Why is student discussion so important? When students talk with each other, they are co-constructing meaning instead of simply being asked to remember information. Discussion requires students to perform various mental “moves” when engaging with each other in accountable talk which brings benefits to student learning. Teachers that empower students to engage in discussions allow them to construct knowledge while simultaneously fostering social and communication skills. Classroom discussions are particularly useful for students who struggle with the content and/or academic language. Student-centered classroom discussion…
Helps students better internalize concepts and form connections between ideas
Contextualizes content through examples brought up during conversation
Makes learning more relevant
Advances both content understanding and academic language goals.
There is a positive relationship between classroom discussion, content learning, and language acquisition.
Think Like a Seminar (article and article discussion sheet)
Effective Classroom Discusion - Selma Wasserman, ASCD
Effective Classroom Discussion - William Cashin