Have you ever asked a question to your class only to be met with silence? Have you ever found yourself answering your own questions? Or, have you ever written “discuss” on your lesson plan when you know it’ll turn into a lecture? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this article is for you.
It’s downright frustrating when your students don’t participate in class discussions. I’ve been there, and it went something like this. I’d ask a question, look at the clock, and count down the appropriate “wait time.” Then, I would cold call (i.e. calling on a student who didn’t volunteer).
Cold calling didn’t feel right to me. I sure didn’t like it as a student. It wasn’t a great way to build trusting relationships as I could see it caused some students anxiety, and it didn’t generate authentic engagement in the topic. (Read this great article by Alfie Kohn for more on why you should stop cold calling.)
So I thought maybe it’s me. And, it turns out it was.
I wasn’t asking the right questions.
I was asking questions looking for one right answer rather than open-ended questions to provoke discussion. So, I changed this pretty easily. In some classes, this did the trick.
However, in other classes, maybe one or two students would answer, usually the same ones over and over. Then, I happened upon a book called Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. I know this sounds like it’s the opposite problem. I couldn’t get them to talk.
But, it helped me realize something about my students. Whole group teacher-led discussions just weren’t ever going to be something some of my high schoolers loved. So it was me after all, but not in the way I initially thought. No, it was about the teacher-centered traditional “discussion.”
As soon as I moved to varied student-centered discussion strategies, it all changed. I gave new and varied opportunities for student-centered discussions, and it made all the difference. In this post, I’m going to share my four go-to discussion strategies that my high school students love.
1. Panel Discussions
A panel discussion is a great variation of a whole class discussion with more support for students to build confidence speaking out loud. Essentially, it’s a rotating style small group conversation that happens in front of the whole class. A panel of about four to five students sit together in the front and a moderator (a student or the teacher) asks questions. The audience can also ask questions to the panel, and they can participate in a backchannel chat (like Twitter, but secure for the classroom) discussing what they’re hearing. The panel rotates to new students throughout the class.
Why High Schoolers Love this Discussion Strategy
There is power in numbers for this discussion strategy. If the panel is asked a question, there are several students who can answer it. They help each other. It’s engaging and quick-paced and everyone can have a turn on the panel. They’ll also love being audience members. It’s engaging for everyone.
Facilitating a Panel Discussion
You can download my free panel discussion resource below to get you started, and I also have a full blog post here explaining how to facilitate a panel discussion.
2. Silent Discussions
I know this one seems like an oxymoron, but trust me, it’s a fan favorite. A silent discussion is exactly what it sounds like. Students discuss in silence. So, if they can’t talk, they have to write. In small groups, they’ll write on a big piece of poster paper or in a shared Google Doc.
Why High Schoolers Love this Discussion Strategy
For students who do not like talking aloud in class, the silent discussion is a dream come true. They can show what they know without having to speak. They’ll also love how this collaborative discussion gives them the opportunity to slow down and focus on their thoughts and responses. Plus, who doesn’t love a little silence during the day?
Facilitating a Silent Discussion
- First, give students a big poster size piece of paper.
- Then, write a guiding question at the top or tape an excerpt from an article in the middle.
- Give students different colored markers and have them make a key at the bottom so you know who wrote with which color. I love crayola washable markers for this, but really any pen or pencil will work.
- Give them about 10-15 minutes to discuss. I like to set a timer on the board so they know how long they have. You can also make stipulations for participation (e.g. each student has to contribute at least four times).
- As they’re discussing, join in, but remember, no talking!
- When they’re all done, hang them up on the walls and have students do a gallery walk to see the different discussions.
3. Literature (Reading) Circles
Literature (reading) circles are an effective discussion strategy to encourage quality discussions and add a layer of accountability. A literature (reading) circle is a small group discussion (usually between four and six students) in which every student has a role related to a reading assignment. The group members take turns presenting their individual groups to the class. By the end, the group has discussed the text in many different ways.
Why High Schoolers Love this Discussion Strategy
You know that one student who dominates the discussion? Or, maybe that one student who just won’t say anything despite your student-centered discussion strategy attempts? Well, literature circles solve this problem. Students will appreciate that all classmates have their own roles, and therefore, they all have to do the work in the group. It creates a built in accountability piece, and therefore, may be more equitable.
Facilitating a Literature Circle Discussion
First, you’ll create roles and accountability pieces, and then, you’ll smile because students will be highly engaged! Ok, it’s not that easy, but it’s close! Check out this blog post for step-by-step directions about facilitating a literature circle. If you want to save some time, you’ll love my ready-made literature circles resource for any text. You can find it here.
4. Fishbowl Discussion
A fishbowl discussion is a variation of the popular Socratic Seminar. In a traditional Socratic Seminar, students sit in one big circle and they ask questions and answer each other. When it works well, it works really well. However, I’ve found it helpful to provide more support at least as students are getting comfortable with student-centered discussion. That’s why I love fishbowl discussions. Instead of one circle, students sit in two circles, an inside and an outside circle. The inner circle (the metaphorical fishbowl) discusses while the outside circle observes and takes note. Then, they switch.
Why High Schoolers Love this Discussion Strategy
This discussion strategy provides just enough support while still including a level of accountability. Like the panel discussion, they feel supported and safer with their group. Watching the inner circle helps them prepare and practice listening skills.
Facilitating a Fishbowl Discussion
- Divide the class into equal groups and give a discussion topic or question to each group.
- As they prepare for their discussions, the groups should take notes to act as prompts to keep the discussion going.
- When students have had ample time to prepare, choose one group to be in the fishbowl first. The students in the center circle are in the “fishbowl.”
- The students behind them are the other members of the classroom who are observing the discussion.
- Switch groups so that each group has a turn in the fishbowl.
If you like this strategy, you might find my Socratic Seminar Student Discussion Guide helpful. This Socratic Seminar Guide provides both an accountable piece for students to track their participation and discussion stems and prompts to generate an engaging discussion.
Learn More
If you’re interested in learning more about student-centered and student-led discussion strategies, check out Chapter 12 “Freedom to Discuss” of Keeping the Wonder.
If you have other student-centered discussion strategies that your students love, I’d love to hear about them in the comments.
Sources
Cain, S. (2013). Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. Crown.
Kohn, A. (2016, January 29). “Your hand’s not raised? too bad: I’m calling on you anyway.” Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://www.alfiekohn.org/blogs/hands/
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