Encourage Students in Classroom Discussions
           
            There are many ways to encourage discussion in the classroom setting. In the article Discussing Shiloh: A conversation beyond the book, Lane W. Clarke takes a deeper look in the discussions that happen during literature circles. She gives some excellent ideas on how to improve literature circles and the conversations that happen during this time. She says teachers should address gender roles. She states, "By purposefully choosing books to be read in literature groups, I was able to raise student awareness about how they enacted gender roles and how stereotypes influenced their own interactions." Clarke also says we should videotape our students’ discussions and have them watch themselves to see who is talking more and who is silent. I think this would be a valuable way for the students to visually see themselves as participates in their conversations. 

            I know I fall victim during classroom discussions by leading my students too much towards the answer I want or talking too much. However, I should be allowing more time for student conversation to take place. As Vacca and Vacca state, "The talk that students engage in during class discussions supports content literacy and learning in powerful ways." In the same article Vacca and Vacca discuss 'turn-taking' and the drawbacks to this approach. They point out this approach is not built for discussion, rather the teacher asking questions, students responding, and teacher providing feedback. In my first grade classroom I use the approach ‘turn and talk’ several times a day. The students are assigned a talking partner during our whole group reading time. They sit next to their partner and when I ask a question or want the students to share their thinking on a book I say, “Turn to your partner and discuss.” The students know to turn only to their partner and discuss what was asked. After about 30-45 seconds we come back together as a class and I call on two or three students to share their or their partner’s thinking. This gives each student a chance to talk about their thinking, even if they can not share it with the class. I also often times allow my students to ask questions to their partners and then we discuss those questions as a class. I find that turn and talk activities work very well in science and social studies class. The students enjoy discussing the information with their partner and then coming back together as a class and talking about their conversation.

         Another approach to encourage discussion in the classroom setting is through a discussion activity called ‘The Wingman’. This activity focuses on those students who are reluctant participants in classroom and group discussions and is geared more for middle and high school students. Below you will find a video that demonstrates how this approach is used in an English classroom.

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/strategies-for-engaging-students