Provide simplified or chunked text with key vocabulary highlighted. Use visuals, gestures, or icons to support comprehension. Allow students to listen to audio versions of the text and respond by pointing, highlighting, or using short phrases.

Encourage students to restate their partner’s response before adding their own idea. Provide sentence starters such as “My partner said ___.” or “I think ___.” Teach students to identify cognates and use context clues to determine meaning.

Ask questions such as “What evidence from the text supports your answer?” or “How does this connect to something we read before?” Encourage students to respond using full sentences with justification.

Ask students to defend their responses using textual evidence. Encourage students to elaborate on their partner’s response by agreeing, extending, or offering an alternative explanation.

Challenge students to analyze responses, compare interpretations, and justify their thinking using textual evidence and academic vocabulary. Encourage students to refine ideas and build on the discussion.