1. Habits of Discussion To have great discussions in your classroom,
it’s necessary to instill them deliberately.

2. Part 1 of 4 Discussion Fundamentals – Voice, Tracking, Names
Speak loud enough to be heard Show engagement by looking at each other Practice and expect and remind students to use one another’s names.

3. Part 2 of 4 Follow-on, and Follow-on Prompting
Set an “always listening, always ready” expectation during discussions. Use follow-on prompts – hold students accountable for listening carefully. Add prompts such as “develop” and “evidence”.

4. Part 3 of 4 Sentence Starters
Use the flowing sentence starter to facilitate students to build off of someone else’s idea: “I understand why you’d say that, but …” “I was just thinking of something similar, that …” “The thing that doesn’t take into account is …” “I want to build on what you said …” Post a list on the wall of sentence starters that can help students recall and select useful ways to put their comment in context. Consider using nonverbal, such as hand signals which can be taught to students to use when they want to “add-on” to a point made.

5. Part 4 of 4 Managing the Meta
Stay focused on the topic – be “inside the box” Through feedback and modeling guide your students in the dynamics of building conversation. Model the kind of participation you want. Provide constant supportive feedback on how to engage your peers in a meaningful, connected, and mutually productive way.