The Effective Use of Discussion

When I ask pupils what they enjoy most in RE, one item is usually at the top of the agenda. They call it 'discussion' but that term covers a range of speaking and listening activities. In this paper the term reserved for 'Discussion' has particular value in RE lessons. In particular it gives pupils opportunities to articulate their own ideas and to listen to the ideas of others. Teachers are generally aware of this preference and plan accordingly for 'discussion' activities, many of them believing that it contributes to a successful lesson. In terms of pupil satisfaction this may be so, but pupils' learning does not always match their enjoyment.

This paper identifies practices that can hamper learning through discussion and suggests ways forward.

Hindrances to learning through discussion

1. Low expectations. Important principles are relaxed; notably learning objectives become 'activity statements' such as 'pupils will explore...' or 'pupils will compare ideas...'. Discussion should be determined by what pupils should know, understand and be able to do as a result.
   
   
2. Whole class discussion. Any lengthy period of discussion will have limited value if it is conducted by the teacher with the whole class (as happens surprisingly often). Too few pupils will be involved and this invariably leads to non-participants losing interest.
   
   
3. Discussion strays from the focus. There can be several reasons for this: too much time has been allowed; there is no problem to solve or issue to resolve; there is no proper focus or task (e.g. 'talk to your partner about...'); discussion is uninformed because pupils are left too long to share their limited experiences without being given new information; pupils are not invited to support, expand upon or challenge each others' responses.

Making discussion a learning experience

There are three key elements to making discussion effective; class organization, the organization of the task and the teacher's participation.

1. Class organization

Discussion is the process of talking about a subject with someone and telling each other your ideas or opinions. The number involved in discussion can range from two upwards. Larger numbers limit the possibility of individual contributions but broaden the range of opinions shared. These two factors should be considered when deciding on the variety of groupings used. Teachers also need to consider whether mixed ability or similar ability groupings are more conducive to learning on each individual occasion. The following table suggests possibilities for types of grouping and their possible applications.

GROUPING	USE	ADVANTAGES	CONSIDERATIONS
Pairs	Recall of last lesson Create questions quickly Rehearse 'what we have learnt' before final plenary Talk about how to tackle a task Rapid response questions	Easy to organise High levels of participation	Limited range of ideas
Doubling up (after a fixed time two sets of pairs join to share and compare ideas)	Sharing initial ideas at the onset of a new topic Planning a joint activity/project Joining to create presentation of ideas	Easy to organise High levels of participation Broadens the range of ideas	Limited range of ideas if the purpose is to compare thoughts on a given topic.
Listening triads (groups of three - a talker, recorder and questioner; exchange roles after first speaker has presented his/her ideas).	Extended discussion e.g. of a given stimulus such as a video in which opinions are expressed on a particular issue. A useful precursor for presentation (to share ideas with other triads). Any task where questioning is the focus (notably AT2 activities). The questioner challenges the speaker by asking for clarification of and justifications for ideas.	Easy to organise High levels of participation Development of questioning and listening skills Variety - keeps pupils on their toes Recording - provides a record of what was said for assessment purposes.	Limited range of ideas if the purpose is to compare thoughts on a given topic.
Ambassadors. Groups (of any size) send an ambassador to a new group to explain their ideas / conclusions. The ambassador returns to the original group and feeds back the second group's response to their ideas. Variation - if time a new ambassador goes from group 2 to represent the ideas / decisions / agreements / disagreements of both groups... and so on.	In place of 'reporting back' plenary at the end of a discussion session. Works best when all groups are engaged in the same activity.	Broadens the range of ideas Variety Movement (particularly popular with boys!) Demands concise and clear explanations.	Might be disruptive in a small classroom
Balloon. Pairs to fours to eights. Spokesperson presents the ideas / decisions / agreements / disagreements of each eight.	Useful strategy for extended discussion.	Broadens the range of ideas Variety Movement (particularly popular with boys!) Demands concise and clear explanations. Hones ability to identify similarities and differences of view and their reasons.	Might be disruptive in a small classroom
Presentations - using ICT or large paper.	Very useful as a precursor for the next activity - presentations are used as stimulus e.g. for identifying similarities and differences in ideas / decision or evaluating the quality of reasoning or evidence.	Records of groups' activities are useful for assessment purposes Broadens the range of ideas
Chair - groups of four or more. Provide the chair with a briefing explaining the role.	Most of the above	Develops leadership / management skills
Scribe - groups of two or more. Helps if they have a proforma to help them focus e.g. with headings such as 'what we agreed on', 'what we disagreed on' and a 'why?' column for each.	Most of the above	Develops listening, summarizing and presentation skills Provides important written record for assessment purposes.
Rapporteur. First group is invited to present no more than three ideas / decisions. Each further spokesperson may present additional new points only until the ideas of each group are exhausted.	Most of the above.	Broadens the range of ideas Limits repetition Fosters good summary / communication skills

2. Organisation of the task

One of the most common reasons why discussion, though fun, may not lead to learning is that teachers do not plan it as a task. This can result in unfocused and uninformed discussion. The following strategies should help remedy this.

TASK	USE	ADVANTAGES	CONSIDERATIONS
Case study. Rather than ask a question e.g. 'do you think gay couples should be allowed to adopt?' Give pupils a case study.	Particularly good with topical or hypothetical issues. e.g. recent reports in the press about the RC adoption agency and its attitude to same sex couples. Or a hypothetical case of a Muslim community seeking planning permission to build a Mosque.	Focused discussion with a view to solving an issue/dilemma. 'Real life'/relevant.	Lots of work for the teacher preparing resources rarely found in text books. Ease the pressure by asking pupils (and the school librarian) to collect topical articles from the press. Use examples from the web and TV (news and topical programmes).
Controversial statement. Rather than ask a question e.g. 'do you think war can ever be the right course of action' make a statement and ask them to discuss whether they agree or disagree.	Any controversial issue. 'Religion has been used as a reason for hatred and war', 'There are no really important differences between different Christian denominations'.	Focused discussion with a view to solving an issue/dilemma. 'Real life'/relevant.	Pupils may only have limited knowledge (but lots of opinions!). Lots of work for the teacher assembling resources/evidence to inform their views. Don't forget to consult colleagues e.g. history teachers will have a view on the first question.
Walkabout. This can take various forms. The idea is to display clues, evidence, arguments, examples etc. around the room and for groups to decide which applies to their situation.	Good starter activity or beginning of new discussion. Can work well with low ability groups. e.g. given the activities above, post arguments for and against around the room. Works well if each group has a different task - they have to find the material exclusive to them.	Gets discussion off to a quick start. Pitches the level of responses required.	Not a good idea if the teacher's class management is insecure!
Perspectives. The whole class studies the same topic but different groups discuss different aspects / questions / case study e.g. on a world religion or a religious / moral issue.	Useful differentiation strategy if groups are of similar ability - task and resources are matched to the ability of each group.	Makes the plenary more interesting - no repetition.

3. The teacher's participation

I have seen teachers set up very focused, well resourced discussion activities but once the lesson is underway and the pupils are engaged in the task, not know what to do with themselves. The following suggestions can be applied in the context of any of the above groupings and tasks.

TASK	USE	ADVANTAGES	CONSIDERATIONS
Challenge. Don't accept woolly / vague statements or limp reasoning. Challenge pupils by asking them to 'say a bit more about this' or say why they think it. Ask for clarification e.g. 'I'm not sure what you mean. Could you explain that to me please?'	Moving round the room listening to group discussion Feed-back. Model this strategy and encourage pupils to challenge each other.	Develops thinking / communication skills.	Takes time - make sure pupils have enough time to have a thorough rather than superficial discussion.
Aunt Sally. Set up a situation / speculation to get a reaction.	e.g. a group of pupils are arguing vociferously in favour of capital punishment. Say 'Did you know the story of Derek Bentley...?'	Gives new life to a dying discussion. Promotes further research.	Teachers need good subject knowledge at their finger tips.
Make a suggestion.	When groups are stuck - suggest ways of moving forward.	Re-starts discussion
Provide new information / evidence. This can be done in a number of ways e.g. clue envelopes on the wall; interrupting the lesson to introduce new evidence. Can be used effectively with drama as 'characters' appear to give their testimony.	Critical! Prevents pupils re-cycling old ground as they run out of knowledge. e.g. lesson begins; 'a man died and was buried. Two days later one of his mates went to lay flowers on the grave and found it open and the body gone. What could have happened to the body?' After a five minute brainstorm a detective / and friend / colleague (Poirot and Hastings / Morse and Lewis?) enter the room to discuss the evidence... and so on.	Prevents uninformed / prejudicial discussion. Contributes to K&U learning outcomes. Can be great fun.	Needs careful preparation.
Reinforcing good practice. Offering a comment or justification for a view offered by a pupil as a good example of what is required.	Any of the above situations.	Encourages high standards
Summarise.	At the end of the lesson/session summarise main points clearly e.g. as the lesson progresses note main points using a mind-map programme on the computer and display it to the class.	Reinforces learning

The key to making discussion successful is that it has to be as carefully planned and resourced as any other lesson, with clear learning outcomes and high expectations. If a pupil is working towards Level 5, then the teacher should expect to find evidence of that 'levelness' in their talk as well as their written work. If their talk does not match expectations, then the 'challenge' strategy above may be useful.

The note-taking activities listed above are particularly worth considering. When I inspect RE teachers (primary and secondary) frequently begin by apologizing for the quality of work in pupils' books and insisting that it does not reflect their real achievement. 'They perform much better in discussion' is a frequent claim - of which I am not always convinced. Unfortunately there is rarely any evidence to support that claim because no records are made - audio or written - of pupils' talk.

Barbara Wintersgill - February 2007