Radio Phone-In Discussion Strategy: Explanation
This activity uses the set-up of a radio show to create committed, in-depth discussion.
Begin by dividing the class into four or five groups then introduce a discussion question.
Give each group a viewpoint regarding the question and explain that they have ten minutes to develop detailed responses from this point of view.
Tell the class that at the end of the allotted time, each group will have to send a volunteer up to the front.
These volunteers will join the teacher ‘on the radio’ to discuss the question.
Each one will be expected to argue from the viewpoint that their group has been given.
During the preparation period, groups need to do two things.
First, they must develop a range of arguments that are representative of their viewpoint, and which respond to the question.
They should also identify as much evidence and as many examples as possible that they can use to support their case.
Second, they must construct several questions they can ‘phone-in’ to the radio show, either for their own group member to answer, or for the other volunteers to respond to.
Once the preparation period is over, each group sends their volunteer to the front of the class to join the teacher.
It is helpful if a couple of tables are pushed together and then surrounded by chairs (this creates the feel of a radio studio).
The teacher sits at the head of the table and takes on the role of radio DJ.
They introduce the discussion to the class, explaining what perspectives the various ‘guests’ are there to represent.
A discussion ensues, managed by the host (teacher) and involving the different guests (learners).
After five minutes or so, the host starts taking questions from the audience (the rest of the class), with these being used to further stimulate and advance the discussion.
Learners can try to throw an easy question to their group member, or they can try to trip up one of the other learners by throwing them a tricky question to answer.
The activity lasts as long as the teacher chooses.
It will become apparent when the debate is starting to run out of steam.
Radio Phone-In Discussion Strategy: Example
Topic: Is inequality a bad thing?
In this example, the class is divided into five groups and the following viewpoints are distributed:
- Socialism
- Libertarianism
- Traditional Conservatism
- Feminism
- Anarchism
Groups spend time preparing arguments for their speaker to advance as well as questions to ‘phone-in’.
Once the time is up, volunteers go to the front of the class to join the teacher in the ‘radio booth’.
Then the discussion begins.
In this example, it is easy for the teacher to facilitate in-depth arguments between the speakers.
When running Radio Phone-In, try to choose a range of conflicting viewpoints for your groups.
This increases commitment and engagement in the activity.
Questions that might be asked by the audience in this example include:
- (Socialist group to Traditional Conservatives) How can inequality be a good thing if it results in so many people living their lives in terrible conditions?
- (Feminist group to Socialist group) Why do you focus on class inequality and ignore gender inequality?
- (Anarchist group to their own speaker) Can you explain what evidence supports the anarchist position about whether inequality is a bad thing?
Radio Phone-In Discussion Strategy: Extensions and Developments
- Ask learners to write their questions on pieces of paper and to hand them to the teacher. These can then be drawn out at random and treated as if they were text messages or emails that have been sent into the radio show.
- Give members of the audience a peer-assessment sheet. Ask them to fill this in as the discussion takes place and to feed back at the end of the activity. One option is to ask them to peer-asses everyone taking part in the radio phone-in, apart from their own team member.
