In his workshops with teachers over the years, Patrick Allen has encountered a long list of counterfeit beliefs about the process of conferring with students, including such comments as: I dont have time. I dont know what questions to ask, Its too hard, I dont know what to write in my notes, I dont even take notes, I dont know how to go deep. . . In Conferring: The Keystone of Readers Workshop, Allen argues that the benefits of conferring are well-worth the effort of learning to do it well. And then he sets out to show teachers how to overcome all of their perceived obstacles, and make the somewhat intangible aspect of conferring tangible.
Just as the keystonea symmetrical, wedge-shaped stone at the center of an archforms the foundation of a structure, conferring lays the groundwork for effective reading instruction. Allen defines the word confer as a verb meaning to consult together, compare opinions, or carry on a conversation. Conferences with students are purposeful conversations that scaffold reading comprehension strategies that guide the readers progress, and ultimately, through the gradual release of responsibility, create independent readers.
Allen begins by explaining what conferring is and what its not, and then unpacks the essential components of the process: intimacy (the social context of conferring); rigor (the cognitive context); and inquiry (the analytical context). He explores the guiding principles of conferringincluding goal setting, instruction points, listening, rapport, challenges, and teacher learningand provides questions that lead teachers through the readers conference from start to finish.
