Socratic Seminar Alexis fisher

basics Should be used as an AFTER READING strategy The goal is to increase comprehension and language use Inquiry based approach Modeled after Socrates- “dialogue is the path to solving complex issues with opposing viewpoints” Used almost exclusively to discuss a difficult text

Outcomes Student should be able to: While: Interpret major themes Think critically about a text Support reasoning through textual evidence While: Stating their opinions to an audience Listen to others’ opinions without interrupting

The process Choose a text that is complex and/or has more than one interpretation (ex. “The Yellow Wallpaper”) Create text-dependent questions Students should refer back to text to answer Eventually the students should be able to take this over Give students time to process and work with the text-have them annotate as they read Will give discussion more depth Culminating activity (most instruction should have already occurred)

Classroom arrangement Desks and chairs can be arranged in several ways One large circle Two circles; an inner circle and outer circle It would be the inner circle’s job to participate in the discussion Outer circle would take notes and actively listen to inner circle (pick one person to focus on) Then they would switch Would work particularly well with large classes or classes that require high structure Develop a “parking lot” Will encourage participation without interruption

Possible arrangement www.rhscontentliteracies.org

Student expectations Communicate rules for the seminar This includes both the inner and outer circle For evaluation, create a minimum number of contributions Ex. Each student must speak three times while they are in the inner circle Can be a question, clarification, or response Make it clear that students should not interrupt or put down their classmates. Have discussion with students about their own expectations for the seminar

questions Students should have their text with them The first question should be general but thought provoking Will not be answered quickly Silence is okay at the beginning! Create questions dependent on text as a framework Students should be able to add their own insights and questions from the parking lot Teacher is a facilitator-should not respond to questions except to guide the discussion

closing Closing questions should help students make connections with their background knowledge After the seminar: Students should reflect on their experiences (contributions, ideas, new interpretations) Students should turn in their notes Also reflection time for the teacher (What worked? What didn’t?)

Works cited Fisher, D., Brozo, W.G., Frey, N., & Ivey, G. (2015). 50 instructional routines to develop content literacy (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson. (2014). “Teaching Strategy: Socratic Seminar.” Facing History and ourselves. https://www.facinghistory.org/for-educators/educator-resources/teaching-strategies/socratic-seminar