No Talking

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

Is silence valuable in today’s world? What are the possible benefits of silence? What might be the negative consequences of silence?

Teaching Suggestion: Protagonist Dave Packer discovers that Mahatma Gandhi, who promoted nonviolent ways of resisting British colonial rule of India, adopted a practice of remaining silent one day a week. Inspired, Dave quickly implements this practice, sparking a competition among his peers regarding who can speak the fewest words over two days—boys or girls. Students might extend their thinking on this topic by using an anchor t-chart to list the pros and cons of silence in various circumstances, then refer back to the anchor chart as they read the novel. Information from these or similar resources can help students develop additional context on the topics of noise pollution and the benefits of silence.

• This article explores noise pollution and its effects on humans and the environment.
• This 7-minute video explores the scientific benefits of silence.

Short Activity

In this activity, participate in a silent challenge: You and your classmates will line up in order based on a trait described by your teacher. You will need to sort yourselves into the correct order without speaking aloud. After the task, reflect on these questions in a journal entry:

• Which of the activities was the most difficult?
• How might communication be effective in discovering the correct order?
• Do you think you can achieve the correct order more quickly if you are able to communicate?

Teaching Suggestion: The vow of silence for the students in No Talking becomes problematic when they agree to only speak three words at a time, even in class and in responding to adults. You may want to give students multiple opportunities to work on the task, with analysis and reflection time in between challenges. After the first silent task, student might use the guiding questions to discuss in small groups before completing a journal entry response. Another strategy for your group might include allowing verbal communication with the first task but eliminating verbal communication in subsequent tasks, or permitting students to use only three words at a time. A time limit for each challenge may increase engagement. Ideas for the challenges appear below.

• Earliest to latest birthday (in the school year or in the calendar year)
• Closest to furthest home address from school
• Most to fewest siblings
• Most to fewest pets
• Darkest to lightest shirts

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Consider a time when you had to be silent for an extended period of time. Was it difficult for you to remain silent? In what kinds of places are people obligated to be quiet, and why?

Teaching Suggestion: Dave and his peers find it difficult to remain silent when certain situations arise. After students have a chance to respond independently, they might meet in small groups to compile places or social situations during which silence or quiet is expected. They might also explore the reasons for intentional or accidental breaks in this prescribed silence from time to time.