Facilitating In-Class Discussions

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.

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

Post discussion questions online before class or assign reading responses or pre-class quizzes to ensure students come to class prepared and you learn what would be best to focus class discussion on.

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.