Usually, discussion involves talking.

Two or more people speak to each other, usually with the intention of sharing ideas, debating an issue, or thinking together about a question.

But a discussion does not by have to conform to this definition.

It could involve a written exchange.

In this sense, it is perhaps useful to think of discussion as a dialogue.

A back-and-forth exchange of ideas that can happen through writing as well as through speech.

In the classroom, one of the key reasons for using discussion is the benefits for learning that come from being able to talk about your own ideas and from being able to listen to other people talk about their ideas.

Speech is functionally and structurally different to writing; incorporating it in the classroom allows us to take advantage of this fact.

However, there may be times when the opportunity for non-verbal discussion presents itself and the teacher decides it is worth going down this route.

Here are four options you can use:

Post-It Dialogues

Learners are given a series of questions that are displayed on the board.

They are given a collection of blank Post-it notes and asked to write a response to each of the questions.

When they have done this, they stick each note on the board beside the relevant question.

Next, learners read the answers other pupils have posted.

They choose some of these to comment on and do so by writing out a new Post-it note and sticking it next to the answer to which they are responding.

The process continues until learners have used up all their Post-it notes.

Silent Debate

A few large sheets of paper are distributed around the room.

Each of these has a question or statement on it.

Learners walk around the room, in silence, with pens in hand.

They must read each question or statement and then write their responses.

When they have finished, they continue to walk around the room except now they read the comments their peers have written.

They then comment on these, creating a debate between different members of the class in purely written form.

Comment-Only Marking

This involves the teacher marking a learner’s work and providing them with feedback through a written comment.

This might be in the form of three strengths and a target.

To turn this into a non-verbal discussion, the teacher should give learners time to respond to the comments.

The response should be written in books, underneath the teacher’s feedback.

The teacher can then continue the discussion the next time the books are marked.

To make the most of this method, it is preferable to have a comments sheet at the front of learners’ books.

You can use this to capture your comments and learners’ responses, creating an on-going dialogue

By collating all the feedback at the front of the book, you avoid the difficulty of having to search through to find your most recent comment or the learner’s most recent response.

Letter Writing

Non-verbal discussion of this type sees learners reaching out of the classroom into the wider world.

Set up a task that involves writing a letter to someone who holds a position in society relevant to the topic you are studying.

Here are some examples:

• Topic = Poetry. Position in society = Poet, rapper or classical actor.
• Topic = Earthquakes. Position in society = Geologist, seismologist, or someone working in disaster relief.
• Topic = Christianity. Position in society = Priest, bishop or archbishop.

All the letters from a class could be sent off, a selection, a single ‘winning entry’, or a composite.

Whatever you decide, questions need to be included in the letters so the recipients have something they can answer, to form a dialogue.

Upon receiving a response, and if it is appropriate, a follow-up letter could be sent, extending the discussion.

It may be best to contact the person to whom you are asking learners to write before sending off the letters.

This way you can check to see if they are both willing and able to respond.

If necessary, you can contact a few people in advance and divide up your class so that different groups of learners are tasked with writing letters to different contacts you have sounded out.

You can create a fantastic wall display out of the letters your learners send and the responses they receive.