Group
discussions take place in various diverse formats – from extremely casual ones
between friends to very planned and tricky debates incorporated as part of a
selection procedure. Group discussions put forward an opening for unmitigated
speaking (and listening!) training to all the participants. Group discussion exercise
and skill enhancement is therefore helpful for all students.
To
participate effectively in a classroom group discussion, students will have to
pay more attention and also willingness to indulge in conversation that would
take the intensity of the topic too far. One of the most unproductive ways of
discussion is usually the one which takes place as a ‘one-on-one’ conversation
between the teacher and a student, leaving the rest of the class oblivious. During
such discussions, many students end-up not concentrating and divert their mind
into something else. On the other hand, an effective classroom discussion keeps
each student lively, either by sharing our thinking. So, here are some of those
factors that a teacher has to keep in mind while prepping for group discussion
in the classroom.
Do
not lose your cool in the classroom if you are receiving silence as an
immediate response. Some children are really out-going when it comes to
expressing themselves, but some need that silence or a break to start talking.
So, if you don’t get an answer in 60 seconds, try to be calm and let the
children start sharing their thoughts. As soon as the teacher starts sharing
things, children stop going deeper into their thought which may end up in a
fruitless discussion. Give them time to come up with their ideas.
Try
to be easy with the grammatical mistakes they make while expressing themselves.
As a teacher if you start correcting the child even before they make a point,
he/she would never gather the courage to speak up their mind; rather they would
be scared of the thought of being ridiculed by their peers for the silly
mistakes. Try to understand their imagination because you can find time to correct
those mistakes later like the way these Hyderabad CBSE Schools do.
