[MB.]

What pedagogic strats do you use to encourage discussion?

[Bulaba Khan Jones]

(I'm going to just talk about my experiences in encouraging discussion in classrooms; if it's helpful, then cheers)

I teach younger, bratty children, and also adult ESL students. I find that having them break off (or in the case of children, I'll assign pairs) into pairs or groups of 3 helps, especially with the more introverted types who are less comfortable talking and making themselves known right off the bat if everyone is expected to discuss something as a collective. Once the groups have sufficient time to talk among themselves, I'll move the discussion beyond small groups to the entire classroom itself.

This strategy is incredibly simple and yet highly effective. I find that it's an easy method in tricking students into being more open and believe they are in control of the discussion: you have them initiate the discussion, and then when it is moved from small group to large group, many of them feel less anxious and find it easier to continue their small group discussions as part of the larger classroom discussion (as well as a confidence boost from small group discussions in which what they said was probably agreed or at least positively commented on).

[MB.]

I learned a new strategy where you have the students each say one thing about the topic that they've read or heard in the news lately. This can help to provoke debate. Of course, if they're not doing the actual class reading (in my personal experience, they almost never do, at least at the lower division level), this won't get you very far.

[anna]

I find that having them break off . . . into pairs or groups of 3 helps, especially with the more introverted types who are less comfortable talking and making themselves known right off the bat if everyone is expected to discuss something as a collective.

"Everyone break up into groups of no more than 3..."

Those are nightmare-inducing words.

[Drlee]

After the participants have been seated, I have every one fill out an anonymous 3X5 card. On the front of the card I have them write one question on the subject at hand that they would like to see answered in the session today. On the back I have them write what they believe was/is the most important point to be covered in the meeting. They pass these to the center.

I collect them and thumb through them briefly, nodding as I do so. Then I put them in my pocket.

OK. So you will get some dumb shit stuff on the cards and some reasonably good stuff. Doesn't matter what is there. You have already figured out what you want to cover. At this point they have a certain amount of buy-in because they believe they will be partially responsible for what is covered. That their opinions and questions matter.

By having them state what the most important point to be covered in the seminar/class (and I read some of these that fit my agenda up front) they are in a new place. They hear that the other students/participants believe the subject material is important (they just wrote down that they do after all) and what was previously the teachers agenda is not their own.

At the end of every class, without fail, I ask the following question and go around the room picking those to answer it. Not always those with their hands up. "What is the most important thing we covered today? I would expect a different answer from many of you." I listen, nod agreement or just thank them and move on. I never criticize their answers. So even if they are not called upon to answer, the last thing they hear before they leave is that the other students/participants believe that much of the subject matter is important. How cool is that?

Now back to the cards. After the class I read them. It is amazing what I learn that I can use in preparing future classes. In fact. If there is a break during the class or seminar, I read the cards then. I am able to make mid-course corrections/additions sometimes to make the class more relevant for my participants.