Let’s
SOAPSTone!

•
Speaker
Who is the voice that tells
the story?
Let’s
SOAPSTone!

Occasion (Motivation)
•
What is the time and place of the
piece – the context that
encouraged the writing to
happen?
•
Why was the author motivated to
write this?
Let’s
SOAPSTone!

•
Audience
Who is the audience – the
(group) of readers to whom
this piece of directed?
Let’s
SOAPSTone!

Purpose
•
Why was this text written?
•
“What does the speaker want
the audience to think or do as a
result of reading this text?”
Let’s
SOAPSTone!

•
Subject
What are the general topic,
content, and ideas contained
in the text?
Let’s
SOAPSTone!

•
Tone
What is the attitude of the
author?
Let’s
SOAPSTone!

•
Speaker
Who is the voice that tells
the story?
Let’s
SOAPSTone!

Occasion (Motivation)
•
What is the time and place of the
piece – the context that
encouraged the writing to
happen?
•
Why was the author motivated to
write this?
Let’s
SOAPSTone!

•
Audience
Who is the audience – the
(group) of readers to whom
this piece of directed?
Let’s
SOAPSTone!

Purpose
•
Why was this text written?
•
“What does the speaker want
the audience to think or do as a
result of reading this text?”
Let’s
SOAPSTone!

•
Subject
What are the general topic,
content, and ideas contained
in the text?
Let’s
SOAPSTone!

•
Tone
What is the attitude of the
author?
Socratic Seminar!
Dialogue versus debate
**The
purpose of
Socratic
Seminar is
to expand
our ideas
and engage
in dialogue,
not to
debate and
try to come
to a
conclusion
Dialogue is…
Debate is…
•
About proving others
wrong
•
Close-minded
•
About defending
beliefs/assumptions
Keeping an open mind
•
About respecting
participants
Belittling or demeaning
others
•
Having one right answer
•
Collaborative
•
About understanding
•
Listening for deeper
meaning
•
•
The texts
•
Chosen for richness in
ideas, issues, and values
•
Used to stimulate
conversation
•
Raises important questions
The questions
•
No right/wrong answers
•
Leads back to the text to
evaluate, speculate, define,
and clarify issues
•
Responses to questions
lead to more questions!
The participants
•
Listen actively
•
Share your ideas and
questions in response to
the ideas and questions
from others
•
Use evidence in the text to
support your ideas
Socratic Seminar Group
Guidelines

Listen
No one can speak while someone else is speaking.

Build
Speakers must try to build on what others say, not
debate their views.

Refer to the Text
Speakers must refer directly to the section of the
text from which their ideas come rather than
making general comments or observations.
D ISCUSSION
DEBRIEF
•
What ideas did you agree with?
•
What ideas did you disagree with?
•
What questions were left unanswered?
•
What did you contribute to the discussion?
•
Who were the top three contributors to the
discussion?
•
What is your overall evaluation of the seminar?
R EFERENCES
http://techpenta.com/hospital/monty-neill
http://attheagora.blogspot.com/2009/11/figure-drawing-from-1990s.html
http://www.gradethenews.org/commentaries/fairtrials.htm