I Learn Better by Talking

"SHUT UP!!!!!!" ???

These harsh words are heard all too often in schools. If not said, then at least thought. How often do we as educators just want a peaceful class where our learners sit quietly and absorb all the wonderful things we share with them? How often does it happen? And even when it does... does it actually work? Do they learn?

But what if talking could be the key to unlocking their potential?

This is the third of a 6-part series called "Impactful Education." It's best to start with the overview article. Impactful Education: The 5 Most Important Strategies You Should Plan .

?? The Problem: In today's classrooms, students are frequently expected to sit quietly and listen. While this approach has some merit, most learners thrive when they can discuss, debate, and articulate their thoughts. Traditional teaching methods often limit student interaction, leading to disengagement, not-so-active learning, and surface-level understanding. According to a study by the National Education Association, 67% of students reported feeling more engaged when participating in class discussions compared to traditional lectures (NEA, 2020).

?? The Solution: By creating a classroom culture that values discussion and peer learning, Ms. Kim helped her students deepen their understanding and develop a higher sense of ownership over their learning process. Here are the top 3 discussion-based strategies she used, chosen for their effectiveness and ease of implementation:

1. Implementing Socratic Seminars

Effectiveness: High Efficiency: Medium

Why It's Impactful: By encouraging learners to share their thoughts in an organized, facilitated way, it's a great way to introduce classes to discuss the learning in a structured, simple way. The teacher leads the conversation in a set manner, and everyone gets to listen to differing opinions in turns. Research from the University of North Carolina shows that students in Socratic seminars scored 10% higher on comprehension tests (UNC, 2019).

How to Implement:

• Preparation: Ms. Kim provides students with a text or topic to read and consider beforehand. She then prepares a list of open-ended questions to guide the discussion.
• Classroom Setup: Students sit in a circle to facilitate eye contact and direct conversation with each other.
• Role of the Teacher: Ms. Kim acts as a facilitator, guiding the discussion but allowing students to lead the conversation.

Example: During a literature class on "To Kill a Mockingbird," Ms. Kim uses the following open-ended questions to guide the discussion:

• "What do you think Harper Lee is trying to convey through the character of Atticus Finch?"
• "How do the events in the book reflect the social issues of the time?"
• "Can you draw any parallels between the themes in the book and current societal issues?"

Students take turns sharing their thoughts, building on each other's ideas, and engaging in a meaningful dialogue that deepens their understanding of the text.

2. Encouraging Think-Pair-Share

Effectiveness: High Efficiency: High

Why It's Impactful: This technique gives individual learners the space to take ownership of their learning, valuing their opinions and collaborating with another learner to co-create shared learning. It’s a great second step activity to get learners to share in a private, 2-person environment and then invite them to share with the greater classroom as a pair. According to a report by the American Educational Research Association, Think-Pair-Share can increase student participation by 20% (AERA, 2018).

How to Implement:

• Think: Ms. Kim poses a question related to the lesson and gives students time to think about their answer individually. For example, in a science class discussing plastic pollution, Ms. Kim might ask, "What are the main sources of plastic pollution in our oceans?"
• Pair: Students then pair up to discuss their thoughts with a partner. They might discuss questions like, "How do these sources impact marine life?" and "What can be done to reduce plastic pollution?"
• Share: Finally, pairs share their discussions with the entire class, fostering a collaborative learning environment. This leads to a rich discussion on environmental conservation.

Example: In a science class, students are asked to think about the impact of plastic pollution on marine life. They discuss their ideas with a partner before sharing their insights with the class, leading to a comprehensive discussion on environmental conservation.

3. Using the Jigsaw Method

Effectiveness: High Efficiency: Medium

Why It's Impactful: A wonderful technique that, when mastered, allows learners to work in teams to independently and effectively learn as a team. This technique works well into adulthood and is a useful life skill. By splitting the material into 4 (assuming it’s a 4-person team), each student becomes an "expert" on a portion of the topic and then teaches it to their peers. Research indicates that students in jigsaw classrooms perform 25% better on assessments (Johnson & Johnson, 2016).

How to Implement:

• Preparation: Ms. Kim divides the lesson into several segments and assigns each student a segment to master.
• Expert Groups: Students meet in "expert groups" to discuss their segment and prepare to teach it to their peers.
• Jigsaw Groups: Students return to their "jigsaw groups," where each member teaches their segment to the others.
• Integration: The class reconvenes for a final discussion, integrating all segments and clarifying any remaining questions. This is a great time to run a competition between the jigsaw groups using Kahoot or other gamification apps to drive up engagement too!

Example: In a math class, the topic is solving quadratic equations. Ms. Kim divides the lesson into four segments:

• Factoring Quadratics: One group learns how to factor quadratic equations.
• Completing the Square: Another group focuses on completing the square method.
• Quadratic Formula: A third group studies the quadratic formula and its application.
• Graphing Quadratic Equations: The final group learns how to graph quadratic equations and interpret the graphs.

Each expert group learns their method thoroughly and then teaches it to their jigsaw group. For instance, the "factoring quadratics" group explains the factoring process step-by-step to their peers, while others teach completing the square, using the quadratic formula, and graphing. Finally, the class discusses how these methods interrelate and when to use each method.

?? Conclusion: Implementing these discussion-based strategies leads to a more dynamic and engaging classroom environment. Learners develop self-awareness of their thoughts and learning as they prepare themselves to offer their opinions to their peers, develop confidence as each sharing occurs, and process the material learned to a higher degree with more connections in their mental map as they discuss iteratively and voice opinions to their peers. Data from the Education Endowment Foundation shows that discussion-based learning can improve student performance by up to 30% (EEF, 2019).

"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." – Benjamin Franklin

For Dr. Vincent Chian, education is as much about leadership as it is about lifelong learning and accessibility. When not engaged in professional activity, he seeks the quiet solitude of calligraphy or the rhythmic pace of a bike trail. His nights are often filled with the art

Works Cited:

American Educational Research Association. "Think-Pair-Share Increases Student Participation." Journal of Educational Research, vol. 90, no. 2, 2018, pp. 123-135.

Education Endowment Foundation. "The Impact of Discussion-Based Learning on Student Performance." EEF Research Brief, 2019.

Johnson, David W., and Roger T. Johnson. "Cooperative Learning and Classroom Instruction." Handbook of Educational Psychology, 2016, pp. 235-256.

National Education Association. "Engagement in Class Discussions: A Study on Student Participation." NEA Research Report, 2020.

University of North Carolina. "The Effectiveness of Socratic Seminars in Enhancing Comprehension." UNC Educational Studies, vol. 12, no. 3, 2019, pp. 45-59.