How can I get my students to discuss in a mannerly fashion?

1. First have a blank form on overhead and ask students what each of the discussion elements looks like and sounds like.

2. The next step is to show the filled in form ( based on  Kirstin Gerhold's lesson  on the site Literature Circles Resource Center) and compare what other students around their age came up with- and contrast with their own. 

3. You could review with Students some Discussion Rules that you had in mind.

4. Finally develop a set of rules that your students are willing to follow.

5. As a follow-up activity complete the two activities below.

Inside Outside Circles: A fun way to develop Discussion Guidelines

       A Step by Step version using the concept of  inside-outside circles. Basically a stand-up version of fishbowl, but more active participation.

1. Choose three strong talkers have them stand shoulder to shoulder forming a  circle. In their hand they have a large card. On the side of the card facing the strong talker (inside circle) you have "The issue to be identified" and then two prompting questions that they are going to ask the student who will face them. They then make up more prompting questions on their own as they go.

2. Note: Ideas could be from something the class has just read- like jealously or corruption or gang fighting. You want to generate questions that relate to student interest in your class- Off road vehicles destroying farmers fields is a hot topic in my area. Get at world issues here. Perhaps you want to take key sentences or character actions that show character's traits and put that on the prompt side of the card. Any idea could work here.

3. On the side of the card that students on the outside will view write five or six clue words that relate but don't actually tell what the issue is. It is the job of the inside people to guide the discussion along using the prompting questions. The key is to prompt the student on the outside, without giving them the actual issue up for discussion. 

4. Students on the outside of the circle are looking at the back side of the card and will see five or six clue words. It is their job to say one word at a time and to make a guess at the answer. If they are wrong they say another word and so on...  When they get to the final word- that is their last guess. Hopefully they got the issue before the fifth word. If not the inside person may tell them it.

5. They then move to the next card. You might want to put time limits here. And they begin over with a new issue. They are finished when they have gone around three issues. Now they become the inside people for that group. The inside people move to another group with a different issue and become outside people. Every group switches around so everyone gets a turn at being both inside or outside. Only a few will get to try observing- but you can use this strategy over and over.

6. Note: you must have nine issues -ideas-concepts etc. Based on a class of 21. See below.

7. If you have 21 in your class; each group needs six students -  I would then have three groups of six=18; the other three students walk around the groups and record some words of the prompters or inside students- Similar to fish bowl these students benefit by observing how the inside and outside people "discuss" and interact. They take some notes on how students discussed and interacted.

8. The fun for the walk abouts or "fish bowl' students are they get to observe without being put on the spot. Try to pick students whom you know have difficulty with reading. They are participating yet are not on the spot.

9. Stop after twenty minutes or when all groups have a turn to experience this.

10. Have the observers discuss what they noticed about how students discussed. Did they stick to the topic? Were some inside people just telling the answers to their outside people? Were they giving up too easily? Did they have trouble with the directions?

11. Now the inside outside people make a few comments.

12. Next: On overhead You could use a T-Chart to record Good Conversational Habits| and Suggestions for Improvement

13. From this make a list of guidelines for Discussing. Keep the list simple and to the point. See the debrief sessions of Lori and Janine's lessons.

The following information has been gleaned from

Here are two ways to experience discussion: 

I think we all assume students know how to discuss in polite and mannerly ways. I don't think this is generally true. Below I have some suggestions that I found helpful in developing guidelines that came from students and were not just "teacher" forced to follow rules.

1.  Direct experience or immersion (learn by jumping in)  "This strategy operates on the principle that before students can generate effective guidelines for discussion, they need to experience it first-hand.  The immersion strategy does just that:  Students carry on a brief discussion even before you've talked about what makes a good discussion -- and afterward they have a true 'need to know' ." , Lori Scobie on the site Literature Circles Resource Center © 2004 Katherine L. Schlick Noe
    

For example, Give your students the topic: Hats should be worn in class! Get half the students to be for this and half against. Have them -in self chosen groups- carry on a discussion without mentioning any rules. Let them go !

 Then on chart paper make two columns. Hold a formal oral discussion trying to practice some of the rules you want them to understand.

From this discussion and their own comments make a List of Discussion Guidelines - that is personal to your class and that they "buy into" and want to follow. Keep list simple! See examples.

    2. Vicarious experience -"fish bowl"- Teach this as a strategy group lesson as Janine King did with her sixth graders.