SILENT DISCUSSIONS Writing to Learn in all content areas.
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Transcript of SILENT DISCUSSIONS Writing to Learn in all content areas.
What is a Silent Discussion?
Class Discussion, except
• Everyone participates• Everyone thinks• Everyone writes
Research Base
Process writing is the most effective strategy to raise reading scores (effect size 0.72)
Writing to Read, 2010
Silent Discussion
1. Read “Boss Hog—Part 1”
2. Form groups of 4
3. Distribute a prompt to each member of the group
4. Respond to your prompt: 2 minutes
5. Pass clockwise
6. Respond to either the new prompt or your partner
7. Continue to pass and respond until you receive your prompt (four passes)
8. Summarize the discussion for the group
General Procedure
1. Generate discussion questions
2. Group students in fours
3. Give students 2-4 minutes to write in each round
4. Give students option to respond to prompt or previous students
5. Original responders should summarize discussion for group—in writing or verbally
6. Give small groups time to discuss verbally
7. Move to whole class discussion if desired
Silent Discussion Prompts/QuestionsCan be general:• How does this relate to what we’ve learned so far in this unit?• What are the most import ideas to remember from the
reading? Why?• What was the hardest part for you to understand? What did
you do to help yourself?
Can be specific:• List the steps in the Krebs Cycle.• How would the US have been different if FDR lost the election
in 1932?• How can this formula be applied in a real-life situation?
Flexibility
Silent discussion can be used • Before a traditional class discussion
• Everyone will have something to say!
• After a traditional class discussion• Everyone will get to participate!
Variations• Have students generate discussion questions (advanced)
• Allow students to generate discussion without prompts—i.e. begin with a blank sheet of paper (even more advanced)
What Can Go Wrong?
Unprepared students (didn’t read, absent for lab, etc.)
• Option 1: Hold them out and have them catch up on work
• Option 2: Let them participate, sharing what they do know and posing insightful questions about what they don’t
What Can Go Wrong?
• Fluent and Disfluent writers in the same class• Option 1: Homogenous
grouping • Option 2: Heterogeneous
grouping
• This kind of writing builds fluency!
Assessment
• Use as a formative assessment• What do they know?• Where are the gaps in
their understanding?• What do I need to
reteach?
Assessment
Give students participation points/credit
Silent Discussion should take almost no time to grade!
Assessment
Skim students’ writing for content
• Don’t assess conventions! (spelling, punctuation, grammar)