The document describes several discussion formats that can be used in a classroom: 1. Roundtable discussions involve small groups discussing questions about a text. This allows students to practice using academic language. 2. Fishbowl discussions involve an inner and outer circle. A few students in the inner circle discuss an issue while the outer circle listens. Students can then rotate between the circles. 3. Panel discussions feature several experts discussing an issue and answering audience questions to increase understanding of different perspectives. 4. Discussion webs help students visualize key issues and opposing views by identifying pros and cons and drawing conclusions. This guides debates around a central question.

2. ROUNDABLE DISCUSSION
• Helping students develop facility with
academic language is important to their success in
school. In content areas such as science, it is
particularly critical that students have opportunities to
participate in discussions and practice using
specialized language.
• Is a format for student-led, small-group
discussions about a topic. This format helps students
practice using academic language to discuss key
ideas in response to questions.
• Is also a valuable way to teach students that
scientists answer questions based on evidence and
discuss ideas with others in the scientific community.

3. STEPS USE TO INTRODUCE
RoundtableDiscussion

4. 1. Select a text that is related to your curriculum. Be sure that the
text you select introduces a topic and provides many examples
or evidence about this topic
In Break It Down: How Scientists Separate
Mixtures, readers learn that most objects and materials
are mixtures made of different ssubstances. These
mixtures can be separated or broken down into their
component substances, but this is often difficult to do.
Some scientists, however, break mixtures down in
order to learn more about them. three examples of
separating mixtures: the separation of salt from ocean
water, the separation of plasma from blood, and the
separation of the various ingredients in food found in
an ancient pot. In each case, scientists use the
properties of the individual substances of each mixture
to separate them. Scientists then use what they find to
solve problems or answer questions.

5. 2. Develop four
questions that will
prompt students’
thinking about the
topic in the text.
The following are guidelines to use
when writing questions:
1.The question should relate to
important concepts in the text.
2. Students should be able to answer
the question using evidence
provided in the text.
3. The question should prompt
students to think deeply about the
content of the text.

6. 3. Make a class chart that lists the directions for the
discussion routine . On the board, write the four questions
you developed.
• In what ways can separating mixtures be useful?
• Which properties allowed the water,plasma, and
ancient stew molecules to be separated from the
mixtures they were a part of?
• How does gas chromatography work?
• How might a scientist separate air
pollution from the air?

7. 4. Introduce the text you selected and have students
read.
5. Tell students that they will work in groups of four to
discuss what they have read. Explain that the discussion
will focus on answering four questions using evidence
from the text.
6. Organize students into groups of four. Have groups
count off, so each student is assigned a number from 1 to
4. Tell students that their numbers correspond to the
number of one of the questions on the board. Explain that
each student will lead a discussion about this question.

8. 7. Use the Roundtable Discussion Directions chart to
explain how the discussions will work. Tell the class
that after reading the first question aloud to his group,
the discussion leader will invite the other members of
his group to share ideas and supporting evidence. As
other students in the group share, the leader should
listen to everyone’s ideas and encourage participation.
Leaders can take notes on the discussion if they wish;
these notes will help the leader report to the class after
the group discussion.

9. 8. Explain that after question 1 has been discussed,
group members will rotate to the next question and
the next leader, so that everyone has a chance to lead
a discussion.
9. Before students begin discussing, you may wish to
model facilitation skills, such as listening respectfully
to the person who is speaking, making sure everyone
has the chance to share, and using evidence to
support ideas.
10. Allow time for students to conduct their
Roundtable Discussions.

10. 11. After groups discuss each question, have each
discussion leader tell the class what her group said in
response to her question. You may wish to record ideas on
the board as students share.
12. Debrief the
Roundtable
Discussions.
Emphasize
How students used
evidence from
the text to
support their
ideas.
1. The person who is the leader for
question #1 reads the question aloud.
2. The leader asks the group for ideas.
3. Everyone else in the group shares
ideas, and the leader takes notes as
needed.
4. The leader makes sure that everyone
contributes.
5. When everyone has shared ideas,
rotate to the next leader and the next
question.

12. A fishbowl conversation is a form of
dialogue that can be used when
discussing topics within large groups.

14. When to use
1. To include the “public” in a small group
discussion.
2. To generate dynamic group involvement
and have active participation from
participants.
3. To discuss controversial topics (less
productive for heavily didactical content).
4. To observe, analyze and learn from
another group’s thinking process (outer
circle).
5. As an alternative for a traditional debate.
6. As an alternative for an expert panel
discussion or a presentation of speaker(s):

15. Instead of hours of presentations, give the
speaker(s) 5-15 minutes to present their
ideas. Then the speaker(s) join(s) the
inner circle, which will be open for 1-3
‘visitors’ and the objective is to let the
content emerge from the comments and
questions of the group. This reduces the
distinction made between experts and
audience.

16. There are two types of fishbowl
•The open fishbowl, in which a few chairs (1-2)
in the inner circle (5-8 people) remain empty.
Any member of the audience can, at any time,
occupy the empty chair and join the fishbowl.
When this happens, an existing member of the
fishbowl must voluntarily leave the fishbowl
and free a chair.

17. •The discussion continues with participants
frequently entering and leaving the fishbowl.
Limitations to participants joining the inner
circle can be put in place:
•Time limit (1-5 minutes).
•Only make one substantial statement or
comment.
•Participants can only enter the inner circle
by changing position with the one on ‘the
visitors’ chair’.

18. •In a closed fishbowl, all chairs are filled. The
facilitator splits the participants in two groups (or
more as needed). The initial participants in the
inner circle speak for some time about the subject
as indicated by the facilitator. When time runs out
(or when no new points are added to the
discussion), initial participants leave the fishbowl
and a new group from the audience enters the
fishbowl. The new group continues discussing the
previous issue.
This may continue until many audience members
have spent some time in the fishbowl.

20. A panel discussion is designed to
provide an opportunity for a group to hear
several people knowledgeable about a
specific issue or topic present information and
discuss personal views. A panel discussion
may help the audience further clarify and
evaluate their positions regarding specific
issues or topics being discussed and increase
their understanding of the positions of others.

21. •Identify, or help participants identify, an
issue or topic that involves an important
conflict in values and/or interests. The issue
or topic may be set forth as a topical
question, a hypothetical incident, a student
experience, an actual case, etc.
•Select panelists who are well informed
about and have specific points of view
regarding the issue or topic. A panel
discussion that includes three to five
panelists is usually most workable. Select a
leader or moderator.

22. •Indicate to panelists the objectives the panel
discussion is designed to promote and allow-
time for panel members to prepare for the
discussion. In some situations ten or fifteen
minutes may be sufficient time for preparation
while in other situations, panel members may
need to prepare several weeks in advance of
the scheduled discussion.

23. •:
•Decide upon the format the panel discussion will
follow. Various formats are appropriate. The
following procedures have been used effectively:
a. The leader or moderator introduces the topic and
the panelists present their views and opinions
regarding the issue or topic for a set amount of time.
b. The panelists discuss the issue or topic with each
other by asking questions or reacting to the views
and opinions of other panel members. A specific
amount of time should be established.

24. c. The leader or moderator closes the
discussion and provides a summary of panel
presentations and discussion.
d. The leader or moderator calls for a forum
period during which the members of the class
may participate by addressing questions to
various panel members or by voicing their
views and opinions. The forum period should
be conducted by the panel leader or
moderator.

25. Principal Responsibilities of the Instructor

26. •Identify, or help participants identify, issues or
topics upon which to base a panel discussion.
•Insure that all panelists and the moderator are
familiar with the procedures for panel discussion
in advance of the discussion itself so that they
will be able to fulfill the responsibilities of their
roles.
•Assist panelists and participants (when
necessary) in preparation for the discussion by
directing them to various source materials,
authorities in the field, etc.

27. •Help participants understand the need for
fair procedures in discussing an issue or
topic, e.g., the freedom to discuss an issue,
the obligation to listen to other points of
view, the need for orderly, courteous
discussion, etc.

29. A Discussion Web helps students
visualize the key elements of an issue
and quickly identify opposing points
of view on the matter. This
organizational tool guides
discussions by allowing students to
identify ideas of contention, to weigh
opposing viewpoints, to critically
evaluate the arguments, and to draw
conclusions.

30. Steps to Discussion Webs

31. 1. Distribute a selected reading to the
class. Be sure to select a controversial
document that elicits clearly defined
opposing viewpoints.
2. Ask the class to identify the main
question of the text. Once consensus is
reached, post the question for quick
reference.

32. 3. Divide the class into small groups of 3 or 4
students. Provide the groups with the
Discussion Web graphical organizer

33. 4. Ask the groups to write down at least 3
reasons for answering the question "Yes"
and 3 reasons for answering the question
"No."
5. On a simple "T-chart," record students'
positive and negative responses. Use this
list to promote discussion. Have students
evaluate each reason ("pro" and "con")
objectively and fairly.

34. 6. After discussing the individual reasons,
encourage each student to decide on a
position on the general question. Point out
that understanding both sides of an
argument does not preclude taking a stand.
7. Have each student write his final
conclusion on an index card. Collect the
cards and tally the responses. Share the
results with the class and list the most
common reasons ("pro" and "con") for these
decisions on a shared Discussion Web form.