Hierarchic: 4 Main Ideas

Box frame

s
TM

Makes Sense
Sense Strategies
Strategies
Makes
Name:
Rebekah Bridges

2008 Edwin Ellis, All Rights Reserved Published by Makes Sense Strategies, LLC, Northport, AL www.MakesSenseStrategies.com

Date:

DiscussionModel

2/26/15

Is about

Studentsshareandtalkabouttheirideasregardingacommontopic
Main idea

Theoretical
Foundation/Planning

TheoreticalFoundation
A.VygotskysSocialDevelopmentTheory
Socialinteractionsiscriticalinlearning
B.Groundedincooperativelearning
Providestructuredrolesforstudentswhilepromoting
studentinteractions
Planning
A.IdentifyingTopics
Controversialtopicsortopicsthatallowfordiffering
opinionsarebest
B.SpecifyLearningObjectives
Evaluationoranalysislearningobjectives
Getstudenttothinkaboutatopicinananalyticalway
Practicecriticalthinkingindiscussions
Discussionscontributetosocialdevelopment
C.DevelopingStudentKnowledge
Studentsmusthaveextensiveknowledgeabouta
topicbeforehand
D.Establishingstructure
Lessonmustbehighlyorganizedandstructuredso
lessondoesnotfallapart;canbestructuredmany
ways(ex:readapassage,assignatask,thendiscuss
fromdifferentcharacterspointsofview)

Main idea

Implementing

A.Phase1:Introduction
Teacherintroducesthetopicanda
discussionstartertograbstudent
attention,createfocus,andtriggerprior
knowledge
B.Phase2:Exploration
Studentscanexplorethetopic,express
theirthinking,andtakeaside/position;
importantforteacherstoofferavarietyof
perspectives,monitordiscussion,redirect
studentfocus
Thisphasepromotesdeepunderstanding
andsocialskills
C.Phase3:Closure
Summarizingthemainpointsbroughtup
inthediscussion;clearsupagreements
anddisagreements;trytolinkwhatyou
havelearnedtothenextlesson

Main idea

Assessment/Motivation

Assessment
A.AssessingContent&CriticalThinking
Useatraditionalmethod,usuallyessayitems,
toassesscontentknowledge;askstudentsto
supporttheirconclusionswithevidencefrom
thetextforcriticalthinkingpractice
B.AssessingSocialDevelopment
Willbeinformalandbasedonteacher
observations;systematicobservationsare
usefulhere(takenotesoncriteria&provide
studentswithfeedbackafterward)
Motivation
A.SocialSkills
Discussionisahugemotivatorinthatitallows
everyonesvoicetobeheard,andpeople
usuallyhavesomethingtosaythatcanadd
valuetoothersunderstanding
B.GroupWork
Workingtogethertoexploredifferent
perspectivesevokescuriosityandinterest

Main idea

Modifications

A.DevelopingSocialSkillsin
TechnologyMediatedCommunication
Certainsocialskillsshouldbefollowed
electronically,likekeepingmessages
short,creatingapleasanttone,andusing
correctgrammar.Teachersshouldmodel
thisforstudents.
B.CooperativeLearning/Discussionwith
StudentsofDifferentAges
Younglearnerscanbenefitfrom
discussionsandcooperativelearningif
lessonsareshortandorganizedwithclear
directions.Theymustusefamiliar
materials,aswell,likeastorythatthey
justread.

So what? What is important to understand about this?

TheDiscussionModelallowsstudentstoformulatetheirownviewpointsonclassroommaterialandarticulatethemconfidentlyamongclassmates,a
lifelongusefulskill.Thismodelemphasizesdeepunderstandingoftopics,criticalthinking,andeffectivesocialandcommunicationskills.