As the teacher, learners are watching you and analysing how you behave.

They act in accordance with what they observe.

If you model excellent discussion, you set an example for them.

You give them something to follow, something to mimic, something to take on board and make their own.

Here are nine areas where you can model great discussion:

Manners

Civility should permeate all our interactions.

Whether we are engaged in a debate over the relative merits of some position, a discussion regarding a topic of interest, or a dialogue concerning the nature of some abstract concept, we should seek to display good manners.

Model this for your learners.

Be scrupulous in thanking them for their contributions.

Apologise if you misrepresent somebody, speak over them or accidently fail to bring them into the conversation.

Maintain a posture that demonstrates attentiveness.

Smile where appropriate.

Avoid interrupting people.

If there are rules, observe them.

Reasoning

Classroom discussions should promote good reasoning and challenge that which is bad.

Reasoning is sound if there is a logical connection between the propositions and the conclusion.

Reasoning is bad if the propositions do not cohere with the conclusion or if fallacies are invoked and treated as if they were logically sound.

When you contribute to discussion you should ensure that your arguments are built on good reasoning.

You should explain to learners why your reasoning is good.

You should also demonstrate why bad reasoning is bad, if the opportunity arises, and help learners to improve how they are making their arguments.

Giving Evidence

Evidence is that which is known to exist in the world or ideas and concepts that are accepted as reliable.

Taking sociology as an example, a learner discussing crime could call on evidence in the form of the British Crime Survey (which records things that have happened in the world) or the concept of labelling (which sociologists generally agree is an accurate theorisation of a real-world occurrence).

When you make contributions to class discussions, provide relevant evidence to support your arguments.

Explain to learners what your evidence is and why it is appropriate.

Model for them how to use evidence effectively to make your points more convincing.

Giving Examples

An example provides a concrete reference for an abstract idea.

It demonstrates the understanding of the person who is giving the example and offers support for whatever is being asserted.

Here’s an example(!):

(a) Gladstone was what we would call today a ‘conviction politician’. (b) For example, his campaigning from 1876 onwards was based on his opposition to the Bulgarian atrocities. This was, for him, a deeply moral issue.

Part (a) is the abstract idea.

Part (b) is the example.

It provides support for (a) by indicating how (a) might be seen in the real world.

It also demonstrates the author’s knowledge of some of the history of Gladstone’s political career, further supporting the claim.

Model how to use examples when you are contributing to class discussions.

Identify where learners have used examples and explain why what they have done is good.

Listening

Throughout a whole-class discussion, most participants will be – or ought to be – listening.

If more than one person is talking, then the discussion is in danger of disintegrating.

At such a point the teacher needs to reassert control, wait for silence, and then return to the person whose turn it was to talk.

One of the best ways to encourage listening is through modelling.

When a learner is speaking, look at them and concentrate on what they are saying.

Make it absolutely clear to other learners in the class that this is what you are doing and that it is what you expect them to be doing as well.

If you model attentive, focussed listening it is also easier to redirect any learners who are failing to listen.

Asking Questions

When someone speaks, we don’t necessarily understand everything they say.

So, we may need to ask them questions.

Modelling this process is good because it not only shows how to go about asking thoughtful questions, but it also demonstrates that you have been listening.

The two key types of questions to ask are:

• Questions of clarification (What do you mean by that? How does that connect to the topic?)
• Questions that probe what has been said (Do you think that would still hold in a different setting? Why might someone disagree with you?).

Modelling these types of questions helps your learners to start asking them without needing a prompt from you.

Remaining Silent

It’s polite to remain silent while someone else is talking.

In the classroom, it is also unjust to speak during a discussion when it is not your turn.

This is because the individual who does so prevents the rest of the class from learning and participating.

They are thus privileging their own desires above the good of the community.

Of course, there are times when an interruption or comment may be better dealt with by the teacher drawing it into the discussion.

Overall though, the best path is to model silence and to encourage turn-taking.

Looking at the Speaker

Often, learners may not realise that it is rude to look around the room when someone is talking.

They may not even realise that it is rude to ignore the person who is contributing to a discussion.

It is important to model looking at the speaker to make it clear that this is the correct way to behave.

You might also explain why this is the right thing to do, pointing to the respect it demonstrates and the fact that it is done for the benefit of the person speaking as much as for anyone else.

Responding to what has been said

This links to asking questions and listening.

Learners frequently want to make their own points during discussions.

This is good because it demonstrates interest and shows that they are thinking about the topic.

It can mean that what other pupils say is sometimes ignored though, with pupils instead focussing on their own thoughts.

By responding to what learners say, and explaining that you are doing it, you can highlight the importance of engaging with the ideas that other people are sharing.

In addition, you can model a responsive question or statement but then ‘bounce’ this out to one or more learners.

This helps you to model while also avoiding excessive teacher talk.