3. Introduction
A symposium is a kind of discussion in which a number of speakers talk on the same topic, emphasizing different aspects. Selected speakers present prepared speeches. Generally, the chairman and the speakers discuss the various aspects of a theme in advance and allot one aspect to each so that each speaker limits his presentation to the aspect assigned. The chairman co- ordinates the different presentations. It is desirable that the total number of speakers do not exceed five besides the chairman. The audience very seldom talks, as the chairman and the speakers anticipate possible questions and doubts and clarify these during the presentation itself. It is in this aspect that a symposium differs mainly from a panel discussion or seminar. By adopting the procedure discussed above a class can be converted into a symposium.
4. Components of symposium
There are four components involved in a symposium. They are:
The theme
The chairman
The speakers
The audience
The theme is the topic on which the presentations are to be made .it should be stated briefly but should precisely specify the scope.
The chairman is the person responsible for organizing and presiding over the symposium. The important attributes to be possessed by the chairman includes knowledge of the topic, ability for lucid exposition of ideas and the ability to facilitate group work. In addition, the chairman should be able to tolerate ambiguity and deal with spontaneous situations that might arise during the symposium. In the class situation the teacher or some suitable person can be the chairman.
5. The speakers are responsible for presenting views in a clear and concise way. They should have a firm grasp of the topic at hand and enough knowledge about the audience facing them. Under a classroom situation students who are made to prepare thoroughly can serve this purpose. Teachers or invited speakers also can be arranged.
The audience is usually comprised of interested individuals who want to attend the meeting. In a school situation it is the pupils of the class. Every effort should be made to organize the symposium in a manner that would stimulate thinking among participants and enhance their understanding. Posing of reflective questions will be helpful for this.
6. Advantages of symposium
A symposium brings together knowledgeable speakers who present a variety of opinions on a given topic.
A problem can be explored quite thoroughly by the symposium method.
The audience gets the benefit of hearing different points of view that can be challenging and stimulating.
Limitations of a symposium
The formal structure tends to promote passivity among the audience since there is little scope for their active participation unless they are intellectually disturbed by the presentation.
Sometimes the speakers fail to check the scope with each other prior to the meeting, which results in repetition of information, confusion, and deviations from the assigned topic.
It is sometimes difficult to find enough competent speakers to cover the topic adequately.
7. Conclusion
The symposium method is appropriate for any occasion provided the purpose is to present sides of the same issue or to approach a central theme from different perspectives at a single session. It works well when different points of view are brought together on a controversial topic. The symposium can be used also to help people understand how related parts of a topic constitute the topic as a whole. An additional use of the symposium is to stimulate fresh thinking on a topic. Symposium is one of the techniques, used in English language teaching various other techniques are used but symposium helps the students or the teachers to mingle with the society. So symposium is an effective method used for English language teaching.
8. References
English language education- Dr. k sivarajan
Effective teaching of English- k. jamaluddeen
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