1. COSEE California Communicating Ocean Sciences Session 9: Promoting Discussion

2. COSEE California Session 9 objectives Learn: The “wait time” technique The importance of hand raising and other response techniques The technique of asking “safe” questions to get everyone involved Ways of dealing with incorrect information Asking broad questions requires acknowledgement of all responses Asking focused questions requires a response from the teacher to summarize or close the interaction How to frame responses to answers to a broad question and how to focus overly broad questions

3. COSEE California Prompts for questioning Timing of Teacher responses Strategies for involving everyone in the discussion Types of Teacher responses to the Student responses Types of questions asked by Teacher How Students respond to Teacher questions

4. COSEE California Use of wait time: After a three-second wait, more students will be ready to contribute to a discussion. Students also tend to respond with whole sentences and complete thoughts if they have more time to compose an answer. Overuse of wait time diminishes this effect.

5. COSEE California Use of hand raising: A teacher cannot utilize wait time without a way to control the discussion and ensure whole group participation. It’s very important, when asking a question for a group, that the teacher makes it clear how the students are expected to respond: raising their hands, calling out, using hand signals, etc.

6. COSEE California Encouraging the reluctant-to-speak student: To build confidence, ask “safe” questions that you know they can easily answer.

7. COSEE California Responding to broad questions: Broad questions require accepting responses and should bring about further thought and interaction.

8. COSEE California Effects of accepting responses: Create a safe climate for a variety of responses Allow students to be responsible for deciding what to do for themselves, take risks, and learn consequences of their actions

9. COSEE California Focused questions: Always require a response from the teacher that is in the from of either “informing” or “praising” the student. The teacher’s response usually either summarizes or closes the episode.

10. COSEE California Praising or informing responses: A praising or informing response to a broad question such as, “that’s right” or “no, that’s wrong,” may bring about confusion, and students may stop talking.

11. COSEE California Overly broad questions: If a question is too broad, students may not respond at all, or may do so in very vague terms. A teacher may need to ask a more focused question to shift students toward more specific answers.

12. COSEE California Student Answers Discuss in your group how you might respond to the following student responses to the question: “What can you tell me about things that float without using tricks?”  “Spoons float.”  “The moculas they’re moving. But then they stop. And when they stop, it floats.”  “Light things float.”  “Things that are less dense than water float.”  “My uncle has a boat. And when we go fishing, we catch lotsa fish, but my brother doesn’t like to fish, ‘cause he thinks they’re gross.”

13. COSEE California Accepting Responses Responding to Broad Questions Broad questions require accepting responses and should bring about further thought and interaction.  Passive Acceptance A response that does not indicate agreement or disagreement with the student’s answer. Allows the teacher to acknowledge the contribution made by the student. Can be useful to use when a student gives a convoluted answer, and the teacher wants to encourage continued discussion. Examples: "Could be." or “Interesting idea.”

14. COSEE California Accepting Responses Responding to Broad Questions Broad questions require accepting responses and should bring about further thought and interaction.  Active Acceptance Restating the student’s answer in a way that shows understanding. Lets the student know that the idea has been received and understood, also helps clarify student statements. Example: "So Sara is saying that the wood floats."

15. COSEE California Accepting Responses Responding to Broad Questions Broad questions require accepting responses and should bring about further thought and interaction.  Empathic Acceptance Teacher attempts to explain the reasoning behind the student’s answer. Lets the student know the teacher understands what they’re saying as well as the evidence (or the emotion) behind it. Example: “Oh I see why you think that all metals stick to magnets, because look at all these metal objects—they all stick.”

16. COSEE California Accepting Responses Responding to Focused Questions Focused questions require a response from the teacher that either informs or praises the student. The teacher’s response usually summarizes or ends the interaction. Informing responses Teacher provides information about whether the student has responded correctly. It serves to confirm or re-direct the student’s response. Example: “That’s right, it is a liquid.” or “That’s partly right, except for…”

17. COSEE California Accepting Responses Responding to Focused Questions Focused questions require a response from the teacher that either informs or praises the student. The teacher’s response usually summarizes or ends the interaction. Praising responses Teacher acknowledges a correct answer and congratulates the student. Encourages the student. Example: “ Good job!”

18. COSEE California Dealing with wrong answers: Suggest re-testing to confirm results Guide the group to discover more evidence by teaching subsequent lesson Give an empathic response or Ask for the evidence for their response

19. COSEE California Oil on the Beach

20. COSEE California If you had the opportunity to help clean up an oil spill, what would you use?

21. COSEE California Quick write Which item would you most highly recommend to scientists to use when cleaning up an oil spill? Which item would you definitely NOT recommend?

22. COSEE California Group discussion What can we do to prevent oil spills from happening in the first place?

23. COSEE California Strategy Checklist:  Group attention-getting techniques  Student response strategies: Hand raising Hand signals Tell a neighbor Partner discussion, then large group discussion Quick-write assignment  Materials management strategies  Explanation of procedures  Positive learning environment  Strategies for dealing with disagreement  Teacher responses to student responses: Passive Active Empathic

24. COSEE California Strategy Checklist:  Learning Cycle Invitation Exploration Concept Introduction Application ---------------------------------  Wait time  Finding out what students think  Checking for understanding  Discussion away from distracting materials  Appropriate broad and narrow questions (jot down some examples)  Activities provide opportunities to discover concepts  Opportunities to see conflict in ideas