This document provides guidance for teachers and tutors on building positive relationships with young children and students. It emphasizes the importance of engaging children in conversations by listening to them, taking turns talking, and asking open-ended questions related to their experiences and interests. Thick conversations that encourage imagination and back-and-forth exchanges help children benefit. Teachers are advised to invite children to talk about what they are doing, extend their language use, and encourage higher-level thinking.

1. MODULE PRESENTATION
Starting Small
Teaching Tolerance in Preschool and
the Early Grades

3. Why is building
positive
Teacher/Tutor-
Child/Tutee
relationship
important?

4. ALL CHILDREN
CAN LEARN
ALL
CHILDREN
CAN LEARN

5. • ENGAGING CHILDREN IN
CONVERSATIONS

6. Tune in and listen to what the child says.
Take turns talking.
Talk about what the child is doing, what the child is
looking at, or what the child is interested in.
Ask questions that relate to the child’s experiences
or interests.
Give the child enough time to respond

8. Children benefit from “thick” conversations.
Thick conversations are characterized by
giving children many chances to speak and
communicate, asking open-ended questions,
encouraging them to think and imagine, and
having many back-and-forth exchanges.

10. 1. Invite children to talk about
what they are doing.
2. Extend children’s
language.

11. 2. Extend children’s
language.

12. 3. Encourage higher-
level thinking.