Mike’s Blog
Strategies, Ideas and Insights for Teachers and Leaders
Tag: discussion strategies
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The Discussion Toolkit – Free Resource
Weave Effective, Structured Discussion Opportunities into Any Lesson Viewed and Downloaded 140,000+ Times by Teachers Around the World 🎯 Key discussion strategies explained in simple, practical language. 🎯 Suitable for…
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Make discussion your friend and differentiate writing in your lessons by using speech as the ultimate scaffolding tool
General Introduction This blog is part of my Differentiation and Adaptive Teaching Knowledge Base. I use the terms differentiation and adaptive teaching synonymously. To me, they are the same, as…
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One activity you and your learners can benefit from repeatedly, and a second that delivers collaborative learning that is almost guaranteed to work every time
Question Set Work with your class to develop a set of questions that can be used again and again when doing a specific type of task. Learners can then use…
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Serial questioning: why one thing usually follows another, and what that means for you and your learners
Questions often come in a series during a lesson. Examples of this include when the teacher is questioning learners one-on-one, when they are leading a discussion or when they set…
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Why are research discussions a great tool teachers can use to underpin classroom discussion and help learners become better speakers and listeners?
Research Discussion Discussion Strategy: Explanation This activity involves learners using discussion as a research tool. By talking to other members of the class and eliciting their thoughts, learners are creating…
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Structuring classroom discussion around a ‘planning meeting’ and what you need to know to make the activity fly
Planning Meeting Discussion Strategy: Explanation This activity gives learners an opportunity to discuss the various ways a piece of work might be approached, prior to them getting underway with the…
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How does a ‘dispute resolution’ discussion activity work and what are the benefits for learners?
Dispute Resolution Discussion Strategy: Explanation This activity mirrors those situations that can develop in real life, whereby two parties find themselves in conflict. The discussion centres on the resolution of…
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What is the ‘showcase’ discussion strategy and why is it a good tool to use when planning for oracy in your lessons?
Showcase Discussion Strategy: Explanation This activity recreates an art gallery or museum set-up in the classroom. The teacher asks learners to complete an extended piece of work. Examples include: The…
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What does a problem-solving discussion look like and how can you use it to develop learners’ critical thinking?
Problem-Solving Discussion Strategy: Explanation This activity asks learners to work together to solve a problem (or two). They must discuss whatever is at issue, exploring solutions as a group before…
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How can you structure a formal debate in your classroom and use it to help learners speak confidently in front of their peers?
Formal Debate Discussion Strategy: Explanation A formal debate is a highly structured, turn-taking discussion in which participants are bound by rules designed to create a competitive, antagonistic (in the sense…