1. Brookfield and Preskill BU Library: LC 6519.B75D57 2016
SELECT METHODS from The Discussion Book, 50 Great Ways to Get People Talking
Brookfield and Preskill BU Library: LC 6519.B75D

2. Strategic Questioning
PURPOSES
Encourage more questioning
Expands Repertoire of questions
Models exploratory questions
Shows value of thoughtful questioning
Strategic questioning
How it works Facilitators introduce a range of question types designed to deepen discussion – together these types of questions form the mnemonic close up:
Clarity “what do you mean by that? Can you put out another way?“ Linking “how is that similar to what we read earlier? How does your view compare to Amalfi‘s?“ 
Open ended “what’s happening here? What interests you about this issue?“ Synthesis “what stands out from what we discussed? What big question still lingers?” Evidence “how do you come to know this? What experience is your analysis based on?”
understanding “why do you think this is happening? How do you explain the situation?“ Priority “what matters to you most about this? What’s the most important value or principle we should consider here?“
People form into triads, and each person takes a turn as the shower, questioner, and observer.
Someone provides a topic for consideration: “what constitutes good practice?“ “When are we at our best as a community organization?“ “What’s the most important finding of this research?“ “What does the text mean to you?““How can we use this report to improve what we’re doing?“ In each triad sharer gives his or her initial response to the question and the questioner poses different types of questions from close up to draw out the sharer.
The observer takes note of what transpires, keeping track of the different kinds of questions asked. After five minutes the Triad pauses in the observer notes the variety of questions posed. Exercise is then repeated but with the rules switched after another five minutes the exercises done a final time again with the roles being switched. This way everyone is a sharer, a questioner, and an observer.
 Users appreciate acquiring a repertoire questions. They recognize the power of questioning to elicit good information. Watch out for; Not getting hung up asking all seven Sharer on a roll Skipping the debriefing

3. Strategic Questioning
HOW TO: Form triads of roles
Sharer speaks to the topic
Questioner uses question types to expand share
Observer notes question types, debriefs
Strategic questioning
How it works People form into triads, and each person takes a turn as the sharer, questioner, and observer.
Someone provides a topic for consideration: “what constitutes good practice?“ “When are we at our best as a community organization?“ “What’s the most important finding of this research?“ “What does the text mean to you?“ “How can we use this report to improve what we’re doing?“ In each triad sharer gives his or her initial response to the question and the questioner poses different types of questions from close up to draw out the sharer.
The observer takes note of what transpires, keeping track of the different kinds of questions asked. After five minutes the Triad pauses in the observer notes the variety of questions posed. Exercise is then repeated but with the rules switched after another five minutes the exercises done a final time again with the roles being switched. This way everyone is a sharer, a questioner, and an observer.
 Users appreciate acquiring a repertoire questions. They recognize the power of questioning to elicit good information. Watch out for; Not getting hung up asking all seven Sharer on a roll Skipping the debriefing

4. Strategic Questioning
Question Types- CLOSE UP
Clarity “Can you put that another way?“
Linking “How is that similar to what we read earlier?” 
Open ended “What interests you about this issue?“
Synthesis “What big question still lingers?”
Evidence “What experience is your analysis based on?”
Understanding “How do you explain the situation?“
Priority “What’s the most important value or principle we should consider?“
Strategic questioning
How it works Facilitators introduce a range of question types designed to deepen discussion – together these types of questions form the mnemonic close up:
Clarity “what do you mean by that? Can you put out another way?“ Linking “how is that similar to what we read earlier? How does your view compare to Amalfi‘s?“ 
Open ended “what’s happening here? What interests you about this issue?“ Synthesis “what stands out from what we discussed? What big question still lingers?” Evidence “how do you come to know this? What experience is your analysis based on?”
understanding “why do you think this is happening? How do you explain the situation?“ Priority “what matters to you most about this? What’s the most important value or principle we should consider here?“
People form into triads, and each person takes a turn as the shower, questioner, and observer.
Someone provides a topic for consideration: “what constitutes good practice?“ “When are we at our best as a community organization?“ “What’s the most important finding of this research?“ “What does the text mean to you?““How can we use this report to improve what we’re doing?“ In each triad sharer gives his or her initial response to the question and the questioner poses different types of questions from close up to draw out the sharer.
The observer takes note of what transpires, keeping track of the different kinds of questions asked. After five minutes the Triad pauses in the observer notes the variety of questions posed. Exercise is then repeated but with the rules switched after another five minutes the exercises done a final time again with the roles being switched. This way everyone is a sharer, a questioner, and an observer.
 Users appreciate acquiring a repertoire questions. They recognize the power of questioning to elicit good information. Watch out for; Not getting hung up asking all seven Sharer on a roll Skipping the debriefing

5. Strategic Questioning
Topics:
“What constitutes good practice?”
“Most important finding of this research?”
“What does the text mean to you?”
Strategic questioning
How it works Someone provides a topic for consideration: “what constitutes good practice?“ “When are we at our best as a community organization?“ “What’s the most important finding of this research?“ “What does the text mean to you?““How can we use this report to improve what we’re doing?“ In each triad sharer gives his or her initial response to the question and the questioner poses different types of questions from close up to draw out the sharer.
The observer takes note of what transpires, keeping track of the different kinds of questions asked. After five minutes the Triad pauses in the observer notes the variety of questions posed. Exercise is then repeated but with the rules switched after another five minutes the exercises done a final time again with the roles being switched. This way everyone is a sharer, a questioner, and an observer.
 Users appreciate acquiring a repertoire questions. They recognize the power of questioning to elicit good information. Watch out for; Not getting hung up asking all seven Sharer on a roll Skipping the debriefing

6. Strategic Questioning
Roles to cycle every five minutes until done
Sharer: first response to question
Questioner: from CLOSE-UP
Observer: note question types, debrief
Strategic questioning
How it works  Users appreciate acquiring a repertoire questions. They recognize the power of questioning to elicit good information. Watch out for; Not getting hung up asking all seven Sharer on a roll Skipping the debriefing

7. Strategic Questioning
WATCH FOR:
Hung up asking all seven
Sharer on a roll
Skipping the debriefing
Strategic questioning

8. What Do You Think? PURPOSES:
think through what’s behind another’s comments.
What do you think?
When a group in sis that you give your opinion you tell them you will provide two or three possible answers, one of which represents your actual opinion. You also say you were going to ask people to choose which answer they feel actually represents your true believe. You didn’t give two or three plausible responses that represent different views on the issue. Standing at different stations in the room as you express each opinion helps. After hearing your responses, participants vote on which of them represents your actual opinion. People then go and stand at the station representing their vote.
At their stations you ask people to talk for two or three minutes about the reasons for their answer choice. Some choose a response because they’ve heard you express something similar before, some because it makes the most sense, or some because it seems to Talley with expert opinion or a consensus in the field. The different groups then present the reasons why they chose the response they did.
You reveal which of the responses represents your actual position and talk about the group reasons for choosing views you do not hold. Users appreciate putting the facilitator on the spot, not keeping the facilitators views a secret. They appreciate that it makes criteria visible.
Use only with important complex issues. Ensure you have convincingly plausible alternative responses. Avoid favouring one of your responses.

9. What Do You Think? When your opinion is sought:
Give 3 possible answers standing at different spots in the room, one reps your actual opinion.
Ask students to choose which answer actually represents your true belief.
What do you think?
When a group in sis that you give your opinion you tell them you will provide two or three possible answers, one of which represents your actual opinion. You also say you were going to ask people to choose which answer they feel actually represents your true believe. You didn’t give two or three plausible responses that represent different views on the issue. Standing at different stations in the room as you express each opinion helps. After hearing your responses, participants vote on which of them represents your actual opinion. People then go and stand at the station representing their vote.
At their stations you ask people to talk for two or three minutes about the reasons for their answer choice. Some choose a response because they’ve heard you express something similar before, some because it makes the most sense, or some because it seems to Talley with expert opinion or a consensus in the field. The different groups then present the reasons why they chose the response they did.
You reveal which of the responses represents your actual position and talk about the group reasons for choosing views you do not hold. Users appreciate putting the facilitator on the spot, not keeping the facilitators views a secret. They appreciate that it makes criteria visible.
Use only with important complex issues. Ensure you have convincingly plausible alternative responses. Avoid favouring one of your responses.

10. What Do You Think? After opinions given:
Vote by standing at the spot you stood.
What do you think?
After hearing your responses, participants vote on which of them represents your actual opinion. People then go and stand at the station representing their vote.
At their stations you ask people to talk for two or three minutes about the reasons for their answer choice. Some choose a response because they’ve heard you express something similar before, some because it makes the most sense, or some because it seems to Talley with expert opinion or a consensus in the field. The different groups then present the reasons why they chose the response they did.
You reveal which of the responses represents your actual position and talk about the group reasons for choosing views you do not hold. Users appreciate putting the facilitator on the spot, not keeping the facilitators views a secret. They appreciate that it makes criteria visible.
Use only with important complex issues. Ensure you have convincingly plausible alternative responses. Avoid favouring one of your responses.

11. What Do You Think? At the spots:
Talk for three minutes in group about why there.
Share with larger group.
Teacher names the one and why
What do you think?
Some choose a response because they’ve heard you express something similar before, some because it makes the most sense, or some because it seems to tally with expert opinion or a consensus in the field. The different groups then present the reasons why they chose the response they did.
You reveal which of the responses represents your actual position and talk about the group reasons for choosing views you do not hold. Users appreciate putting the facilitator on the spot, not keeping the facilitators views a secret. They appreciate that it makes criteria visible.
Use only with important complex issues. Ensure you have convincingly plausible alternative responses. Avoid favouring one of your responses.

12. What Do You Think? WATCH FOR: Use only with important, complex issues
Have convincingly plausible alternative responses
Avoid showing favour to one
What do you think?

13. Quick Writes PURPOSES: To get immediate focus on issue.
Help students have something to contribute.
Practice writing.
Remove some of the anxiety of speaking.
Provide opening for text-based discussion.
Quick writes
Students write a response to a question or prompt about their prior reading of the text such as a report, SC, program evaluation, or assigned chapter. People have 2 to 3 minutes to write their answers as extensively as possible. They keep these for the group discussion. Quick rates are then used in a variety of ways in the whole group conversation they can be read verbatim in whole or in part, provide prompts for new comments, or be cited thoughts that get revised as discussion proceeds.
 Watch out for : finding the right place to contribute, that someone else has said your comment.
What are key lessons from this text and how might you use them in your life? How would you summarize this conversation for friend wasn’t here? 

14. Quick Writes
HOW TO:
ex. What are key lessons from this text and how might you use them in your life?
3 minutes in class to write response
Keep for small group discussion
Quick writes
Students write a response to a question or prompt about their prior reading of the text such as a report, SC, program evaluation, or assigned chapter. People have 2 to 3 minutes to write their answers as extensively as possible. They keep these for the group discussion. Quick rates are then used in a variety of ways in the whole group conversation they can be read verbatim in whole or in part, provide prompts for new comments, or be cited thoughts that get revised as discussion proceeds.
 Watch out for : finding the right place to contribute, that someone else has said your comment.
What are key lessons from this text and how might you use them in your life? How would you summarize this conversation for friend wasn’t here? 

15. Quick Writes Use Quick Writes in group conversation :
Read verbatim in whole or in part
Provide prompts for new comments
Be cited
As thoughts that get revised as discussion proceeds. 
Quick writes
Students write a response to a question or prompt about their prior reading of the text such as a report, SC, program evaluation, or assigned chapter. People have 2 to 3 minutes to write their answers as extensively as possible. They keep these for the group discussion. Quick rates are then used in a variety of ways in the whole group conversation they can be read verbatim in whole or in part, provide prompts for new comments, or be cited thoughts that get revised as discussion proceeds.
 Watch out for : finding the right place to contribute, that someone else has said your comment.
What are key lessons from this text and how might you use them in your life? How would you summarize this conversation for friend wasn’t here? 

16. Quick Writes WATCH FOR: finding the right place to contribute
Comment said because student hung back
Quick writes
What are key lessons from this text and how might you use them in your life? How would you summarize this conversation for friend wasn’t here? 

17. Quotes to Affirm and Challenge
PUPOSES:
ensure reading beforehand
keep discussion text-focussed
prevent inaccurate attributions
reveal similarities and differences in responses
highlight resonant or dissonant parts
Quotes to affirm and challenge
When students are asked to read preassigned material. Told to bring to the meeting one quote from the readings they wish to affirm and one they wish to challenge.
The quote to affirm could be chosen because it start to be empirically accurate or tallies with someone’s experience. Maybe it represents the most important point or the kernel of the argument. Perhaps it’s lyrically rousing or rhetorically powerful. The quote to challenge could be chosen because it’s inaccurate or incomprehensible. maybe it’s contradicted by experience or advocating something reprehensible or immoral.
People are put in small groups of five. Each person shares the quotes he or she has affirmed and challenged and the reasons they were chosen.
After discussion the small group chooses one quote to affirm and one to challenge out of all the quotes proposed. Sometimes the quote is chosen because more than one person reposes it. Sometimes it’s chosen because it prevents the most discussion or the reasoning behind ones persons choice persuades other members. The two “must come from different members of the small group. The quotes are posted around the room on Sheets of newsprint together with a summary of the reasons for the groups choices. A blank sheet was posted next each poster.
Participants are given markers to wonder the room individually and post their support for work gentian to the quotes they would Small groups then gather at their original posting to read and discuss the comments others have left. After a few minutes the whole group reconvenes to consider which quotes seem pivotal which generated the most reaction.
Everyone participates, the discussion goes deeper into the text, time spent reading the text before hand is justified. Watch the reasons are provided and common ground on the quotes can be found.

18. Quotes to Affirm and Challenge
HOW TO:
Text to read beforehand.
Bring one quote to affirm, one to challenge.
Small groups, choose each group’s challenge and affirm – 2 different members
Quotes to affirm and challenge
The quote to affirm could be chosen because it start to be empirically accurate or tallies with someone’s experience. Maybe it represents the most important point or the kernel of the argument. Perhaps it’s lyrically rousing or rhetorically powerful. The quote to challenge could be chosen because it’s inaccurate or incomprehensible. maybe it’s contradicted by experience or advocating something reprehensible or immoral.
People are put in small groups of five. Each person shares the quotes he or she has affirmed and challenged and the reasons they were chosen.
After discussion the small group chooses one quote to affirm and one to challenge out of all the quotes proposed. Sometimes the quote is chosen because more than one person reposes it. Sometimes it’s chosen because it prevents the most discussion or the reasoning behind ones persons choice persuades other members. The two “must come from different members of the small group. The quotes are posted around the room on Sheets of newsprint together with a summary of the reasons for the groups choices. A blank sheet was posted next each poster.
Participants are given markers to wonder the room individually and post their support for work gentian to the quotes they would Small groups then gather at their original posting to read and discuss the comments others have left. After a few minutes the whole group reconvenes to consider which quotes seem pivotal which generated the most reaction.
Everyone participates, the discussion goes deeper into the text, time spent reading the text before hand is justified. Watch the reasons are provided and common ground on the quotes can be found.

19. Quotes to Affirm and Challenge
AFFIRM BECAUSE:
empirically accurate or tallies with experience.
represents the most important point
lyrically rousing or rhetorically powerful
Quotes to affirm and challenge
People are put in small groups of five. Each person shares the quotes he or she has affirmed and challenged and the reasons they were chosen.
After discussion the small group chooses one quote to affirm and one to challenge out of all the quotes proposed. Sometimes the quote is chosen because more than one person reposes it. Sometimes it’s chosen because it prevents the most discussion or the reasoning behind ones persons choice persuades other members. The two “must come from different members of the small group. The quotes are posted around the room on Sheets of newsprint together with a summary of the reasons for the groups choices. A blank sheet was posted next each poster.
Participants are given markers to wonder the room individually and post their support for work gentian to the quotes they would Small groups then gather at their original posting to read and discuss the comments others have left. After a few minutes the whole group reconvenes to consider which quotes seem pivotal which generated the most reaction.
Everyone participates, the discussion goes deeper into the text, time spent reading the text before hand is justified. Watch the reasons are provided and common ground on the quotes can be found.

20. Quotes to Affirm and Challenge
CHALLENGE BECAUSE:
inaccurate or incomprehensible
contradicted by experience
advocating something reprehensible or immoral
Quotes to affirm and challenge
The quotes are posted around the room on Sheets of newsprint together with a summary of the reasons for the groups choices. A blank sheet was posted next each poster.
Participants are given markers to wonder the room individually and post their support for work gentian to the quotes they would Small groups then gather at their original posting to read and discuss the comments others have left. After a few minutes the whole group reconvenes to consider which quotes seem pivotal which generated the most reaction.
Everyone participates, the discussion goes deeper into the text, time spent reading the text before hand is justified. Watch the reasons are provided and common ground on the quotes can be found.

21. Quotes to Affirm and Challenge
AFTER DISCUSSION:
Post chosen quotes around room on big sheets with a summary of reasons for choice.
Blank sheet posted next to each poster.
Wander the room individually and post their support or challenge.
Small groups gather at original posting to discuss new comments
Reconvenes to consider which seem pivotal, which generated the most reaction.
Quotes to affirm and challenge

22. Quotes to Affirm and Challenge
WATCH FOR:
discussion goes deeper into the text
time spent reading the text beforehand is justified
reasons are provided
common ground can be found
Quotes to affirm and challenge

23. Titling the Text PURPOSES:
practice in analyzing and discussing a text closely
identify the main ideas in a text
justify a summary title
Titling the text
Participants are giving a short untitled article about 700 words roughly the length of a typical op Ed column to read on their own.
Individually did make a few notes about the main idea of the article and think about a possible title for the article. In groups of five or six each member proposes a title and describes how this reflects the main idea covered. The group chooses a single title the best reflects the articles main idea. Creative mixing and matching occurs as members incorporate elements of different totals. Each group presents its total reasons for choosing it to the gallon. Whole group discuss his strengths and weaknesses of the various titles and then select the one that best fits the article.
It focusses thinking. It unleashes creativity.
Watch out for: Uninformed choices. Not giving reasons. Neglecting to model the process

24. Titling the Text HOW TO: Pre-read a 700 word untitled article
Make notes about the main idea
Consider possible titles
Titling the text
In groups of five or six each member proposes a title and describes how this reflects the main idea covered. The group chooses a single title the best reflects the articles main idea. Creative mixing and matching occurs as members incorporate elements of different totals. Each group presents its total reasons for choosing it to the gallon. Whole group discuss his strengths and weaknesses of the various titles and then select the one that best fits the article.
It focusses thinking. It unleashes creativity.
Watch out for: Uninformed choices. Not giving reasons. Neglecting to model the process

25. Titling the Text HOW TO:
In small group, each proposes a title, describes how title reflects the main idea.
Group chooses one title
Each group presents its reasons for
Whole class discusses the various titles
Then select the best fit
Titling the text
Creative mixing and matching occurs as members incorporate elements of different totals. In groups of five or six each member proposes a title and describes how this reflects the main idea covered. The group chooses a single title the best reflects the articles main idea. Creative mixing and matching occurs as members incorporate elements of different totals. Each group presents its total reasons for choosing it to the gallon. Whole group discuss his strengths and weaknesses of the various titles and then select the one that best fits the article.
It focusses thinking. It unleashes creativity.
Watch out for: Uninformed choices. Not giving reasons. Neglecting to model the process

26. Titling the Text WATCH FOR: Uninformed choices Not giving reasons
Modelling process of reasoning to selection
Titling the text
Creative mixing and matching occurs as members incorporate elements of different totals.  
It focusses thinking. It unleashes creativity.
Watch out for: