PN7: Facilitating Discussion (in-Person)

Most teachers can recall a seminar that fell flat: a question posed, silence returned, the same two voices filling the room while everyone else watches the clock. Practice Note 7 argues this is not a motivation problem. It is a design problem, and it is fixable.

This note gives you three evidence-based levers for transforming discussion in seminars and tutorials. First, question design: learn why asking “what did the author argue?” shuts a room down, while a question with more than one defensible answer opens it up. Second, wait time: Rowe’s landmark research found that pausing for just three seconds after a question, rather than the usual one, measurably increases how many students respond and how deeply they think before speaking. Third, participation as structure rather than personality: practical techniques including think-pair-share, structured invitation, and fishbowl formats that redistribute contribution without singling anyone out.

A worked scenario shows the approach in action: a tutor whose sessions were carried by two confident voices redesigns her questions and pacing, and within three weeks has eight previously silent students contributing.

You will also find a five-step implementation sequence ready to apply to your next session, a table of approaches that work against common pitfalls to avoid, and a Discussion Design Check, a self-audit tool for testing whether your questions and structures are built for broad participation before you walk into the room.

Grounded in Brookfield and Preskill, Walsh and Sattes, Rowe, and Tanner. Written for practitioners, readable in one sitting, and built to be used immediately.