Discourse requires students to evaluate and interpret the perspectives, ideas, and mathematical arguments of others as well as construct valid arguments of their own. That is, students develop deeper understandings of mathematics when they engage in meaningful social interactions such as whole class discourse. Both the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics ([NCTM], 2000) and the Common Core State Standards Initiative emphasize the importance of incorporating mathematical discourse into curricular and pedagogical frameworks of the classroom. Creating a classroom culture of participation is a necessary first step in implementing meaningful discourse and creating equitable learning experiences. This article provides a compilation of strategies and classroom structures from 13 middle level teachers from highly urban communities with tremendous cultural, linguistic, and ethnic diversity. It should be noted that these strategies are not a comprehensive list of effective strategies, but teachers frequently used these strategies as foundations for success in engaging their students in discourse to develop reasoning. If implemented together, these strategies have the potential to create a strong and steadfast culture of participation to support all students' learning of mathematics.