"Collaboration and cooperation do not emerge magically. We must explicitly teach kids the social strategies of collaborative behavior: to listen attentively, ask follow up questions, and disagree agreeably. Teaching the Social Skills of Academic Interaction does exactly that. Through a series of engaging slides, lessons, and activities, kids learn and practice important SEL strategies that will lead to more learning, greater achievement, and an inviting and fun classroom environment where kids work collaboratively, independently and develop a sense of agency. . . . Teachers need it and will love it, but more importantly, so will kids!”

“Teaching the Social Skills of Academic Interaction recognizes the importance of establishing an emotionally healthy classroom---a classroom where students have been taught to manage their emotions, to build relationships, and to work effectively with one another. The easy-to-use lessons in this book connect with students by giving them more responsibility, more control, and more choice. As Daniels and Steineke say, the best classrooms are those in which students are treated like the people they want to become. This book helps teachers to build those classrooms. I highly recommend it.”

"Harvey 'Smokey' Daniels and Nancy Steineke write with humor and common sense about the challenges of bringing a diversity of students into harmony each school year. . . . This book holds the research and the tools to change the way classrooms operate. With 35 lessons (one for each week of school) and the systematic guidance of thoughtful, smart colleagues to explain the importance and likely obstacles to each lesson, teachers will learn to guide student groups in productive, dynamic ways.”

“Do you cringe when it’s time for small-group work? Do you find that work time gets too unruly when students have a chance to discuss with partners? If so, you need this book. Smokey and Nancy, the king and queen of conversation, guide teachers in setting up systems and structures that allow for purposeful talk to happen in the classroom. Teachers pondering how to prepare students for the CCSS speaking and listening standards and, more importantly, as effective communicators for the world outside of school will truly appreciate all this book has to offer.”

“Group work no longer begins and ends in the classroom—it’s a reality—a life skill. My favorite part about the book is that it works with whatever content you’re teaching. The lessons are focused on the students’ interactions while the content of the work is reflective of what is happening in the classroom. So it’s not ‘another’ thing to do on your already long list of things to teach. Clever and creative, this is a valuable resource for teachers of all disciplines.”