Congratulations on your purchase of the Really Good ChatMat™, a versatile educational activity that students use todevelop strategic conversational skills and a deeperunderstanding of the topics discussed.

ObjectivesThe students will:• Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions,

building on others' ideas and expressing themselves clearly.• Paraphrase information presented orally. • Ask and answer questions about information from another

speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail.

Common Core State StandardsParticipate in collaborative conversations with diverse partnersabout grade level topics and texts with peers in small andlarger groups.

This Really Good Stuff® product includes:• 4 Really Good Chat Mats™

• 4 Chat Guides• 4 Chat Tokens• 20 Chat Cards• 1 Pad of Lined Sticky Notes• This Really Good Stuff® Teaching Guide

The Really Good Chat Mat™ provides structure and guidanceto the conversation process. Students who are reluctant toshare their opinions in class feel supported by the structure ofthe activity while English language learners benefit by havingthe sentence starters on the Chat Guides. Through discussion,students refine their ideas and gain a deeper understanding ofany given topic. All areas of the curriculum offer opportunitiesto enhance the topic being taught through talk, making theChat Mat a versatile educational mat that you can use acrosssubject areas and grade levels.

Introducing the Really Good Chat Mat™

For many students, participating in a discussion and having toexpress an opinion, disagree, clarify an idea, or paraphrase canbe a challenging task. The Really Good Chat Mat™ provides adynamic set of conversation-building tools that scaffold theconversation process. Students are assigned a category alongwith a topic of discussion and are provided the space andstructure to dialogue and discuss. The product includes fourMats designed to accommodate a conversation of fourstudents each. The colorful Mats provide a non-threateningroundtable on which to center the conversation. The ChatTokens ensure that all students are given an equal opportunityto speak. The Chat Cards offer a variety of categoriesapplicable to any subject area. The Chat Guide providessentence starters for students who need language supportand guidance. Together these components encourage studentsto interact using a wider range of conversational skills.

The Chat CardsThe Chat Cards can be used across the curriculum to develop arange of thinking and perspective-taking skills. Students cananalyze themes and ideas from four different perspectives,giving them the opportunity to explore topics in depth. Theycan use the printed Cards to analyze literature, discuss ideas,resolve conflict, make decisions, give advice, etc. Each Card hasa category along the outside with blank lines in the middle towhich a defined topic can be added. For example, if you want tosharpen your students’ persuasive argument skills, you coulduse the category Family Members and a topic such as “A newpet dog”. Students would choosewhich family member to representand state their viewpoint. Fourblank Cards are included as well, sothat the Mats can be used for anytopic of discussion. Refer to thechart at the end of this guide forsuggested uses of the Chat Cards.

Really Good Chat Mat™

Helping Teachers Make A Difference® © 2012 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in Guangzhou, China #304849 Helping Teachers Make A Difference® © 2012 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in Guangzhou, China #304849

All teaching guides can be found online:

Really Good Chat Mat™

Really Good Chat Mat™

The Chat GuideThe Chat Guide is divided into four sections–Expressing anOpinion, Disagreeing, Asking for Clarification, and Paraphrasing.The Chat Guide is a companion to the Really Good ChatMats™ and provides important sentence starters. Be sure toreview each section before having students engage inconversation, and have the Guide available for students to usewhile chatting. Make copies of the Chat Guide Reproducible sostudents can practice using the sentence starters during allclassroom discussions.

Teaching Students to CommunicateBefore using the Really Good Chat Mat™, establish a set ofconversation rules. Generate the rules with your students oruse rules from the list below. Post the rules in a visible

location so students can refer to it while engaging inconversation activities.

Really Good Listening Rules

• Do not interrupt• Clear your mind to listen–

do not think about yourresponse

• Respect each others’opinions

• Make eye contact• Be open to other people’s

ideas

Using the Really Good Chat Mat™ to Build Speaking andListening SkillsModel the conversation process with your students beforeasking them to use the Chat Mats independently. Beforestarting, select a Chat Card and write a topic for discussion inthe center of it. Display and review the Chat Guide withstudents and explain that in the first part of the conversationthey will be expressing an opinion.1. Place the Really Good Chat Mat™ in the center of the

table and have three students sit around it with you, onein each corner. Place one Sticky Note on each square.

2. Place the Chat Card in the center of the Mat and read thetopic aloud. For example, if using the People at SchoolCard, read aloud a proposed new rule at school in themiddle, “No candy allowed”.

3. Explain to students that they will each be playing the roleof somebody at school and will express an opinion fromthat perspective. Brainstorm with students a list ofpossible roles and have them select one each and write iton the rectangles on the corners of the Mat. In thisexample, the roles could be the custodian, the schoolnurse, a teacher, and a student.

4. Place the Chat Token on your speech bubble on the Matand state your opinion, referring to the sentence starterson the Chat Guide as necessary.

5. Pass the Chat Token to the student to your left and havethat student state his or her opinion. Encourage studentsto use different sentence starters from the Guide.

6. Continue until everyone has spoken. 7. At this point, you can ask that each person summarize

his or her own opinion and write it on a Sticky Note, or youcan ask if anyone has a clarifying question or a statementof disagreement and continue the conversation. Drawattention to the other sections of the Chat Guide—Expressing Disagreement and Clarifying—so thatstudents can use the appropriate sentence starters.

Variations:• Focus on asking clarifying questions: Students state their

opinions and then write or ask one clarifying question eachfor another student.

• Focus on paraphrasing: After one student expresses anopinion, he or she passes the Chat Token to someone whomust then paraphrase what the first student said.

• Focus on listening: After students have expressed theirviewpoints, they must summarize what another studenthas said and write it on their own Sticky Note.This activity may involve asking clarifying questionsto understand the perspective of the speaker better.

• Use the Really Good Chat Mat™ as a pre-writing activityto help students solidify their ideas or opinions. Afterlistening to others’ perspectives, students have a betterand deeper understanding of the topic.

TheTheCHATCHATGuideGuide

Chat Guide Reproducible

Helping Teachers Make A Difference® © 2012 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in Guangzhou, China #304849 Helping Teachers Make A Difference® © 2012 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in Guangzhou, China #304849

Related Really Good Stuff® Product: Conversation Cubes Kit (#304734)

Really Good Speaking Rules

• One voice at a time• Every voice has equal

importance• Respect other ideas• Say what you think or feel

and why• Build on what other

people say• Ask questions to clarify• Use an inside voice

Congratulations on your purchase of the Really Good ChatMat™, a versatile educational activity that students use todevelop strategic conversational skills and a deeperunderstanding of the topics discussed.

ObjectivesThe students will:• Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions,

building on others' ideas and expressing themselves clearly.• Paraphrase information presented orally. • Ask and answer questions about information from another

speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail.

Common Core State StandardsParticipate in collaborative conversations with diverse partnersabout grade level topics and texts with peers in small andlarger groups.

This Really Good Stuff® product includes:• 4 Really Good Chat Mats™

• 4 Chat Guides• 4 Chat Tokens• 20 Chat Cards• 1 Pad of Lined Sticky Notes• This Really Good Stuff® Teaching Guide

The Really Good Chat Mat™ provides structure and guidanceto the conversation process. Students who are reluctant toshare their opinions in class feel supported by the structure ofthe activity while English language learners benefit by havingthe sentence starters on the Chat Guides. Through discussion,students refine their ideas and gain a deeper understanding ofany given topic. All areas of the curriculum offer opportunitiesto enhance the topic being taught through talk, making theChat Mat a versatile educational mat that you can use acrosssubject areas and grade levels.

Introducing the Really Good Chat Mat™

For many students, participating in a discussion and having toexpress an opinion, disagree, clarify an idea, or paraphrase canbe a challenging task. The Really Good Chat Mat™ provides adynamic set of conversation-building tools that scaffold theconversation process. Students are assigned a category alongwith a topic of discussion and are provided the space andstructure to dialogue and discuss. The product includes fourMats designed to accommodate a conversation of fourstudents each. The colorful Mats provide a non-threateningroundtable on which to center the conversation. The ChatTokens ensure that all students are given an equal opportunityto speak. The Chat Cards offer a variety of categoriesapplicable to any subject area. The Chat Guide providessentence starters for students who need language supportand guidance. Together these components encourage studentsto interact using a wider range of conversational skills.

The Chat CardsThe Chat Cards can be used across the curriculum to develop arange of thinking and perspective-taking skills. Students cananalyze themes and ideas from four different perspectives,giving them the opportunity to explore topics in depth. Theycan use the printed Cards to analyze literature, discuss ideas,resolve conflict, make decisions, give advice, etc. Each Card hasa category along the outside with blank lines in the middle towhich a defined topic can be added. For example, if you want tosharpen your students’ persuasive argument skills, you coulduse the category Family Members and a topic such as “A newpet dog”. Students would choosewhich family member to representand state their viewpoint. Fourblank Cards are included as well, sothat the Mats can be used for anytopic of discussion. Refer to thechart at the end of this guide forsuggested uses of the Chat Cards.

Really Good Chat Mat™

Helping Teachers Make A Difference® © 2012 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in Guangzhou, China #304849 Helping Teachers Make A Difference® © 2012 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in Guangzhou, China #304849

All teaching guides can be found online:

Really Good Chat Mat™

Really Good Chat Mat™

The Chat GuideThe Chat Guide is divided into four sections–Expressing anOpinion, Disagreeing, Asking for Clarification, and Paraphrasing.The Chat Guide is a companion to the Really Good ChatMats™ and provides important sentence starters. Be sure toreview each section before having students engage inconversation, and have the Guide available for students to usewhile chatting. Make copies of the Chat Guide Reproducible sostudents can practice using the sentence starters during allclassroom discussions.

Teaching Students to CommunicateBefore using the Really Good Chat Mat™, establish a set ofconversation rules. Generate the rules with your students oruse rules from the list below. Post the rules in a visible

location so students can refer to it while engaging inconversation activities.

Really Good Listening Rules

• Do not interrupt• Clear your mind to listen–

do not think about yourresponse

• Respect each others’opinions

• Make eye contact• Be open to other people’s

ideas

Using the Really Good Chat Mat™ to Build Speaking andListening SkillsModel the conversation process with your students beforeasking them to use the Chat Mats independently. Beforestarting, select a Chat Card and write a topic for discussion inthe center of it. Display and review the Chat Guide withstudents and explain that in the first part of the conversationthey will be expressing an opinion.1. Place the Really Good Chat Mat™ in the center of the

table and have three students sit around it with you, onein each corner. Place one Sticky Note on each square.

2. Place the Chat Card in the center of the Mat and read thetopic aloud. For example, if using the People at SchoolCard, read aloud a proposed new rule at school in themiddle, “No candy allowed”.

3. Explain to students that they will each be playing the roleof somebody at school and will express an opinion fromthat perspective. Brainstorm with students a list ofpossible roles and have them select one each and write iton the rectangles on the corners of the Mat. In thisexample, the roles could be the custodian, the schoolnurse, a teacher, and a student.

4. Place the Chat Token on your speech bubble on the Matand state your opinion, referring to the sentence starterson the Chat Guide as necessary.

5. Pass the Chat Token to the student to your left and havethat student state his or her opinion. Encourage studentsto use different sentence starters from the Guide.

6. Continue until everyone has spoken. 7. At this point, you can ask that each person summarize

his or her own opinion and write it on a Sticky Note, or youcan ask if anyone has a clarifying question or a statementof disagreement and continue the conversation. Drawattention to the other sections of the Chat Guide—Expressing Disagreement and Clarifying—so thatstudents can use the appropriate sentence starters.

Variations:• Focus on asking clarifying questions: Students state their

opinions and then write or ask one clarifying question eachfor another student.

• Focus on paraphrasing: After one student expresses anopinion, he or she passes the Chat Token to someone whomust then paraphrase what the first student said.

• Focus on listening: After students have expressed theirviewpoints, they must summarize what another studenthas said and write it on their own Sticky Note.This activity may involve asking clarifying questionsto understand the perspective of the speaker better.

• Use the Really Good Chat Mat™ as a pre-writing activityto help students solidify their ideas or opinions. Afterlistening to others’ perspectives, students have a betterand deeper understanding of the topic.

TheTheCHATCHATGuideGuide

Chat Guide Reproducible

Helping Teachers Make A Difference® © 2012 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in Guangzhou, China #304849 Helping Teachers Make A Difference® © 2012 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in Guangzhou, China #304849

Related Really Good Stuff® Product: Conversation Cubes Kit (#304734)

Really Good Speaking Rules

• One voice at a time• Every voice has equal

importance• Respect other ideas• Say what you think or feel

and why• Build on what other

people say• Ask questions to clarify• Use an inside voice