Significant Ways to Improve Student Participation During Group Discussions

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.

Be kind enough to make them realise that they can commit mistakes during their group discussions. Help them perform better  by elaborating more on the concept and focus less on the mistakes they commit. A student will only speak up their mind if they have the confidence that they can commit mistakes. Ensure this freedom to the children like the way the top Hyderabad  schools provide.