Discussion+Techniques

=**English Mr. Greenhill **= =**“Five Guidelines for Shared Inquiry ****™ **** Discussion” (from the website of The Great Books Foundation, http://www.greatbooks.org/programs-for-all-ages/pd/what-is-shared-inquiry/discussion-guidelines/) **= =“These guidelines, observed by Great Books discussion participants of all ages, will help your group have focused and lively conversations about the selection. = = = =** From Mr. Greenhill: **= =**There are 3 types of questions in Shared Inquiry: factual, interpretive, and evaluative. ** The discussion begins with the Basic Question, an interpretive question. A good interpretive question has genuine doubt about its answer, applies specifically to the text under discussion and no other, is clear, and can be supported by evidence from the text. There are many good answers to an interpretive question; support from the text is the key factor in making them good. Factual questions have one right answer. Evaluative questions require take us a step further, to a point where we relate our own experiences to our interpretations of the text. =
 * 1) =**Read the selection carefully before participating in the discussion. ** If participants have not read the selection, they cannot support their opinions with evidence from the reading or respond to other participants’ ideas about the selection. =
 * 2) =**Discuss only the selection everyone has read. ** This will give everyone an equal chance to contribute, as all participants in the discussion will be familiar with the discussion topic. By keeping the focus on the selection, no one is excluded and the discussion does not drift off on tangents about personal experiences or film versions of the selection. =
 * 3) =**Support your ideas with evidence from the selection. ** Discussion is more rigorous when participants back up their ideas. And students' reading comprehension and critical-thinking skills are improved when they're expected to analyze the selection carefully. The Shared Inquiry method helps students learn to go beyond just agreeing with a classmate or discussion leader as they explain their reasoning and link it to evidence in the selection. =
 * 4) =**Listen to other participants and respond to them directly. ** Shared Inquiry discussion is about the give-and-take of ideas, a willingness to listen to others and to talk to them respectfully. By directing comments and questions to other group members, and not always to the leader, participants will find discussion more spirited and dynamic. =
 * 5) =**<span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Expect the leader only to ask questions. **=