Effective classroom discussion strategies

Facilitator: Diana Benner

SessioN Description

Join us as we discuss effective strategies for fostering engaging and thought-provoking classroom discussions. Explore techniques for structuring discussions so all students can contribute to meaningful dialogue.

benefits of using Discussion Strategies

There are many reasons to use discussion strategies in our classrooms. It’s not hard to find research that supports discussion strategies, regardless of what content or grade level you teach.

Enhanced comprehension. As students articulate their thoughts, they refine their ideas and make new connections between previously learned information and the content that is currently being studied.
Critical thinking. Engaging in discussions challenges students to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information from various sources and perspectives.
Active learning. Engaging in discussions requires students to participate in the process through listening, even if they are not talking at the moment.
Confidence building. As students learn to express their thoughts, they gain more confidence and ownership of their own thinking.
Continuous feedback. Discussions provide opportunities for immediate feedback from peers and teachers, which helps students self-identify gaps in their understanding.

Discussion Strategies

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. This gives students time to formulate their thinking and process the information individually. Then, have students turn to their neighbor and share their thoughts. Students should be encouraged to ask questions and give feedback to each other in the process.

silent discussion

If you want students to do more mental processing before they articulate their thoughts, this may be the strategy for you to use. This technique takes advantage of students’ affinity for text while also giving them the opportunity to formulate their answers before sharing them with the group. Use a tech tool such as Padlet to facilitate the discussion; use the stream or discussion 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 their takeaways aloud in small groups to help solidify the learning.

https://padlet.com/preimers/discuss

As the school year comes to a close, what is one success you are proud of in your classroom this year, and one challenge you hope to address next year?Post your response to the discussion topic by clicking the plus button below.

Four Corners

After reading a particular text or teaching, assign a different position or perspective to each corner of your room. Have students go to the 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.

fishbowl

While this strategy has many benefits, it does require that your students have a certain level of trust and confidence in themselves and the class. Once you have that established, this is a very effective and engaging way for students to participate in the content and learn from each other. This is also a great strategy for students who are struggling with language, since they can listen to others think out loud to better structure their thoughts and use academic vocabulary.

Consider modeling this with another teacher or finding a good YouTube video to share with your class. 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 and take their place. This helps ensure that the students on the outside have an invested interest in paying attention and thinking along with the discussion that is taking place.

In this classroom video, social studies teacher Jenna Forton uses the Fishbowl teaching strategy to structure a class discussion about primary documents related to the Plessy vs. Ferguson case.

Watch how Forton encourages each student to engage with speaking and listening roles, resulting in active participation, careful listening, and meaningful reflection.

Source: Fishbowl Discussion Example

speed dating

This strategy is great for adults and students alike. It’s very quick and requires students to share specific information within a limited time frame. If you’re working with younger students, then you might find a better reference to this strategy as Speed Sharing or Drive-Through Discussions.

socratic circles

This is sometimes called Socratic Seminar. This technique requires that you change the seating within your classroom, so be sure to factor that in if you’re using this with a class in which you only have 45 minutes before the bell rings.

Socratic Seminar Questions

additional resources

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