In order for a class discussion to flow, - when responding to a question, be prepared to have textual evidence e.g. critical reading journal, novel, essay, etc. - explain what your evidence means. - Remember: claim, evidence, analysis, and not claim, claim, claim, sound bite, sound bite, claim, claim. WHY?

To make a point after another student has spoken…  to show you’re a good and focused listener, paraphrase what the previous student said,  link the previous student’s statement to yours,  feel free to agree or disagree, (e.g. It’s precisely for that reason…)  make your point/claim,  support your claim with textual evidence, and  explain what your claim and evidence mean.

Why the guidelines?  What’s the purpose?

Here’s Ms.Teref’s logic:  Class discussions should flow, just like an essay.  They move forward but in a focused way.  They engage you in critical thinking that you’ll need beyond the classroom. This is how we learn to read people and everyday situations.

An example of a real-life situation:  /nr.ntp.bachmann.palin.cnn /nr.ntp.bachmann.palin.cnn  What does the CNN anchor Don Lemon mean by “without rhetoric and spin?” What connotation of the word rhetoric is he implying?  What does Lemon mean by “And that was just this morning.”  What is Lemon’s claim? What’s his evidence? What’s his analysis?