There's More Than One Way to Participate in Class

As a student, I loved class discussions. I was in my comfort zone. Asking questions, offering up evidence-based opinions, thinking through something while talking, understanding and making meaning through dialogue -- these were all skills perfectly suited to my learning styles and preferences.

As a teacher, however, I began to notice that class discussions (both formal and informal) were primarily beneficial to the same kinds of student I was (and still am), students with the same types of learning styles I had. Other students struggled with participation in class discussions not because they didn't care or because they were lazy, but mostly because this was not how they learned best. Some of them couldn't keep up with the learning that happens in a fast-paced discussion because this was not the optimal way for them to process and think about information; making meaning through on-the-spot dialogue didn't work for their learning styles.

Now, I'm not saying we shouldn't all have to stretch at times and work outside of our comfort zones; being asked to learn in a way that doesn't match up with your own learning preferences is not only fine, it's a great way to improve and grow as a learner. However, with that said, it is also a good idea to not rely too heavily on types of activities that all fall under the same learning style.

One way to do this is to re-think what participation can look like in a class discussion. There are a myriad of ways to do so, but I'll offer one up to you this week: take it virtual!

There are lots of benefits to having your students participate in an online discussion. It can provide students with more time to process what their peers are sharing, more time to come up with a response that's really phrased effectively. The discussion is "recorded," so you can revisit it anytime. Students can share links to websites and videos and other online resources that help them illustrate their points. And often, the students who shine in an online discussion are those who may be more reluctant to speak up during class -- online discussions can be real confidence-builders for these students, leading to them opening up during class more often.

Edline has an online discussion forum that teachers can set up for their classes to have online discussions. And there are other (free!) sites that offer online discussion forums as well. Two popular, user-friendly sites are Edmodo and Collaborize Classroom -- check them out! 

Let's Discuss Discussions

     Let it be known: I love me a good class discussion. Here's some ways to make the most of them:

Let the Students Lead

     I know this can feel difficult. It can be scary and unfamiliar sometimes for us educators to take ourselves out of the driver's seat. But turning the ownership of the discussion over to students can be empowering for them. And it can lead to a more authentic flow of ideas. 

     The pattern of a class discussion need not be student > teacher > student > back to teacher, etc. It can be student to student, with the teacher jumping in occasionally to address a misunderstanding or to ask a guiding question. 

     The one protocol of a class discussion I've used over and over again to help achieve this dynamic is simple. The last person to speak calls on the next person to speak. So, if Toby was the last one to speak, and three of his peers are raising their hands, he'll call on one of them to speak next. The teacher can raise his or her hand as well, and the student can choose to call on the teacher, or not. (More times than not, the students tend to call on the teacher fairly quickly.)

     But what if no one is raising their hands when Toby has finished making his point? I encourage students to go ahead and call on someone anyway, preferably someone who hasn't had a chance to speak yet, or a chance to speak too often. I coach students to really invite this person into the discussion, not by asking, "Hey Jill, you wanna say something?," but by asking, "Jill, do you agree with me? Why or why not?" or "What do you think about _____?" 

Be Proud, Knock Loud

     Sometimes students will raise their hand during a lovely student-led discussion, get called on by a peer, and say, "Yup. I agree." And that's it. Nothing further. They may think this "counts" as participating, but I set up the expectation with students that it does not. Of course you may agree with one another, but if you're going to share that fact, you need to explain why and you also need to extend the point.

     But, with that being said, sometimes we just want to let one another know we agree. So, I ask students to knock on their desks (or they could snap their fingers if they are not sitting at desks) when they are in agreement with something that's just been said. This can be nice for several reasons:

1. It eliminates the situation described above -- no more jumping into the discussion to only say those two words -- "I agree" -- and leaving it at that. If you want to say you agree, simply knock on your desk.
2. It can help boost the confidence of the speaker.
3. It can snap some students out of daydreams and wandering thoughts ("Whoops. Ten people just knocked on their desks. I probably just missed something important. I need to pay more attention...").
4. It can help the teacher (and the students, for that matter) take the pulse of everyone's understanding.

     I'm not advocating, though, for a discussion that's all about agreement. I also reinforce to students that, of course, they may disagree with one another, but that this must be done respectfully and I'll model this for them if need be.

Play Your Cards

     Good discussions are typically ones that have a sense of balance. There are not three or four people who are monopolizing the dialogue; there are not some voices that are never once heard.

     To combat these discussion-busters, I hand out cards to students (usually I just use index cards). If I give each student three cards, that means, at a minimum, I expect every student to contribute verbally to the discussion three times. If students are sitting in a circle (which I highly recommend), they toss a card into the center of the circle each time they contribute. 

     I explain to students that this can help them know who to call on next. If Toby's done speaking, and four of his peers are raising their hands, he can quickly look to see who has the most cards still in his or her possession, and call on that student. 

     Most of the time, I tell students that, of course, they can go over their card limit -- they can continue to contribute to the discussion after having tossed all their cards into the circle. But, sometimes, I have encountered students who honestly find it hard not to monopolize the conversation. These students need to learn how to sometimes take a back seat. And so, if the situation merits it, I'll ask students to stop contributing after they have tossed all of their cards. This can help monopolizers to be more economical about the points they choose to share with the group. 

     Using "play your cards" can also be helpful to the teacher participant in or monitor of the discussion. If we notice students who still have cards left towards the end of the time allotted for discussion, we can be sure to call on these students ourselves, or to ask them follow-up questions once the discussion has ended.

     In my current district and current role as instructional coach, I have used these methods with 5th graders, 6th graders, and 12th graders. It has been my experience that establishing just the right expectations and protocols for a student-led discussion enables us to sit back and listen to our students' ideas, to check for their understanding, and to often be wowed by their contributions.

     (If you teach in the same district as me, and want to give this a try, let me know. I'd love to help!)