Agree, Add, Challenge

Worked classroom example

History

Worked example

Discuss which factor was most important in a historical change.

Use this example to make the language move visible. Select subject content appropriate to the class’s age and prior knowledge.

Teaching sequence

1. Offer a claim that has room for more than one evidence-based view.
2. Model the stems “I agree because…”, “I would add…” and “I see it differently because…”.
3. Partners take turns making and answering one contribution.

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Prepare

Use three response stems and a debatable claim. Choose a second example that checks the same language move without repeating the original answer.

Classroom task

Learners respond to a classmate by agreeing with a reason, adding evidence or challenging a point respectfully.

Check independent transfer

Partners take turns making and answering one contribution.

Collect a response on fresh content. Note what was achieved without the model, partner or teacher prompt, then choose one next teaching step.

Teacher language

Teacher language

Which part of your partner’s idea did you respond to?

Respond to the learner

Identify one successful meaning or language choice. Ask about one gap, allow thinking time, then invite a revision. Check the revised move again on a fresh example.

Adjust support and challenge

Offer a brief model, useful vocabulary and partner rehearsal where needed. Keep the subject goal; reduce one prompt on fresh content and record what was independent.

Teaching this skill → · Age and language support →

More support

Offer thinking time, a small phrase bank and a clear listener role. Collect an individual explanation after paired rehearsal. Allow familiar-language notes or another response mode when checking subject understanding.

Greater independence

Change the content, evidence or audience. Remove the completed model and ask learners to explain a choice. Increase subject complexity only when it fits the curriculum and prior knowledge.

Choose the next step

If subject meaning is insecure, reteach the concept. If the concept is understood but the English is unclear, model one useful language relationship and invite a fresh response.