In small groups, assign roles like speaker, listener, or question-asker.
These activities develop communication skills, empathy, and critical thinking through play.
8. Make Discussion Part of Daily Routines
Include quick questions during transitions or at the end of the day:
“What’s something kind you saw today?”
“What did you enjoy learning about?”
This embeds early childhood communication skills naturally throughout the day.
Final Thoughts
Whether through a story, a science experiment, or a morning meeting, making time for rich and respectful talk is a cornerstone of high-quality early childhood education. By using simple, intentional classroom discussion strategies, teachers help young learners build confidence, express ideas clearly, and relate meaningfully to others, while addressing core outcomes in the Australian Curriculum Foundation to Year 2. When we value what children have to say, we empower them to become critical thinkers, collaborative learners, and thoughtful, respectful individuals.
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