Student-Led Discussions: How Do I Promote Rich Conversations About Books, Videos, and Other Media? (ASCD Arias), Jul/2014

Do you want your students to take ownership of and become more independent during reading discussions? Are you looking to enhance your teaching of higher-order thinking and 21st century skills? Do you want to ensure that all students develop strong speaking and listening skills? In Student-Led Discussions, author Sandi Novak offers you the resources you need to develop meaningful student-led conversations about text and media across the content areas. In addition to providing a discussion framework that requires students to think deeply and communicate effectively, she includes advice for how to

1. Introduce and cultivate student-led discussions about literary and informational material at any grade.
2. Establish core instructional elements that students need to engage in rich discussions about content.
3. Recognize and evaluate effective student-led discussions.
4. Understand your role as the teacher when students are leading their own discussions.

The skills that students acquire through discussions that they themselves facilitate—speaking and listening abilities, reading comprehension, and competency with text-based questions among them—align with established state and national standards and are necessary for all students to succeed in school and life.