5 Better Ways to Get Students Talking
5 BETTER WAYS TO GET STUDENTS TALKING BIG IDEA: Move beyond "any volunteers?" with these simple strategies that get more students thinking and participating. Q SWAP AND STRENGTHEN Prompt students to explain or improve on a peer's idea before sharing their own. Builds listening, not just speaking. ASK BEFORE YOU ANSWER Create one rule: Students ask a question about a peer's idea before they can share their own. Shi~s the focus from speaking to listening and probing. SORT IDEAS While discussion is underway, group responses into three buckets (claims, evidence, questions). Helps students see how their comments connect to the building blocks of an argument. BUILD THE ARGUMENT CHAIN Require each student to add on to the previous speaker's claim using evidence or reasoning. Turns discussion into a connected line of thinking, not isolated comments. END WITH A DECISION Ask the class to reach a conclusion, rank ideas, or answer a driving question. (Bonus: Do this in small groups, and then have the groups face off.) Discussions with purpose become more meaningful. Go Deeper There's more where this came from. The OER Project Discussion Guide will help you set the stage for lively discussions with engaging questions, clear norms, and shared goals.