Post-It Dialogues Discussion Strategy: Explanation
This discussion has non-verbal and verbal elements.
It requires enough Post-it notes for everyone in the class (and, ideally, everyone will have multiple notes).
Begin by explaining to learners what the discussion topic is.
Following this, there are three possible options:
- Display three questions/statements about the topic on the board.
- Distribute four large sheets of paper around the room. Each one should have a question or statement about the topic written on it.
- As above, except instead of distributing the sheets of paper attach them to the classroom walls.
Next, give each learner a collection of Post-it notes.
Ask them to consider the various questions or statements.
They should write their responses on their notes, before sticking them onto the board or onto the pieces of paper.
Once learners have done this, ask them to read the various responses their peers have written.
Explain that if they find one of these responses to be particularly interesting, they should write their own response to it and stick this underneath the original note.
Finally, ask learners to return to their seats.
If you have opted for the sheets of paper approach, split the class into four groups and hand each one a different sheet of paper.
Ask groups to identify the three notes they feel are of greatest interest.
Then, go round the groups in turn and ask them to share the notes they have identified.
Use the comments they read out to stimulate a discussion (depending on how this goes, you may not have time to get round every group).
If you opt for the board approach, you should identify a series of interesting comments yourself and read these out in turn, using each as a starting point for discussion.
A good way to begin is by asking the person who wrote the note to explain the thinking behind their comment.
Post-It Dialogues Discussion Strategy: Example
Topic: The punishment of criminals
The teacher writes the following statements and questions on separate sheets of paper:
- All criminals should be punished for what they have done.
- Punishment is about getting payback.
- Why might punishment lead to more crime?
- Do we have a duty to give people a second chance?
These are distributed around the room.
Learners move around and read the statements and questions.
Fo each one, they leave a comment, explaining their thinking.
When they’ve finished, they go around again and read the comments that other people have left, commenting on those they find most interesting.
The teacher then calls time, and learners return to their seats.
The sheets are handed out, creating four groups, each with a different sheet.
Groups are asked to look through their Post-its and to identify three interesting comments.
After a few minutes, the teacher asks the first group to read out one of their comments. It says: ‘Not all criminals have done bad things – what about people who steal to feed their family?’
The teacher asks the person who wrote the comment to explain their thinking.
A discussion then develops, with the teacher bringing in different learners from around the room.
Post-It Dialogues Discussion Strategy: Extensions and Developments
- If the statements and questions are written on the board and learners have stuck up their comments and are seated back at their desks, you can invite groups of pupils to come and take away a note that they find interesting (and which is not their own). When everybody has had a chance to do this, the teacher starts the discussion by asking for a volunteer to read out the note they took and to explain why they thought it was interesting.
- Collect the Post-it notes in, shuffle them, and redistribute them to the class. Pupils then read the note they have been given and discuss it with the person next to them. You can then use this as the starting point for a whole-class discussion.
