The Socratic Discussion is patterned after the way Socrates conducted learning activities in Ancient Greece. All of his students were expected to share their thoughts and opinions regarding the written and spoken word. Students were further required to read, analyze and evaluate assigned materials prior to class discussion. Socrates remained silent to allow true discussion to flow from his students.
Today, when a class is conducted using the Socratic Discussion method, students are also required to come prepared to discuss assigned materials and share ideas and opinions, using the text or real life experience to back up their answers. They are not permitted to participate in the class unless they are prepared. This method of instruction can be used effectively for any genre or subject, fiction or nonfiction.
Student Preparation: Prior to the discussion, students are asked to read the text, magazine article, or newspaper; watch the video; listen to the song; etc., and to record their answers to the questions which the teacher has developed. Important: Students should be instructed to record their responses in complete sentences and to explain them thoroughly. The "why" is implied!
Class Setup and Procedures for Socratic Discussion: Students are arranged in two concentric circles. The inner circle contains the speakers who will be involved in the discussion; each student must contribute. The outer circle contains the listeners. Students in the outer circle are not to speak, but only to listen to the discussion.
Important: Two empty seats are reserved in the inner circle.
Students in the outer circle have the option of joining the inner circle when:
1) the discussion appears to be off topic.
2) the discussion becomes nonproductive with arguments and "put downs."
3) inner circle members have not discussed an area deemed important.
(Once a student takes an empty seat, he or she must stay for the remainder of the discussion. When both empty seats are taken, the inner circle is complete. Students must weigh whether they really want to enter the inner circle)
Responsibilities of the inner circle members: Students are to clear desks and display only prepared answers to the discussion questions.(No pencil or pen is allowed.) Students, not the teacher, determine the first speaker. A student enters the discussion only when the previous speaker indicates that he or she has finished.
Circle members decide how the discussion proceeds. For example, students may:
1) choose to speak in sequence around the circle.
2) decide to appoint a discussion leader.
3) let each speaker choose the next participant.
Follow-up questions may be asked by inner circle members; for example:
1) What do you mean by...?
2) Where in the text do you find support for that?
3) Would someone take issue with....
4) What is your point?
5) Are you saying that...?
When a student opts to take an empty seat, he or she becomes the next speaker.
The final responsibility of the inner circle members:
1) Come to a consensus on each question
OR
2) Simply make sure each member has had an opportunity to discuss answers to the assigned questions, and then perhaps agree to disagree.
Responsibilities of the outer circle members: To ensure the practice of good listening skills, students are required to submit to the teacher their written responses to the discussion questions before the inner circle begins the discussion. (Otherwise, students tend to compare their work with the ongoing discussion.)
If the inner circle decides to reach a consensus, students of the outer circle are required to summarize and record the consensus; OR, if the inner circle members decide to simply share ideas and opinions in response to the discussion questions, students in the outercircle are to script as much of the discussion content as possible as the discussion evolves. At the end of the discussion, outer-circle students are to highlight or circle any words or phrases they believe to be important. If outer circle students have a hard time hearing inner circle students, a simple raising of the hand from an outer circle student can direct an inner circle student to speak up. The final activity required of outer circle members is to share their summaries or key words and phrases with the students of the inner circle.(Students of the inner circle cannot comment; they become the listeners!)
