January 27, 2023January 27, 2023 by wendinichole

Increase Student Participation in Classroom Discussions

Hanging light bulb

Classroom Discussions Introduction

Research shows that
classroom discussion as a
teaching strategy has an
effect size of 0.82,
meaning that when
engaged in meaningful
classroom discussions,
the typical student has
the potential for two
years of academic
growth in one year
(Hattie, 2018).

What do you do if students are
not talking?
Even if you provide students with opportunities for
classroom discussions, they do not always engage.
But, there are some ways to enhance the quality and
quantity of talking students do in your class.
Partner Up - Let students talk with a partner or in a
small group before asking them to respond to the
entire class. This step increases students' confidence
and willingness to participate.

Brainwriting Graphic

Reframe Your Ask - Instead of saying,
"Do you have
any questions?" ask,
"What questions do you have?"
The wording shift makes students think about what
was asked differently.
Use Wait Time - Make sure students have enough
time to think about what was asked. It may seem
uncomfortable to pause for long periods, but this
pause (or wait time) signals to students that you will
wait until someone talks and that you respect their
need to process the question. If you answer the
question for them, why should they think?
Enter Responses - Vary your strategies by allowing
students to enter their responses differently. Google
Sheets, post-it notes on chart paper, or utilizing
whiteboards are great alternatives to answering out
loud.
Hand Signals - For questions that are not openended, ask students to use hand signals to respond
(raise hands, hold up fingers, etc.).

Remember, communication is important. Communicate to your
students the purpose of classroom discussions, and help them
understand the value for learning and retention.

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