When students conduct a discussion in class, they learn how to initiate, prepare and participate! This presentation will show you how to facilitate a student-led discussion.

1. Discussion
How to conduct an effective student – led discussion
in class

2. Why discussion?
• To engage students actively
• To deepen thinking
• To develop collaborative team work

3. Why student–led discussions?
Student – led discussion Teacher – led discussion
Students prepare
and participate
Teacher prepares
and initiates

4. What does it involve?
Students :
• Own the discussion
• Read the assignment carefully
• Prepare discussion points in
advance
• Listen and respond to each other
• Construct meaning through interaction

5. What skills are developed
through it?
Reading
Listening
Writing
Speaking
Thinking

6. What are the steps?
• Evaluation
• Setting ground rules
before discussion
• Checking preparation
• Giving preparation
guidelines
• Selection of reading
material

7. Selection of reading material
The reading should be complex
enough for the discovery of
meaning to happen.

8. Giving preparation guidelines
• Discussion points can be in the form of questions
• Ask students to prepare a list of
thoughtful questions

9. Ground rules for discussion
• One person to speak at a time
• Listen to others before speaking
• Raise your hand to speak
• Raise a new point to fill a lull
• Accomodate other viewpoints

10. Evaluation
The students can be rated evaluated on the following points:
• Quality of preparation
• Understanding
• Articulation
• Response