13. SOCRATIC SEMINAR (Discussion, Questioning, Feedback)
Description: The teacher poses questions requiring students to weigh options and draw conclusions on a specific topic, text, or work of art.
Application: This protocol is especially useful when the teacher asks critical questions and students can expand, justify with evidence, and share their ideas with others.
Process: Choose common text (or artwork) and tell students to pre-read or pre-study the selection. Design opening questions. Teach any background information necessary for a good understanding of the text. Have the students put their desks in circle so that they can see each other. Provide an empty desk for the “hot seat.” Start by explaining the Socratic Seminar to the students:
Description: The teacher poses questions requiring students to weigh options and draw conclusions on a specific topic, text, or work of art.
Application: This protocol is especially useful when the teacher asks critical questions and students can expand, justify with evidence, and share their ideas with others.
Process: Choose common text (or artwork) and tell students to pre-read or pre-study the selection. Design opening questions. Teach any background information necessary for a good understanding of the text. Have the students put their desks in circle so that they can see each other. Provide an empty desk for the “hot seat.” Start by explaining the Socratic Seminar to the students:
- Explain that the conversation is theirs, and that the teacher’s question is a starting point which they can move away from as they pose ideas and questions that are more interesting to them as long as the new ideas and questions can be discussed in terms of the text.
- Tell them to direct their comments to other students and explain to them that the teacher will not comment on what they say since this will cause them to talk to the teacher rather than to each other. Look down or avoid eye contact until the discussion takes off on its own.
- Encourage them to listen carefully and to think before they talk.
Reference and/or for more information:
13. Socratic Seminar
http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/socratic-seminars-30600.html?tab=1#tabs
13. Socratic Seminar
http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/socratic-seminars-30600.html?tab=1#tabs