You are in the hallway outside Ms. Discussion Meltdown's classroom at just the right time! She is in dire need of your feedback, as students in her classroom are struggling with productive discussions. In their discussions, students are frequently disagreeing with each other, but those disagreements are perceived as personal attacks, so students are upset or are reluctant to challenge each other.

Before trying to help Ms. Discussion Meltdown, take some time to discuss the key components of a successful classroom discussion. Playing in the background for 4 minutes is a podcast about discussion created by the Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. (http://teaching.uncc.edu/podcast/effective-classroom-discussions)

As you listen, think about the following prompts. Discuss them with your group after listening to the podcast.

1. What are the important elements of a discussion described by Maria, the expert teaching in the podcast? Has she discussed all important elements of a discussion? What other factors contribute to effective classroom discussions?

2. What other strategies have you used or have you observed that facilitate quality discussion?

3. Why, exactly, do you believe classroom discussions belong in the English or Language Arts classroom?

4. What do you believe will be the greatest challenge in teaching students how to effectively engage in classroom discussions?

Feeling confident in the ways in which discussion enhances learning and the strategies that make good discussions happen, take a step into Ms. Discussion Meltdown's classroom.