The classic “turn and talk” strategy once promised instant engagement and collaboration — but in many classrooms, it’s turned into an off-topic time sink. In this first Prep Period segment, I break down why “turn and talk” often fails in real-world teaching, the hidden reasons it still lingers in lesson plans, and five better, data-backed alternatives that boost student thinking, equity, and accountability. You’ll walk away with practical strategies you can use tomorrow — and none of them involve waiting for that one pair of students to finally stop talking about last night’s Fortnite match.

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