Mike’s Blog
Strategies, Ideas and Insights for Teachers and Leaders
Category: Talk, Discussion and Oracy
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Half a dozen simple ways to capture progress when using discussion to develop learners’ oracy skills
It is a commonly held criticism of discussion that, as a teaching device, it lacks the all-important ability to capture progress. Someone coming into a classroom in which discussion has…
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Why planning a non-verbal discussion for your learners might just change how you make sense of your classroom
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…
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Discover the five key areas of philosophy any teacher can use to transform discussion in their lessons
Philosophy is a difficult subject to define. Its nature has changed over time. Things that were previously central to it are now recognised as disciplines of their own (for example,…
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Is there a right level of control teachers need when using discussion to develop oracy in their classroom?
When we’re using discussion in the classroom, we need to decide how much control we want. There are four areas to think about when deciding on the right level of…
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What happens when expert teachers identify the purpose of discussion as part of their oracy planning?
It is important to identify the purpose behind a discussion as this allows the teacher to direct matters and to judge whether an activity has been successful. If you cannot…
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How to use stimulus material to create discussions your learners can’t help but engage with
There are many different ways to begin a classroom discussion. The most common is to present learners with a question or statement related to the topic. There is also the…
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The number one simplest strategy any teacher can use to improve the quality of discussion in their classroom
Discussions often stall at the first stages. This is frequently because learners either do not want to say anything or do not feel they have anything worth contributing. We will…
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What different roles do expert teachers take on when using discussion to develop oracy?
There are many roles the teacher can take during a discussion. Here are eight useful ones, the first four of which stem from the character of Socrates as depicted in…
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How can following up writing with discussion help improve outcomes and develop learner oracy?
Where discussion succeeds writing, both tasks should be seen as ends in themselves. Successful planning involves two activities that are closely connected. The connection should be easy for learners to…
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How can you quickly improve the quality of your learners’ writing by harnessing the power of discussion?
Discussion is a great way to help learners develop their ideas about a topic before they start doing any writing. It gives an opportunity to think at length and to…