English Language Arts · 2nd Grade · Word Power and Collaborative Talk · Weeks 28-36

Building on Others' Remarks in Discussions

Practicing how to build on others' talk in conversations by linking comments to the remarks of others.

• Common Core State Standards
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1.c

About This Topic

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1.c asks second graders to ask questions to check their understanding, stay on topic, and use language for building on the remarks of others. Building on another's remark is a distinct and more advanced discussion move than asking a question or simply sharing your own idea. It requires a student to listen carefully, understand what the previous speaker said, and explicitly connect their contribution to that statement using phrases like 'I agree with [Name] because...,' 'To add to what [Name] said...,' or 'I see it differently because...'

Second graders who develop this skill are developing the social and intellectual infrastructure for academic argument. They are learning that ideas in a discussion form a connected chain of reasoning where each contribution responds to what came before rather than starting fresh. This is the foundational move of Socratic discussion, collaborative problem-solving, and academic writing. Establishing it at grade 2 through structured, repeated practice sets students up for increasingly sophisticated discourse throughout their school careers.

Active learning is the only way to develop this skill because it is inherently social. Fishbowl observations, sentence-frame practice in partner talk, and whole-class discussions with visible tracking give students the volume of social practice needed to make these language moves automatic rather than labored and self-conscious.

Key Questions

1. How can we respectfully add to a peer's idea in a discussion?
2. Analyze how linking comments creates a more cohesive conversation.
3. Construct a response that builds on a previous speaker's point.

Learning Objectives

• Construct a spoken response that explicitly links to a previous speaker's idea using transitional phrases.
• Analyze a short recorded discussion to identify instances where speakers build on each other's remarks.
• Explain, using specific examples, how adding to a peer's idea makes a group conversation more complete.
• Compare and contrast two different ways a student might respond to a peer's comment in a discussion.

Before You Start

Active Listening Skills

Why: Students must be able to listen carefully to understand what others are saying before they can build on their remarks.

Sharing Ideas in Discussions

Why: Students need to be comfortable sharing their own thoughts before they can learn to connect them to others' thoughts.

Key Vocabulary

Build on	To add your own idea to what someone else has already said in a conversation. It means your thought connects to their thought.
Link	To connect your comment directly to what another person said. You show how your idea is related to theirs.
Remark	Something that is said during a conversation or discussion. It is a comment or statement.
Cohesive	When parts of something fit together well and make sense as a whole. In a discussion, it means the conversation flows smoothly.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Saying 'me too' or 'same' counts as building on a peer's remark.

What to Teach Instead

A genuine build requires stating your reasoning, not just your agreement. 'I agree' with no elaboration does not advance the conversation. Sentence frames that require a 'because' force students to add content to their agreement, turning a passive affirmation into an intellectual contribution that gives the discussion somewhere to go.

Common Misconception

You can only build on a remark if you agree with it.

What to Teach Instead

Thoughtful disagreement is an equally valid and valuable build. 'I see it differently because...' is a building move that advances the conversation by introducing a new perspective grounded in the discussion so far. Students who understand this feel freer to contribute honestly rather than agreeing simply to participate and meet the expectation.

Active Learning Ideas

Simulation Game: The Conversation Chain

The class discusses a book or question. Each student must begin their contribution with a connection to the previous speaker: 'Building on what [Name] said about...' or 'I agree with [Name] because...' or 'I see it differently because...' The teacher tracks the chain on the board with arrows showing which comments built on which ones.

20 min·Whole Class

Think-Pair-Share: The Bridge Builder

One partner states an opinion about a text or topic. The second partner must respond using only a building sentence frame from a posted list. Pairs take turns building for four rounds, then share the strongest exchange they had with the class and explain what made that particular build effective.

15 min·Pairs

Inquiry Circle: Talk Move Sort

Give small groups a set of response cards. Some responses build directly on the previous speaker by referencing their idea and adding reasoning. Others restart the conversation without connecting. Groups sort cards and discuss what makes a response a genuine build versus a restart, then write one revised version of their weakest 'restart' card.

20 min·Small Groups

Role Play: Discussion Coach

After a fishbowl discussion, students who observed as coaches each give one specific piece of feedback to the inside group: one example of a response that built effectively on a previous speaker, and one moment where a build could have been stronger. Coaches must name the speaker and the specific remark they are referencing.

20 min·Whole Class

Real-World Connections

• During a science team meeting at NASA, engineers must build on each other's ideas to solve complex problems for space missions. One engineer might suggest a material, and another might build on that by explaining how it would withstand extreme temperatures.
• In a city council meeting, residents share concerns about a new park. One resident might suggest adding a swing set, and another might build on that by saying, 'I agree with adding a swing set, and we should also include a slide for younger children.'

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Present students with a short dialogue between two characters. Ask them to circle the sentence where the second character builds on the first character's remark and underline the phrase that shows the connection.

Discussion Prompt

Pose a simple question to the class, such as 'What is your favorite season and why?' After a few students share, prompt: 'Who heard an idea they want to build on? Tell us what you heard and how you will add to it.'

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a sentence starter: 'I heard [classmate's name] say ____. I want to build on that by saying ____.' Ask them to complete the sentence based on a recent class discussion.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sentence frames work best for teaching 2nd graders to build on others' remarks?

Start with three frames and practice them daily for two weeks before adding more: 'I agree with [Name] because...', 'I want to add to what [Name] said...', and 'I see it differently because...' Keep the frames posted visibly during every discussion. Once these three are automatic, introduce 'That makes me think...' and 'Building on [Name]'s idea, I think...' as more sophisticated options.

How do I prevent one or two students from dominating the conversation?

Use a talking token system: each student starts with two or three tokens and spends one every time they speak. Once a student has spent all their tokens, they must listen until others have spent theirs. Pair the token requirement with the sentence-frame requirement so that even brief contributions must build on the discussion, equalizing both quantity and quality of participation.

How does active learning help students build on each other's remarks?

This skill cannot be developed through individual exercises because it is inherently a social, in-the-moment move. Fishbowl activities give students both a practice opportunity and a metacognitive observation experience: watching a discussion from the outside helps them identify what makes a build effective before they attempt it from the inside. The observation phase is as instructionally valuable as the participation phase.

How do I assess whether students are building on remarks rather than just sharing new ideas?

Use a simple discussion tracking sheet with three columns: 'Started a new idea,' 'Built on another's idea,' and 'Asked a clarifying question.' Mark each student contribution type during a ten-minute discussion. Share the aggregated pattern with students and set a class goal for increasing the proportion of builds. Students who can name and count their own moves develop self-monitoring faster.