Discourse and discussion are key ingredients for enhancing student thinking and uniting the cognitive and social aspects of learning.
When experienced teachers refer to classroom discourse, they often use the label discussion to describe what they are doing. Classroom discussions are characterized by students and teachers talking about academic materials and by students willingly displaying their thinking processes publicly.
Discourse can be thought of as externalization of thinking and has both cognitive and social importance.
The primary instructional goals of a discussion lesson are to improve student thinking, to promote involvement and engagement in academic materials, and to learn important communication and thinking skills.
The general flow or syntax for a discussion lesson consists of five major phases: provide objectives and set; focus the discussion; and debrief the discussion.
The structure of the learning environment for discussion lessons is characterized by open processes and active student roles.
Theoretical and Empirical Support
Studies for a good many years have described how discourse patterns in most classrooms do not afford effective dialogue among students or promote much discovery or higher-level thinking.
A substantial knowledge base exists that informs teachers on how to create positive discourse systems and to hold productive discussions. Studies also provide guidelines about the types of questions to ask and how to provide appropriate pacing for students to think and to respond.
Most classroom discourse proceeds at too rapid a pace. Teachers can obtain better classroom discourse by slowing down the pace and giving themselves and their students opportunities to think before they respond.
Planning and Conducting Discussion Lessons
An important task for a discussion lesson is deciding on which approach to use. There are several kinds of discussions. Major approaches include using discussion in conjunction with other teaching methods; recitation discussions; discovery or inquiry discussions; and discussions to clarify values and share personal experiences.
Other important planning tasks for teachers to consider include determining the purposes of the discussion; being aware of students' prior knowledge and discourse skills; making plans for how to approach the discussion; and determining the type of questions to ask.
Placing students in circles or using U-shape seating arrangements facilitates classroom discussions.
Primary tasks for teachers as they conduct a discussion consist of focusing the discussion; keeping the discussion on track; keeping a record of the discussion; making sure students' ideas are listened to; and providing appropriate wait-time.
Students' ideas should be responded to with dignity, and teachers should help students extend their ideas by seeking clarification, getting students to consider alternative ideas, and labeling thinking processes students are displaying.
Teachers must be aware of discourse differences of gender as well as those that stem from race and class. To be effective, they must adapt discussions to meet the diverse language patterns of their students.
Managing the Learning Environment
In general, discussion and classroom discourse patterns can be improved if teachers slow down the pace and use methods to broaden participation and if they teach students to try to understand one another and have high interpersonal regard for each other's ideas and feelings.
Teaching students four specific interpersonal communication skills (paraphrasing, behavior description, and impression checking) can enhance the quality of classroom discourse and students' regard for each other.
Specific visual tools such as the think-pair-share cueing device and the thinking matrix can help students learn discourse and thinking skills.
For students to become effective in the discourse system and during specific discussions requires teaching student discourse skills just as directly as academic content and other academic skills are taught. The direct instruction model can be used to teach these important skills.
Assessment and Evaluation
Assessment and evaluation tasks appropriate for discussion consist of finding ways to follow up on discussions and to grade students for their contributions.
Teachers use two way to grade discussions: giving bonus points to students who consistently appear to be prepared and who make contributions, and grading reflective writing assignments based on the content of the discussion.
