1. Personal issues which are brought up during the discussion time stay in the room and are
not to be repeated to friends, family or others.
2. There will be absolutely no put downs, sarcasm or humor directed towards or at the expense
of another person.
3. There is no such thing as a dumb question, comment or opinion. Everyone has the right to
ask or say what they want as long as it is appropriately expressed.
4. Individuals can be encouraged to talk, but no one is forced to talk. 5. Out of respect for the speaker, only one person talks at a time. 6. Be sure that you have prepared your basic questions ahead of time.
7. Try to get as many people talking during the first few minutes of the discussion as possible. 8. Do not be afraid to let the discussion go off track as long as it is filling needs. The students
may have a better idea of what is relevant to them than you do. Use another question to refocus the discussion rather than pointing out the fact that the discussion is off track.
9. If the class is in excessive agreement, play the devil’s advocate to stimulate critical thinking. 10. Don’t be afraid of silence.
The Magic of Questions
I cannot stress too strongly the importance of the discussion time following an activity. The activity is not complete without it. If you see that time is running out, cut down on the activity rather than eliminate or dilut the discussion. Questions are the focal point of a discussion. What you ask and how you ask it will greatly determine the success of the discussion and the concepts explored.
The first rule of any discussion is for you to determine which direction you want the discussion to go. This keeps significant issues from being lost when the discussion becomes side tracked. The question or comment a teachers uses to start the discussion is important because it sets the trend for
the rest of the discussion. Good discussion questions will focus on a person’s opinion, experience or feelings. There are no right or wrong answers for these types of questions. Good discussion-starting questions will begin with why, explain, how, what do you think, etc. This type of phrasing lets the students know that there is something to discuss rather than a specific answer being looked for.
Active Learning becomes a learning experience when we reflect upon what we have done, what impact that has and how to apply it to our lives. This can be summed up in three questions - What happened? So what? and What next?. To expand these questions just a bit, think of the three areas that they cover. The first set of questions reflect on the activity itself. What just happened here and how do you feel about it? The second area concerns what we can learn from the activity. The third is how we will be different because of what we have experienced. These areas can be explored with three types of questions. The first is “Launching Questions.” These get the discussion going. Everyone participated in the activity so everyone can answer these questions. The second is “Understanding Questions.” These will ask about feelings and concepts that were brought out during the activity. The last is “Applyin Questions.” These will ask how the facts, concepts, and principles from the activity can be applied to their lives.
Questions to Avoid
1. Questions that have a right or wrong answer. 2. Questions that can be answered “yes” or “no.”
3. Long wordy questions where the meaning is forgotten before you even stop asking. 4. A question within a question.
5. Questions that are either - or.
6. Questions that have an obvious answer. 7. Questions that are too general or too vague.
8. Questions that the students do not have enough experience to answer.
Questions That Can Be Used To Keep Your Discussion Going
Sometimes after you have thrown out your thought provoking opening question, the discussion starts to run into some rough spots. This is where your question asking skills will become important. You can use questions to help clarify statements, to look at an issue more deeply, to redirect the discussion to another student or to draw someone into the discussion.
“What did you mean when you said … “ “What makes you believe that?”
“Please explain what you just said.”
“What reason do you have to feel that way?”
“What part of the activity do you base your opinion on?” “Could you expand on that?”
“What other feelings did you feel?” “Please tell us more about… “ “What did you mean by … ?” “What else can you add?”
“Susan, what do you think about John’s answer?” “Jesse, tell us what you think.”
“Well, we have heard from Mindy. Greg what do you think?” “Thanks Armando. Jessica what do you think?”
“Brandon you have said a great deal. What do others think?”
When asking these questions, be sure that you do not give the impression that you are asking the individual to defend their answer. You are just seeking further information that would help the discussion.
Getting Kids to Talk
Some students will hesitate to speak in a group because they are shy or they feel that their contribution is not very valuable. They feel that the comments and opinions of others are more important than theirs. You can use a variety of techniques to draw them into the discussion that is taking place or future discussions. Realize that everyone benefits from a discussion, not just those that talk. Your students will learn just by listening to the questions and hearing the discussion that takes place.
1. Start with questions that are non-threatening and not too personal. 2. Use questions that ask for opinions rather than facts.
3. Use an activity as a basis for the discussion so everyone has the same experience to draw
from.
4. Have the students write down their opinions and then read them to the class for comment. 5. Ask for a comment from someone who has not contributed yet.
6. Ask a student what they thought of another student’s comment.
7. After class talk to students who are habitually quiet. Ask them some questions and when
they answer, explain that those are worthwhile opinions and you would like to have them expressed so everyone can benefit from them.
Chapter Eight