I. Discussion Leading Skills

Creating an atmosphere of openness 
 
• guide rather than dominate: think of yourself and students as partners in inquiry 
• avoid suggesting that you have all the answers 
• find painless ways to involve all members of the class 
• use silence to let thought grow


Asking good questions 

 
• ask questions that lead on ("What do the rest of you think about that?") instead of having a single right answer ("Is it correct that..?") 
• use inclusive formulations ("Are we in agreement?" "Do we have any differences of opinion?") 
• avoid "quiz-like" questions or questions designed to discipline inattentive or lazy students 
• know your students' names and call on them 
• allow students to "pass" on a question, but come back to them later 
• move around when you ask questions (students will have to speak "through" their classmates and will more likely be heard by them)


Keeping the Discussion Focused 

 
• state the major issues (or ask the major questions) at the beginning 
• restate the issues occasionally in the light of discussion 
• avoid rephrasing (putting the best construction on) poorly phrased statements yourself; instead, try to get students to paraphrase one another as a prelude to responding to one another 
• identify disagreements and analyzing whether they are evaluative, definitional, or factual by having students define terms (irony, ambiguity, fiction) that they use


Ending a Discussion 

 
• review the main points and direction of the discussion 
• ask someone else, notified previously, to review the main points 
• leave enough time for students to write out their own sense of the main points of discussion; then ask a few to share their thoughts 
• ask participants to state how discussion affected their views or understanding 
• point out how the day's discussion will tie in with the next discussion

 
1. "Insufficient Wait Time"--After you pose a question, remain quiet so that the students can think about the answer. When you are willing to provide an instant answer, students will sit back and listen. 
2. "The Rapid Reward"--After receiving an answer, wait a moment (don't rush in with "Good" or "Okay, the next question is..."). Look to other students to comment on the answer. Ask other students to analyze the answer. A too-rapid approval inhibits further thought, as well as dialogue between students. 
3. "The Programmed Answer"--When a question is worded so that it implies the answer ("What do you think of this delicious, wholesome spinach that I cooked for you?") student thinking is stifled. Don't imply the answer in the question. 
4. "Non-Specific Feedback Questions"--Asking "Are there any questions?" elicits responses only from those who need a minor point clarified; others will be fearful to show ignorance. If you want to find out whether your presentation was clear and comprehensible, design specific questions ("Let's think of some other examples in which this principle...") 
5. "The Righteous Teacher"--Don't always have the right answer, the better thought, or the final word. Avoid the implied put down ("The real answer is....," "Everybody knows....") 
6. "The Extremist"--Beware of questions that either are far too broad ("What is Tolstoy really saying in War and Peace?") or are far too narrow ("What is the name of Gabriel's wife?") or have obscure but more or less factual answers ("How does Dickens use language?")

 
• Prepare. Re-read the poem, novel, essay as close to the class as possible. If you try to wing it, someone is sure to have a double-barreled shotgun. Have more questions than you think you will need.
• Write out your line of questioning, legibly. It is helpful and comforting. But let the discussion take a natural form. Don't be rigid with your questions.
• At the beginning, ask some questions that provide an overview and ask your students to keep them in mind during the discussion. Then, return to the questions at the end. (Students will feel they are learning something.)
• Remember that your students won't be operating at the grad student level. Remember also that it is not your goal to prepare them to operate at that level of disciplinary sophistication. And don't be doctrinaire. 
• Use the text. Many instructors start by having someone read from the text to refresh memory and to get everyone thinking. And during discussion, return to the text.
• Use the blackboard. When there is a disagreement, list the conflicting opinions and ask for comments on either side. When you need a definition, have someone offer one while you write it on the board.
• Consider introducing new material with a mini-lecture to give your students background and a sense of direction.
• When you hit a snag, admit the problem and abandon that line of reasoning.
• When you are wrong, admit it.
• BE ENTHUSIASTIC!

 
• If you decide you will call on silent students (and I think you should), be sure you do so in a sympathetic and supportive way: ask questions you're confident they can respond to in some way.
• If a student talks too much, speak to him or her out of class and suggest that "brilliance" intimidates the others. If that doesn't work, institute the rule of raising one's hand to be recognized before speaking.
• If a student is disruptively argumentative, go to the blackboard and write out the area of disagreement and ask for opinions--frequently there really isn't a valid argument and the disruptive student will stop.
• If you find that students have not read the text under discussion, institute a five-minute quiz at the beginning of each class, or find a better way to motivate the students. If you use a quiz, structure it to lead into discussion by ending with an open-ended question.
• If convenient, have a little party for your students early in the semester so that they will get to know each other and become more comfortable when expressing opinions.
• If you have a particularly inarticulate student who contributes but whose ideas are vague or confused, do your best to understand and also ask others in the class to help paraphrase. If you still can't understand, try to separate the student's arguments and deal with one aspect. If that doesn't work, ask the student to spend some time thinking about it and to write it out for the next discussion or conference.

 
1. Students learn more quickly when they attempt to answer questions. 
2. Students learn more readily from each other, so group work and all efforts to promote collaborative learning are important. 
3. The purpose of discussion is not discussion but learning and thinking. Mix discussion with comment, even short lectures, to provide focus, background and variety.