Facilitating effective discussions

Preparing for a discussion

Encouraging student participation

Guiding the discussion

Evaluating the discussion

Starting a discussion

Establish ground rules for participation in a discussion

State clearly how much time you have for questions or discussion, and what you are looking for from this time

Help students prepare for the discussion

Ask students to state their name before they begin speaking

Remember that in the modern classroom, there are many ways to be "present" and to "participate

Keep background noise to a minimum

Plan how you will conduct the discussion

Be ready and willing to work with sign interpreters or CART interpreters during question and discussion periods

Have a clear objective for the discussion, a plan for how you will prepare the students, and a general idea about how you will guide the discussion

Reevaluate your course participation and attendance policies

encouraging what you want to encourage

Assign a list of questions for each discussion, ask students to bring in their own questions, suggest key concepts or themes for them to focus on, or ask them to collect evidence that clarifies or refutes a particular concept or problem.

Spend the first session with your students exploring the characteristics of effective and ineffective discussions

Don't assume that students know what the pedagogical purpose of the discussion is.

Use their name when responding to their question or point.

Slow down when you are using big words or complicated phrases and spell out key names, and urge students to do the same.

Use a partner activity

Use a brainstorming activity

Make a list of key points

Pose an opening question and give students a few minutes to record an answer

Refer to questions you distributed

Divide students into small groups to discuss a specific question or issue

Pose a controversial issue and organize an informal debate

Ask for volunteers or call on students to share their ideas

Write each group's statements on the board and use these as a starting point for discussion.

Allow students to ask questions or share ideas in class anonymously, or without "speaking out" (anonymous questions in note cards)

Give students low-stakes opportunities to think and discuss content (learn from wrong answer)

Create an inclusive discussion environment

Facilitate smaller discussions among students before you ask students to share with the entire class.

Facilitate smaller activities before discussion and questions start, so that students have time and space to compose their thoughts

Use online resources and content management systems to extend class discussions.

Have students take turns writing down questions and answers

Positively reinforce student contributions (value student's answer, eye-contact, non-verbal gestures like smiling)

Use a "token system" to encourage discussion

Silence in the classroom is okay – it is actually good – and if you become comfortable with it, students will too

Limit your own involvement

Balance students' voices during the discussion

Repeat the key point of all comments or questions for the rest of the class

Take notes

Keep the discussion focused (state a clear agenda for the discussion and list questions/issues on the board to inform and remind everyone of where the discussion is heading.)

Be alert for signs that the discussion is deteriorating

Bring closure to the discussion (ask the group if there are any final comments or questions and give a summary about the discussion)

If students are having trouble communicating, avoid making remarks such as: “Slow down,” “Take a breath,” or “Relax.” (you can use "take your time")

Remember that not all students are comfortable with extended direct eye contact

Prevent the discussion from deteriorating into a heated argument. (Remind students of the ground rules for discussion)

Assign a different group member each week the specific role of recording and summarizing the progression of the discussion

Ask students to respond to specific questions about the discussion. (Was the topic defined effectively? Did the facilitator keep the discussion on track? Did everyone have the opportunity to speak? etc. You might also use a more formal questionnaire and have students rate these various aspects of the discussion.)

Conduct your own informal evaluation of the discussion. (Consider the following questions when making your evaluation: Did everyone contribute to the discussion? How much was I, as the facilitator, involved? Did the discussion stay focused? What questions worked especially well? How satisfied did the group seem about the productiveness of the discussion? What would I do differently next time?)

Ask students to write a one-minute paper (Students understanding about the discussion)