Below are some key reasons why discussions are both essential and beneficial to the learning process:

• Enhanced Comprehension: Active discussions help students process and understand complex concepts by breaking them down into digestible components. As they articulate their thoughts, they refine their ideas and forge connections between previously disparate pieces of information.

• Critical Thinking Skills: Engaging in discussions challenges students to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information from various sources. This promotes higher-order thinking and problem-solving abilities, fostering intellectual growth.

• Collaborative Learning: Discussions create a platform for students to share their unique perspectives and learn from each other. This collaborative environment enables them to develop important teamwork and communication skills that are invaluable in their future endeavors.

• Active Learning: Instead of passively receiving information, students actively participate in the learning process through discussions. This active learning approach enhances retention and encourages the application of knowledge to real-world situations.

• Encouraging Open-Mindedness: Discussions expose students to diverse viewpoints and opinions, fostering empathy and open-mindedness. They learn to appreciate and respect differing perspectives, promoting tolerance and understanding.

• Confidence Building: By expressing their thoughts and engaging in constructive debates, students develop self-confidence in their abilities to articulate, defend, and revise their viewpoints.

• Continuous Feedback: Discussions provide opportunities for immediate feedback from peers and educators. This helps students identify gaps in their understanding and make necessary adjustments in their learning approach.

• Creating a Sense of Community: Discussions contribute to building a sense of community within the classroom, as students feel more connected to their peers and educators. This enhances their overall learning experience and promotes a positive learning environment.

THINK-PAIR-SHARE - After doing a small bit of teaching, give your students a brief time to think about a question related to the teaching...maybe 30 seconds or so. This gives students time to formulate their thinking and process the information individually. Then, have students turn to their neighbor and share their thinking. Students should be encouraged to ask questions and give feedback to each other in the process.

FOUR CORNERS - After reading a particular text or teaching, assign four positions/perspectives, one to each corner of your room. Have students go to one they agree with or are interested in. Students in each corner have a discussion among themselves on the position/perspective. Take this to the next level and have students pair up with someone from a different corner to cross-share their information.

SOCRATIC CIRCLES - Also known as Socratic Seminar. A Socratic Circle is a structured discussion technique that helps students engage in thoughtful and respectful conversation about a specific topic or text. The goal is to encourage critical thinking, improve communication skills, and develop a deeper understanding of the topic or text being discussed.

Here's how it works:

1. 1. Choose a topic or text: The first step is to select a topic or text that you want your students to discuss. It could be anything from a current event to a piece of literature or a historical document.

   2. Set up the circle: Arrange the chairs in a circle and make sure there is enough space for everyone to participate. If you have a large class, you can divide them into smaller groups and set up multiple circles.

   3. Establish the rules: Before you begin, establish the rules for the discussion. For example, students should listen carefully to others, avoid interrupting, and speak respectfully. It's also a good idea to set a time limit for each person's contribution to the conversation.

   4. Begin the discussion: Start by asking an open-ended question about the topic or text. Encourage students to share their thoughts and ideas, and to respond to each other's comments. As the discussion progresses, ask follow-up questions to deepen the conversation and encourage critical thinking.

   5. Wrap up the discussion: After the allotted time has passed, wrap up the discussion by summarizing the key points and insights that were shared. Encourage students to reflect on what they learned and how they can apply it in other contexts.

SILENT DISCUSSIONS - This technique takes advantage of students' affinity to text while also giving them opportunity to formulate their answers before sharing with the group. Use a tech tool such as Padlet to facilitate the discussion; use the Stream format if there is just one discussion topic for whole group discussions or consider using the Wall with Sections to facilitate several different discussions. Consider having students share aloud in small groups their takeaways and new learnings from the silent discussion time to help solidify the learning. 

FISH BOWL - This is definitely NOT an early discussion strategy to use in your classroom. You want your class to feel safe with each other and the content. You may need to provide a good bit of scaffolding before you can try this.
For this strategy, have two students sit facing each other in the middle of a circle while the rest of the class sits around them. The two middle students will have a discussion while the rest of the group listens in. Consider modeling with another teacher for your class or find a good YouTube video to share with your class that allows them to see how the two middle folks interact and continue the conversation as well as what the outside folks are doing during and afterwards. Once your students become familiar with the strategy, set a random timer and when it goes off have one of the middle students tag another student to come in take their place. This helps ensure that the folks on the outside have an invested interest in paying attention and thinking along with the discussion that is taking place.

SPEED DATING - For younger students, you may want to change the name of this strategy so someting like speed talks or drive-thru discussions. In this strategy have students make two lines (with a person in each line facing a 'partner' in the other line)...or you could do concentric circles if your room accommodates that better; this may better take place in the hallway outside your classroom for easier spacing. After sharing your discussion prompt, share that the students will have a set amount of time to have a discussion, share reasonings, ask questions, etc. before a timer goes off. When the timer goes off, have one row move down two people with the two folks on the end circling back to the other end for their new partners. Discussions begin again. Because students can easily hear their neighbor, I prefer to have them move two down the row so they hopefully hear new or different information than what their 'next door' neighbors might have shared. You might consider assigning a role to each row - one row taking on the perspective of xyz while the other role is coming from and supporting the abc perspective.

What are some suggestions or ideas that you would share with a teacher who is interested in moving to a more discussion-oriented classroom (instead of his current monologue-style teaching method) with his students?

5 Discussion Strategies to Deepen Student Engagement

https://www.edutopia.org/article/strategies-student-discussion-grades-6-12/

12 Powerful Discussion Strategies to Engage Students 

https://www.readingandwritinghaven.com/12-powerful-discussion-strategies-to-engage-students

The Big List of Class Discussion Strategies

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/speaking-listening-techniques/

24 ideas for creating a discussion-rich classroom

https://ditchthattextbook.com/discussion/

Discussion Strategies (Washington University of St. Louis)

https://ctl.wustl.edu/resources/discussion-strategies/

Discussion Strategies (Indiana University Bloomington)

https://citl.indiana.edu/teaching-resources/teaching-strategies/discussions/index.html

Get Students Talking: Engaging Discussion Strategies

https://www.projectschoolwellness.com/engaging-discussion-strategies/