Structured Silence

In 15 minute intervals (more or less) students write ONE of the
following on a 3x5 card:
 most important point,
 most puzzling point,
 question they’d most like to discuss,
 something newly learned in the discussion so far.

Teacher has ready, and adds to the pile, a few cards that prompt
students who draw these to either (1) name topics not addressed or
(2) summarize ideas set out along the way

Shuffle cards so students randomly draw cards they will read out. As
an added dimension, student can be prompted to first read and
respond to idea on the card they’ve drawn – expand an idea, link it
to a reading, point out a related – but ignored so far – point.
Discussion Inventory
 For an early class you facilitate, then for full class
discussions facilitated by students:


Tell students you reserve 5-10 minutes at the end of the
discussion to offer your thoughts
During the discussion, use paper or computer to record
 clear errors of fact or understanding,
 perspectives that are ignored,
 oppositional views that are smothered.
 To wrap the discussion share feedback from your
notes for 5-10 minutes, then ask students write out
ideas for righting such discussions, or let trio groups
have time for a “last word” brainstorming.
Hatful of Quotes

Print 5-6 provocative quotes from assigned reading (use pre-perforated
3x5 card stock single sheets of paper you can cut into fours; the idea is
to have several copies of a few select quotations)

Put these in a hat from which participants randomly choose a single
card (if you’ve placed a color coded marking on the cards, you have a
way to organized students by groups)

Participants take turns (at their choosing) to respond to these quotes
and/or earlier comments and quotes – via shared word document,
triad discussions, whole class conversation.

“Scribe” roles can be assigned in any of these forums so that key
points, new questions, emerging understandings can be noted by
students as well as teacher across the discussion. Ideas might be
captured via a shared Google doc or photographing whiteboard notes
for later posting to Moodle.

Note: some colleagues have put problems to be solved into the hat.
Quotes to Affirm & Challenge

Each participant brings in a quote from assigned reading she
wishes to affirm, and one she wishes to challenge.


Quotes to affirm - resonate with experience, explain difficult
concepts clearly, add significant new information, are cogently
expressed, are rhetorically powerful
Quotes to challenge - immoral/unethical, poorly expressed,
factually wrong, contradict experience

Quotes are shared in small groups & each group chooses ONE
to affirm & ONE to challenge. This can be done in silence with
“discussion” via a shared sheet of paper or word document.

In large group conversation the small group communicates (1)
rationales for each of these choices, (2) connections among
ideas, (3) perspectives that are privileged as well as silenced.
Nominating Questions
 Small groups come up with 1-2 questions they
want to discuss further
 Groups post questions on large Post-Its or on
segments of white board or in a shared document
 Students individually put a check against 2
questions they would like to discuss more
 Whole class discussion is structured around
questions with most votes. Discussion can start in
triads or quartets and snowball to larger numbers.
 Once questions are selected, offer a 2-3 minute
period for generative writing – individuals, or trios
with a single sheet of paper, or phrases under the
question selected & transcribed to whiteboard.
Newsprint Dialogue / World Cafe
1. In small groups students collaborate to articulates
responses to discussion prompt / problem-solving
scenario on newsprint sheets – using words, drawings,
diagrams in combination.
2. Blank sheets are added beside what each group has
generated (or a second column added on white board or
in a word document)
3. Individual participants with markers – and a new prompt
from the facilitator – move around the room to further
annotate the postings: adding questions, reactions,
agreements, extensions of ideas.
4. Groups reassemble at their postings to see what others
have written, and then…
Chalk Talk
1.
Facilitator / Teacher writes a question in the center of the
board & circles it – putting this up in the 10 minutes before
class starts is the frequent suggestion
2.
As they enter the room – or as homework before class begins,
or as a new segment of discussion starts – participants write
their responses to question directly on the white board or into
a shared word document.
3.
As responses accumulate participants draw lines between
responses to show connections/differences, or even create
diagrams to show relationships or insert new information.
4.
Facilitator takes a small role in adding to responses, but
mainly frames next questions / comments to launch discussion
or other learning activity.
Rotating Stations / Gallery Walk
1.
Small groups record their deliberations on newsprint sheets and hang
these on the wall - a blank sheet hangs next to each group’s posting
2.
Staying in their small groups, group move around the room, first visiting
the posting next to theirs - as a group they post their reactions to the
posting on the blank sheets
3.
Groups continue to rotate until return to their own posting. They review
all the previous groups’ comments – make additions, connections, and
create essential messages, talking points, questions.
4.
Whole class discussion follows as individual groups share their responses
to what others have posted.
Appreciative Pause
Comments allowed only that thank people for…
 An asked question that suggested a new line of thinking
 Commenting to clarify a confusing idea / process
 Introducing an new idea or piece of information
 Illuminating a connection between a set of ideas
 Offering an example to help illustrate a difficult concept
 Speaking honestly to share a dissenting viewpoint
 Sharing insights learned from others – in or beyond course
Comments may be spoken in a 5-7 minute span when students
mingle at close of class session, or may be typed into a forum such as
ChimeIn to collect overall sense of appreciations linked to a just
completed session.
Discussion Learning Audit
 From this sentence stem: “As a result of today’s
discussion …”
 Students address:
 What do you know that you didn’t know this time
last week?
 What can you do that you couldn’t do this time last
week?
 What could you teach someone else to know or do
that you couldn’t teach them this time last week?
 I learned this because of speaking my ideas:
 I learned this by listening to others speak:
Designated Listeners & Drawers
Ahead of a class session, randomly or with a plan you have
devised, assign one or a few students to primarily listening &
questioning roles during a discussion.
Designated listeners will know they are expected to summarize
threads, themes, missed opportunities and overall trends.
Here’s how Brookfield sets it out:
 Listen to understand the words spoken rather than thinking “What to say next?”
 Strive to understand the point before either approving or criticizing.
 Take note of points of agreement as well as disagreement within the group.
 Raise questions with participants that help clarify and explain key points.
 Raise questions with participants that extend and deepen the conversation.
 Forget about what others in the group are feeling about a speaker’s comments.
 Attend to a speaker’s level of confidence and be ready to support him or her.
Student Self-Evaluation of Discussion

What ideas, questions or information did I contribute to the
discussion today?

How did I try to encourage another student to speak today?

What did I learn from the discussion today? (New information,
a new understanding of something already covered, an idea to
follow up after the discussion etc.)

How did I make connections between what different people
were saying today?
Collect these from students – anonymously or with names;
regularly or at four key points in the term. But first, have students
review their responses to summarize developments they’ve seen in
their own skills as discussion speakers, listeners, facilitators.
CIQ – Critical Incidents Questionnaire
1.
At what moment in class today did you feel most engaged with
what was happening?
2.
At what moment in class today did you feel most distanced from
what was happening?
3.
What action that anyone (teacher or student) took in class today
did you find most affirming and helpful?
4.
What action that anyone (teacher or student) took in class today
did you find most puzzling or confusing?
5.
What about this class surprised you the most? (Your own reactions to
what went on? Something that someone did? Something missing?)
Brookfield collects CIQs at regular intervals, speaking with students about trends /
insights in a next class session, then working with students on adjustments, moving
forward in continuing to create a classroom where there is room for speaking and
reflecting, agreeing and dissenting, and making discussion from all of these.