SILENT DISCUSSIONSWriting to Learn in all content areas

What is a Silent Discussion?

Class Discussion, except

• Everyone participates• Everyone thinks• Everyone writes

More of this…

… and less of this

(Yes, this is James Franco)

Silent Discussion = Process Writing

• Process > Product

• Just like a classroom discussion!

Research Base

Process writing is the most effective strategy to raise reading scores (effect size 0.72)

Writing to Read, 2010

Silent Discussion

1. Read “Boss Hog—Part 1”

2. Form groups of 4

3. Distribute a prompt to each member of the group

4. Respond to your prompt: 2 minutes

5. Pass clockwise

6. Respond to either the new prompt or your partner

7. Continue to pass and respond until you receive your prompt (four passes)

8. Summarize the discussion for the group

General Procedure

1. Generate discussion questions

2. Group students in fours

3. Give students 2-4 minutes to write in each round

4. Give students option to respond to prompt or previous students

5. Original responders should summarize discussion for group—in writing or verbally

6. Give small groups time to discuss verbally

7. Move to whole class discussion if desired

Silent Discussion Prompts/QuestionsCan be general:• How does this relate to what we’ve learned so far in this unit?• What are the most import ideas to remember from the

reading? Why?• What was the hardest part for you to understand? What did

you do to help yourself?

Can be specific:• List the steps in the Krebs Cycle.• How would the US have been different if FDR lost the election

in 1932?• How can this formula be applied in a real-life situation?

Flexibility

Silent discussion can be used • Before a traditional class discussion

• Everyone will have something to say!

• After a traditional class discussion• Everyone will get to participate!

Can be used to process reading:

Can be used to process video:

Can be used to process a lab:

Can be used to process a field trip:

Can be used to process a performance:

Can be used to process a game:

Or just about anything else!

Variations• Have students generate discussion questions (advanced)

• Allow students to generate discussion without prompts—i.e. begin with a blank sheet of paper (even more advanced)

What Can Go Wrong?

Unprepared students (didn’t read, absent for lab, etc.)

• Option 1: Hold them out and have them catch up on work

• Option 2: Let them participate, sharing what they do know and posing insightful questions about what they don’t

What Can Go Wrong?

• Fluent and Disfluent writers in the same class• Option 1: Homogenous

grouping • Option 2: Heterogeneous

grouping

• This kind of writing builds fluency!

Assessment

• Use as a formative assessment• What do they know?• Where are the gaps in

their understanding?• What do I need to

reteach?

Assessment

Give students participation points/credit

Silent Discussion should take almost no time to grade!

Assessment

Skim students’ writing for content

• Don’t assess conventions! (spelling, punctuation, grammar)

Your turn

Generate a set of four silent discussion prompts you can use during first term.

Share with neighbors/group.