We’ve all had those classes we struggle to connect with. This past year was sometimes harder than usual. The masks, the switched-off cameras, the lackluster motivation, the crushing anxiety all contributed. As teachers, though, our job is to innovate ways to work through and break through.
Class discussion is one path to create connections and trust and while still focusing on our academic goals. However, sometimes students don’t cooperate. The reason isn’t always that they don’t want to. Sometimes, they don’t know how. Creating safe and productive analytical discussion takes guidance from the teacher.
Here are some tips for productive class discussion:
Sticky Notes:
Adhere a pad of sticky notes to each desk. Create the habit of having students write down three questions or curiosities on the notes before class begins. Direct them to mark off the questions if they are answered during the discussion. At the end of class, leave time to address any unanswered questions. The trick here is to invite peers to answer the end-of-class questions, understanding that you will step in when needed. When the group habit is to have questions, students feel more comfortable asking.
Popsicle Sticks:
Give each student 1 – 3 popsicle sticks. The sticks represent the number of comments or questions each student should contribute to the conversation. Set the expectation that students will raise the stick to comment or question with a goal to use every stick. Collect the sticks from students as they use them. A benefit of this method is that it also limits those discussion hogs who like to hear themselves talk or try to derail the class.
The Talking Donut:
Yep. I have a talking donut in my class. Don’t worry, there’s no magic involved. The Talking Donut is a small stuffed pillow that looks like a donut with a smiley face on it. It’s used like a game of catch. I toss it to a student I’d like to hear from. The only person allowed to talk is the one holding the donut. Also, the student holding the donut must talk. Sometimes I include the use of a timer to keep the donut moving. No one likes a stale donut.
When the student is done talking, he/she tosses it to someone he/she’d like to hear from. If the donut is caught by someone who has already contributed, it is passed to someone who hasn’t participated yet. I also have a couple of bean bags that work well, too. But they aren’t shaped like a talking donut. What’s the fun in that?
Guiding Questions:
While the aforementioned methods encourage participation, sometimes the problem is that students don’t know what to say to contribute constructively. Here’s where teacher guidance helps. Asking leading open-ended questions allows students to collect their thoughts and also feel like they are adding something important to the conversation. Eventually, you can provide the students a list of these questions, so they can offer the answers independently without prompting. Try to reinforce student answers with target concepts or terminology. Here are some good guiding questions:
- What were you thinking while you read this text?
- What did you appreciate (or not) about the ending?
- At what point in the story did you react with laughter, anger, or disbelief?
- Student A, can you help Student B strengthen his argument?
- If you had to poke holes in Student A’s argument, what weaknesses would you point out?
- How does (insert another text) relate to this one?
- If you could ask the author one question about the text, what would it be?
- If you were the author answering that question, what would the answer be?
- How can you reword Student B’s claim into a strong thesis statement?
- What’s the worst or best line in this text and why?
The Bingo Discussion Card:
I’ve always found that adding an element of gameplay or competition encourages participation. However, I hate class discussion scenarios requiring me to keep a record of responses. I created the Bingo Discussion Card to solve that problem.
Each of the 25 spaces on the Discussion Bingo Card includes an action that, when taken, will not only allow students to participate constructively but also guide students in understanding how to do so. I don’t want students to focus more on filling up the card than on the discussion, so before class, I instruct them to choose a couple of spaces they will try to fill that day. When they complete the action, they write the date on the space and ask a peer to initial it for them. I set a date by which the card must be completed. Depending on your grading system, you can determine how or whether to incentivize. Also, if students want to shout out, “Bingo!” when they complete a line, why not? I’ve got a prize cabinet filled with rewards.
The benefits of the Discussion Bingo Card include self-accountability, analytical thinking, mental preparation, instant acknowledgment of engagement, and, of course, engagement.
If you’d like a free copy of my Discussion Bingo Card, sign up for my quarterly newsletter, and I’ll send it out to you right away. You’ll find the sign up at the bottom of this page.
As with all teaching strategies, practice makes perfect. You might have to try these a few times or tweak them for your specific needs. I’d love to hear how you encourage meaningful class discussion. Please share. We’re all in this together.
Be Well.
