A literary discussion is a great way to encourage students to engage deeper with a text and also gives them an opportunity to share and learn from others.
Dynamic questions are the cornerstone of fruitful discussions. In your classrooms, and at home, it’s important to pose questions that drive inquiry.
Learning Outcomes
When planning a discussion section, plan for the following learning outcomes:
- Arouse interest.
- Interpret, synthesize, assess, and build using higher-order thinking skills.
- Promote a range of views.
- Challenge thought.
- Help students develop a thorough understanding of the content.
- Student’s add personal perspectives and views.
- Encourage cooperation.
- Build a positive sense of community
Helping student’s write effective discussion questions
A lot of the time, student’s will come up with yes/no or single-answer questions. I see this a lot in the academic interventions I lead and also, when I provide curriculum support to teachers and schools. Talk to your students about the different types of questions they can ask about a text and what the advantages of each are.
Types of questions that foster dialogue:
Interpretive questions
There are many “correct” answers to interpretive questions. An interpretive question’s answer must be backed up by proof. It necessitates that students view the data from their own specific perspectives.
Subjective questions
Students must respond to subjective questions by providing information based on their own personal opinions.
Each response can differ depending on the individual’s subjective point of view. individual viewpoints
Problem Solving Questions
Problem solving questions ask students to solve a situation, puzzle, or problem. Students must offer straightforward ideas that are based on their experience and personal opinions. Problem solving is approached by students in a number of ways.
Evaluative questions
Since they ask students to formulate a response based on their own views and values, evaluative questions have no right or wrong answers. Since students bring a lifetime of experiences to the classroom (traditional or online), their thoughts and perspectives are shaped by them.
Opinion questions
These questions promote a more intimate discussion. assessing a problem, a subject, or a situation. A student may assess the consistency, importance, and usefulness of a piece of knowledge, a situation, etc., depending on their own personal experiences to back up their arguments.
Debate Questions
Debate questions ask students to take a position on an issue and then provide a justification for their position. Students must understand the topic, provide convincing evidence, address counter arguments by evaluating other points of view, and organize their points to maximize their effectiveness. Questions that ask students to take a side on an issue or topic, effectively spark conversations between students with opposing viewpoints, while simultaneously allowing students with similar viewpoints to find commonality with one another.
