Instructional Strategies: Discussions
By: Natalie Stewart
The development of new knowledge
How do students learn?
They interact with information
Can teachers promote learning?
Discussions enhance learning
Ideas are exchanged
Opinions are voiced
What are the benefits?
They are interesting
It is more appealing to students than sitting in a lecture.
They are challenging
Students must think about the information and apply it to other concepts.
They are inlcusive
All students are given the opportunity to engage in the discussion.
They promote the growth of new ideas
What are the limitations?
Limited participation
Sometimes unchallenging
Topics may be too difficult
May not be effective with young students
How can it be incorporated into the classroom?
Discussions can be used to activate prior knowledge.
Discuss what you already
know.
Discussions can be used to self-assess understanding.
Discussions can be implemented after a presentation to elicit
questions and answers.
Discussions can be used to help students internalize information.
Discussions can be implemented to evalute the effectiveness of
instruction.
How can you help your students learn?
Allow your students to discuss!