05 / FOR RESEARCHERS
Dialogic teaching, operational at the lesson level
EVA translates established dialogic teaching research into classroom-deployable practice. We’re actively seeking research partners ahead of formal evaluation.
THEORETICAL GROUNDING
What EVA implements
EVA operationalises three converging traditions of dialogic teaching research into the structure of every lesson published.
01
Prof. Robin Alexander
Dialogic teaching framework. Foundation of the EEF-funded 5,000-student dialogic teaching trial (Alexander, 2018) and A Dialogic Teaching Companion (Routledge, 2020).
02
Prof. Neil Mercer
Exploratory talk research demonstrating that structured peer reasoning improves both verbal and non-verbal cognition (Mercer & Littleton, 2007).
03
Cambridge / Voice 21
The Oracy Skills Framework’s four-strand model (Physical, Linguistic, Cognitive, Social & Emotional). Every EVA lesson is mapped to all four strands.
04
EEF evidence base
Oral language interventions (+6 months) and metacognition & self-regulation (+8 months) — two of the EEF Toolkit’s highest-impact strands.
THEORY OF CHANGE
How EVA produces classroom-level change
EVA’s theory of change links three mechanisms — structured exploratory talk, dialogic challenge, and talk-into-writing — to short-term classroom outcomes and longer-term student progress.
MECHANISM
Structured exploratory talk
Students reason aloud together, supported by talk stems and structured turn-taking.
OUTCOMES
Cognitive & linguistic
Improvements in reasoning quality, vocabulary range, and ability to articulate ideas.
IMPACT
Student progress
Longer-term progress in English, reasoning-heavy subjects, and disadvantaged-pupil outcomes.
The full theory of change document — including mechanism specification, outcome measures, and the underlying logic model — is available for discussion with research partners.
WHERE WE ARE
EVA’s evidence stage, honestly
EVA’s research base is well-established. The product itself has not yet been independently evaluated. We’re using the 2026–27 academic year to pilot at scale and prepare for partnership with research institutions.
COMPLETE
Research synthesis
Theoretical & evidence base established
COMPLETE
Product build
Lesson framework, scaffolds, training
IN PROGRESS
Pilot trials
2026–27 academic year
PLANNED
Formal evaluation
In partnership with researchers
WHAT WE OFFER PARTNERS
A research-ready product
- Consistent dialogic intervention across implementations (high fidelity)
- Access to lesson design rationale and theory of change document
- Pilot data from the 2026–27 cohort
- Founder availability for design and protocol discussions
- Pilot schools that may participate in formal evaluation
What we’re seeking
Partnership for evaluation work
- Research partners interested in co-developing evaluation work
- Fidelity study during the 2026–27 pilot phase
- Independent input on evaluation design
- Academic peer review of theory of change
- Collaboration on publishing implementation findings
If EVA looks relevant to your research, I’d welcome a conversation. The best route is to email me directly with a short note about your interests and what a collaboration might look like.
Faye Fulton — Founder · ten years’ primary teaching · MSc Psychology
Email: faye@greygecko.ai
Full team and credentials on the About page