R.E.A.L. IRL: How Our Gen-Z Interns Plan to Approach Discussion This School Year

R.E.A.L. IRL: How Our Gen-Z Interns Plan to Approach Discussion This School Year

This summer, we were delighted to welcome another amazing group of interns to the R.E.A.L.® team. As the summer draws to a close, our interns are heading back to college campuses – and after eight weeks spent thinking, breathing, and living discussion, they have new approaches to in-person conversation.  We asked four of our interns…

Breaking it Down: The “L” in R.E.A.L., Part II: Listening to Facilitate and Listening for Feedback

Breaking it Down: The “L” in R.E.A.L., Part II: Listening to Facilitate and Listening for Feedback

R.E.A.L.® Discussion is a program that equips faculty to teach, measure, and celebrate discussion skills  – which students use in the classroom, in the cafeteria, on the court, and, even, at the grocery store (said one sixth grade girl) and on dates (shared a ninth grade boy)!  The system is based on the four R.E.A.L.®…

Real Discussion Really Matters: Gen Z Reflections

Real Discussion Really Matters: Gen Z Reflections

They might prefer texting to talking, but it turns out Gen-Z believes in-person discussion really matters. As part of the R.E.A.L.® Discussion process, we frequently survey students to gauge how R.E.A.L.® affects them in class and beyond. We always ask: “What is one way you think learning discussion skills will help prepare you for the…

Breaking It Down: The “L” in R.E.A.L., Part 1

Breaking It Down: The “L” in R.E.A.L., Part 1

R.E.A.L.® Discussion is a professional development program that equips faculty to teach, measure, and celebrate discussion skills  – which students use in the classroom, in the cafeteria, on the court, and, even, at the grocery store (said one sixth grade girl) and on dates (shared a ninth grade boy)!  The system is based on the…

Discussion Skills in the Wild

Discussion Skills in the Wild

How students who would rather talk than text imagine discussion in their futures We talk often about the “why” behind our work. We’re passionate about teaching discussion skills because we believe they define humanity – that they’re critical for success in the classroom, the cafeteria, or around the kitchen table. In our tech-centric world, conversation…

A Researcher’s Perspective: 5 Takeaways from Watching R.E.A.L.® Discussion in Action

A Researcher’s Perspective: 5 Takeaways from Watching R.E.A.L.® Discussion in Action

by Harriet Piercy Harriet Piercy has taught English at London secondary schools since 2015 and held a number of roles as a curriculum leader. She is currently joint head of the English faculty at Haggerston School in Hackney. She was recently a Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching scholar at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, undertaking…

5 Takeaways from Fall 2023 R.E.A.L. Cycle 1 Data

5 Takeaways from Fall 2023 R.E.A.L. Cycle 1 Data

Over 2,000 students in grades 6-11 responded to the student survey we sent following the first R.E.A.L.® cycle of the 2023-2024 school year. The results were fascinating! While we saw some expected areas of growth – we usually see students master “Excerpting” early, and we did once again! – we also noticed some surprising patterns…

Breaking It Down: The “R” in R.E.A.L.

Breaking It Down: The “R” in R.E.A.L.

R.E.A.L.® Discussion is a professional development program that empowers faculty to teach their students how to thrive in discussion – in the classroom, in the cafeteria, on the court, and in their communities. R.E.A.L.® gives faculty and students shared language and classroom routines  to make discussion come alive in their classrooms.  The whole system is…