Hierarchic: 4 Main Ideas

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Makes Sense
Sense Strategies
Strategies
Makes
Name: Claudia Mesnil-Baez

2008 Edwin Ellis, All Rights Reserved Published by Makes Sense Strategies, LLC, Northport, AL www.MakesSenseStrategies.com

Date:

DiscussionStrategies

09/4/14

Is about

Discussionstrategiesareusedwithinthecooperativelearningmodeasaninstructionalstrategythatfocusesondiscussingonetopicofinterestwiththewholeclass;it
emphasizesstudenttostudentinteraction.Studentssharetheirperspectivesandintegrateknowledgefrompreviouslessons,whilebeingguidedbyateacher.
Main idea

Planning

Discussionsmustbeplannedinorder
tobesuccessfulwiththefollowing
steps:
Identifyingatopic:atopicchosen
shouldbecontroversialorshould
allowfordifferentperspectivesto
ariseforaconversationtoflow.
Specifyinglearningobjectives:make
sureyouknowhowthistiestoyour
lesson;studentsshouldthinkdeeper
aboutatopic,practicecritical
thinking,andsocialskills.
Developingstudentlanguage:
Previouslessonsandclasswork
shouldhaveprovidedstudentswith
opportunitiestolearnaboutthe
subject.
Establishingstructure:plantheimp.
Pointsandthemainideasyouwant
to"hit."

Main idea

Main idea

Implementing

Assessment

Inclass,studentsareableto
demonstratewhattheirknowledge
onatopicis
Studentsdevelopsocialskills
Introduction:Withoutthesudents'
previousknowledge,theywillnot
beabletoanalyzeasubjectdeeply,
duringthisphaseyoumustattract
attentionandprovideafocusfor
thestudents.
Exploration:studentsdevelopbetter
socialskillssharingtheir
perspectives;youkeepthe
discussionfocusedandprovide
themwithmeaningfulexperiences.
Closure:youmustprovideaclosing
statementthatleavesthestudents
withaconclusiveidea.
Teamconstructcanbeeffectivefor
debating.

Informalsummativeassessments
cangoonduringthediscussion
basedoncontent.
Planningthepromptandcue
questionsisimportanttoassure
thatatleastamajorityofthe
studentsgraspthesubjectandare
notsteeringinthe"wrong
direction"forformative
assessment
Studentsmustprovidequotesor
directevidencefromtextorinfo.
source.
Systematicobservation:you
establishwhatisappropriatetodo
(socially)duringdiscussions.
Formativeobservationalchecks.

Main idea

Motivation

Thewayateacherassesses
thematerialandcontentcan
beslightlydifferentinevery
classroom.
Thisassessmentandthe
teacherswayofpreppingfor
adiscussionencouraging
knowledgeaboutthetopic
shouldmotivatethestudents
tosharetheirperspectivewith
others.
Thestudentsshouldhavea
clearimageofhowthetopic
isstructuredandtheirown
interpretationofit,which
shouldmotivatethemtoshare
whattheythink.
Naturalleaderrolesembraced

So what? What is important to understand about this?

Highlevelsofstudentinvolvementsinsmallandlargegroupdiscussionscanreallyallowstudentstodeveloptheirown
opinionandtoformulateastructuredformofpresentingtheirknowledgetootherswithoutfeelingintimidated.