Four Techniques to Improve Discussion

Fran WilkinsSouth Philadelphia High School

adapted from Facilitating Classroom Discussions byJoan Saslow and Allen Ascher

Dilemma

Four TechniquesIdea Framing

Notepadding

Text-Mining

Word Posting

“I think we too often demand ‘instant production’ which locks students into saying whatever they can come up with right away. That means we don’t let them get to the depth, complexity and fluency that they can achieve.”

-Marc Helgesen, 2003

Idea Framing

Topic: What’s important to you in a vacation?

NotepaddingWhat is appropriate dress?

What is appropriate and inappropriate dress?

Notepadding

Text-Mining

Text-Mining

Word Posting

Color Code Higher Level