Authentic participation for successful discussions in the classroom

Topic-focused participation

Perhaps you are familiar with this common scenario- two or more students begin an animated discussion on the topic at hand, only for it to go off on a tangent a few minutes later! Though the students are clearly engaged, they have completely veered off-topic. Looking back, you realize their discussion had the makings of a wonderful follow-up discussion or research project, but the students were not authentically participating. As a teacher, it’s certainly easy to get swayed by their enthusiasm, especially when they are being respectful to one another and supporting their ideas. Before you know it, you end up going off-topic yourself. It’s happened to the best of us!

However, a more effective approach is for the facilitator (that’s you!) to encourage their enthusiasm but also gently remind them of the task and topic at hand. When you notice students making inauthentic individual comments during focused discussions in the classroom, the facilitator should address them directly only if students are becoming distracted and the conversation is derailed. These pointers will make it infinitely more likely that subsequent discussions in the classroom will be more successful. If students ignore the inauthentic comments, then a better approach is to simply discuss the concept of authentic participation with the individual student at a later time. 

Reflective activity in class discussions

Authentic participation requires more than simply making statements; it requires actual reflection. It is a skill that is most often practiced through writing essays, reading responses, journal writing, etc.) but is rarely used in a group setting or as an aspect of discussions. We would even argue that it is still one of the least emphasized intellectual skills in the US today. So what do we exactly mean by reflective activities? We are referring to thoughtfulness (in the sense of full thought) put into action through spoken word. In a class discussion, this means considering both the material at hand (whether it be a text, a set of questions, a poem, etc.) and what others have said prior to speaking.

A word about silence! In a balanced class discussion, there will inevitably be moments of silence that last up to a minute or even two. Though it might feel like an eternity to most, it can be extremely productive if it is used by students to actually think about the material at hand and what is being said. Typically, (and we’re sure you’ve all been there before) when silence fills the air during a discussion, it is often quickly filled by the teacher asking follow-up questions or sharing knowledge about the topic. Most teachers tend to panic and feel like they need to fill every little space up.

In reality, though this type of classroom interaction may be appropriate for some discussions, (most notably when leading students to a particular understanding of a topic), it tends to allow students ‘off the hook’ in terms of creating their own unique thoughts and ideas about the topic. Students often automatically shut off if they know their teacher will fill the silence. However, if you, as the facilitator, show a little patience and wait for your students to break the silence, you’ll often be thoroughly surprised and rewarded with a conversation of much greater depth- and isn’t that what we all want? We know it takes a little time and practice on both sides- but it is well worth trying. If you’re unsure of how to ‘wean’ your students off of relying on you to fill in the silence, you can try letting them know prior to the discussion that silence is a good thing! It means both you and your students are reflecting.

Let them know that if it gets silent, you won’t be jumping in, but there is no need to panic. It may time a little time before everyone feels comfortable with those silences, but you’ll be amazed at what slowly unfolds when everyone is given the time and space to digest and reflect on the topic before talking. We know what you’re thinking right about now! “Come on, there’s got to be moments where I’ve got to jump in, right?” Yes, absolutely- not all pauses are created equal! Sometimes, silence means students need to be asked a probing question or simply move on to a different idea.

As the facilitator, it is your job to consider why there is silence in the first place. Is it because the current line of thinking has been completely explored, or is it because your students are waiting to be told what to think? If it is the former, then you might need to ask a question that encourages students to consider a different idea or to consider their current line of thinking. If, however, students are simply being intellectually lazy or need to go back and review the material more carefully, then promoting reflection by asking another question and practicing wait-time may be the most effective facilitator response.

You are NOT the focus!

The last indicator of authentic participation and a key aspect of successful discussions in the classroom is whether the students are talking directly to the facilitator or to each other. If they are speaking to you, they may still be waiting for you to give them the ‘right answer’ or to give them some guidance.

Until students stop looking at their teacher for direction, a natural student-led discussion will not unfold. To combat this common behavior, it’s best to prepare your class prior to the discussion beginning. Let them know that eye contact (on your part) will be kept to a minimum, not because you are being rude but because you are trying to encourage them to talk with one another!

We are well aware that this lack of eye contact can be extremely difficult and feel very unnatural for most teachers (as a Greek, it feels virtually impossible!) as we are so used to giving (and students are used to receiving) positive reinforcement through eye contact, head nods, and words of encouragement. In student-led discussions, however, your students are the ones leading the discussion. The audience for comments and the source of feedback should be students, not the teacher! Otherwise, the teacher remains the center of the conversation. As the facilitator, you want to try and minimize your input. Reminders may be necessary, but simply looking away from the speaker to another student or down at notes is often enough of a nudge to remind a student to look at other participants instead of you. Remind your students that the discussion is theirs- not yours! 

We hope you’ve found this deep dive into the topic of authentic participation valuable. Stay tuned for more tips and ideas on how to create successful student-led class discussions!

Further Reading

Creating an Emotionally Safe Classroom for Succesful Class Discussions

20 Tips for Creating a Safe Learning Environment

Belonging and Emotional Safety

Psychological Safety in the Classroom

To Enable Learning, Put (Emotional) Safety First

How to Foster a Sense of Community with Student-Driven Class Discussions

Six Simple Formats for Powerful Class Discussions