Using Choice Words in Nonfiction Reading Conferences

The inquiry described in this article is meant to extend the work of Johnston (Choice Words) and others, specifically in the area of naming the effective ways teachers use language during conferences with students who are reading nonfiction. In an effort to identify what might occur during this type of conference, I audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed eight reading conferences with third-grade students who were reading nonfiction texts during a reading workshop.