The physical discourse move for “Agree” or “Yes”.

This move was often used in whole group and small group discussions to show both teachers and
other students that the listener affirmed what was being stated by the speaker. Children liked this
better than the American Sign Language “yes” because it looked similar to ‘hang ten’ and was
easier for the teacher to see.

The physical discourse move for “Disagree” or “No”.

This move was often used in whole group when the teacher posed a question to which a student
could answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Students could also use it when the teacher made intentional (or
unintentional mistakes). It consisted of one hand being waved over the other in the motion of a
closing X. This was not common in the small group setting. Early in the school year, students
collaborated and agreed in a whole group setting that this sign was inappropriate to use for fellow
students, as it would often stop the academic discussion and leave the speaker feeling less
confident about their own reasoning or ability in math. Instead, students attributed the ‘disagree
with a fellow student’ sentiment with “add on,” described later in this section.
 The physical discourse move for “New idea”.
This move was for when the teacher or a fellow student had posed a question to the listener(s),
and a listener intends to be an initial speaker or suggest a new answer. While the agreed method
was to raise just one finger at about shoulder height, many enthusiastic students likened it to
raising their hand and adjusted the move to befit the gesture, raising their finger high above their
shoulder with a straightened arm. It would be appropriate when a class is asked, “What strategy
could you use for 49x5?” and a student suggests, “Partial products” with reasoning, another
student could use this move and suggest “standard algorithm” with their reasoning.

The physical discourse move for “Add on”.

This discourse move was used when an initial speaker had offered a response to the teacher, and
a student had something additional to say. One arm would be held with a fist close to the face
with a bent elbow, and the other came bent behind it (or in front of it, as seen above) in much the
same way an addition sign appears in math. The ‘add on’ could be a new, additional idea, or
clarification of the initial speaker’s response. Early in the school year, students agreed that this
move could be have more meaning when they suggested the ‘disagree’ move was harmful to
academically productive talk. They proposed, and agreed, that this ‘add on’ move would need to
include the meaning of ‘I disagree with a fellow student’ and should begin the conversation with
 a constructive bridge to their own, different thought. For example, had a student thought the
answer to 49x5 was 65, another respondent might make this move and follow up with a
statement such as, “I respect that s/he did seem to multiply, but I believe they may have forgotten
that you need to remember it isn’t just 5x4, it is more like 5x40, which is how I got to 245.”

The physical discourse move(s) for “I’m stumped” or “I have a question”.

The reason there are two discourse moves for this response to a discussion with either the teacher
or a fellow student was that in subsequent months, many students felt they weren’t easily seen or
identified as having a question or needing help with the top move, their chin resting on their
closed fists. They initiated the second move as a replacement because it was a bigger, more
easily seen gesture. Students would raise their palms on both sides of their shoulder in a
shrugging motion. It took less than two class periods for all students to adjust to the new
discourse move strategy.
 The physical discourse move for “I can’t hear you”.
This discourse move was one of the most frequent at the start of the year, while students
developed more confidence in speaking their answers and reasoning aloud for the whole group.
Students were instructed to place two to four fingers behind their ears so the speaker knew to
speak louder. This kept the speaker and listeners accountable for the ongoing academic discourse
the teacher was striving for. The move was less frequent in small groups, and has not been
needed to be utilized nearly as often in more recent classes.

The physical discourse move for “I learned something new”.

After several weeks of using discourse moves, I was impressed when students suggested this one
on their own. They wanted a move to demonstrate that a speaker, or teacher, had taught them
something new that they appreciated. Students expressing this move would hold a finger to the
side of their head and gently tap their temple. It became known as the “Oh!” or “Aha!” move in
my math classes.
 The physical discourse move for “Yay!” or “Celebrate!”.
This discourse move came into our academic talks when students recognized the need to honor
fellow students when they overcame a challenge they had struggled with and persevered through.
It would also be used when a student talked or reasoned through a new concept they were having
difficulty with. The most common use for this was in small groups and spilled over to be used
when students had birthdays or awards announced schoolwide.