Daniela Merklinger, Professor of Primary Education at PH Ludwigsburg in Germany, researches what happens when dialogue enters classrooms. International studies show that school talk is rarely dialogic; teachers speak while students attempt to produce correct responses. Merklinger has developed approaches where children engage with literary picture books through genuine dialogue, becoming involved in texts while developing awareness of literary dimensions. At university level, she leads dialogues with students preparing to become teachers, having them make transcripts of their conversations with primary school children. Students consistently discover they behaved differently than they imagined. The implications extend beyond pedagogy: changing communication in schools may be a starting point for dialogue in society more broadly. In this participative webinar, cohosts Nancy Dixon and Linda Ellinor interview Merklinger, with participants reflecting in small groups on how her experience connects to their own work.