Classroom Discussion

This model encourages more than one right answer, and welcomes differing views, in the hopes of leading to newer and richer ideas.

1.       Read the material and prepare the questions.  As a teacher, you should develop factual, interpretive, and evaluative questions.

2.       Plan and cluster the questions.  Questions should be grouped by topic.  Basic questions are an “umbrella” question, broad in scope.  Cluster questions fall under basic questions, and are interpretive questions that develop an issue.

3.       Introduce the model to the students.  Let students know that a main purpose of classroom discussion is to get students to think for themselves, as well as to interact in a respectful manner with others and their ideas.

4.       Conduct the discussion.  Students should be in a circle, each having a copy of the material.  The only rule is that students must not talk or contribute until they are recognized.  It is true, there is no one right (or wrong) answer, however, all ideas must be supported.

5.       Review the discussion and summarize students’ observations.  Ask students to review the main points of the discussion.