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Teaching Tips > Facilitating In-Class Discussions > Working with Oversharers

Working with Oversharers

In-class discussions can help students develop critical thinking skills, but effective discussions require structure and planning.

Garside, C. (1996). Look who's talking: A comparison of lecture and group discussion teaching strategies in developing critical thinking skills.

 

Related tips:
Facilitating In-Class Discussions: Facilitating a Coherent Discussion
Facilitating In-Class Discussions: Picking Good Discussion Topics
Facilitating In-Class Discussions: Working with Quiet Students

Look for common problems that arise in class discussions to determine which intervention is best.

Establish as a classroom norm that you will occasionally interrupt and refocus the class discussion to create a shared expectations about the importance of keeping the class on track.

Ask students to raise their hands rather than shouting out contributions to enable you to call on students who contribute less often.

Ask everyone to wait for a certain number of other students to speak before speaking again to reduce a few students from monopolizing the discussion.

Meet with oversharers to help oversharers monitor their participation.

Other Resources

  • Pomona College's Teaching and Learning Center
  • Claremont Colleges Center for Teaching and Learning
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