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Group Discussion Skills in Teaching

Group discussions are useful for developing everyday life, job interview, and language skills. They come in different types like making decisions, sharing opinions, creating things, and solving problems. Teachers should help students develop skills like analysis, persuasion, emotion control, and support. When setting up discussions, teachers should provide planning time, interesting topics, balanced participation, and varied group sizes. Feedback should focus on specific skills, student effectiveness, and self-analysis using methods like video reviews and notes. The conclusion states that discussions benefit all students through preparation for interviews and extended speaking practice.

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17 views4 pages

Group Discussion Skills in Teaching

Group discussions are useful for developing everyday life, job interview, and language skills. They come in different types like making decisions, sharing opinions, creating things, and solving problems. Teachers should help students develop skills like analysis, persuasion, emotion control, and support. When setting up discussions, teachers should provide planning time, interesting topics, balanced participation, and varied group sizes. Feedback should focus on specific skills, student effectiveness, and self-analysis using methods like video reviews and notes. The conclusion states that discussions benefit all students through preparation for interviews and extended speaking practice.

Uploaded by

Izzati Shams
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

English for Teaching 2

Module 2: In your opinion Coursebook

Using a mind map with a reading text

Reading: Using a mind map with a reading text

Read the text and transfer the information into a mind map.

1) Why teach group discussion skills?


Developing group discussion skills is useful for everyday life, as we regularly find ourselves
having discussions among friends, family and colleagues. These may vary from very informal
chats about day-to- day things to more serious topics; for example, a discussion about a recent
news story or a problem that needs to be solved.
● Additionally, group discussions are increasingly being used in the job market during
interviews and selection procedures. These can take a variety of formats, but the key skills
remain very similar.
● Last but not least, group discussions offer an opportunity for extended speaking (and
listening!) practice by all of the contributors. Group discussion practice and skill development
is therefore useful for all students.

2) Types of discussion
There are a variety of different types of discussions that occur naturally and which we can
recreate in the classroom. These include discussions where the participants have to:
● Make decisions (e.g. decide who to invite to a party and where to seat them).
● Give and/or share their opinions on a given topic (e.g. discussing beliefs about
the effectiveness of capital punishment).
●Create something (e.g. plan and make a poster as a medium for feedback on a language
course).
● Solve a problem (e.g. discussing the situations behind a series of logic problems).
Some discussion topics may fall into more than one of these categories, but it is useful to
consider a variety of formats to which the students can apply the skills they are learning.
English for Teaching 2
Module 2: In your opinion Coursebook

3) Useful sub-skills for students


Students need to develop the ability to:
● Analyse You can develop this skill by giving students the topic individually and asking them
to brainstorm or mind-map possible sub-topics they could speak about. They then
exchange their notes and assess the relevance of each of the sub-topics. Then, the
students draw up a fresh list or mind- map and discuss how to link the sub-topic with
examples for reasons for any arguments they have.
● Persuade This skill comes in useful in making decisions on how to do something. A fun
activity to develop this skill is to give groups of students a topic to discuss and make notes
about. You then re-group the students and ask them to persuade the other members of the
group, using their notes. The group members who have the most from their original lists
are the winners.
● Control emotions Give the students a controversial topic, such as ‘Friends are more
important than family’ and ask them to decide whether they agree or have no opinion.
They make notes on their arguments to support their view. Divide the students into mixed
groups. Explain that the aim is to keep their voices low and try to control their emotions.
Monitor and give feedback on these areas.
● Support Students need to learn when it is and isn’t appropriate to interrupt and how to do it.

4) Setting up group discussions


There are several key things to consider when setting up group discussions in the classroom
to ensure that they run successfully:
● Give the students some planning time, either individually or in small groups. Don’t just give
them the topic and say ‘go’! It is often useful to discuss some associated vocabulary or
functional language that they might find useful.
● Choose topics that you are confident your students will find interesting.
● Get them to brainstorm some ideas for discussions they would like to do and use this as a
starting point.
● Ensure a balance between input and practice.
● Use a variety of styles/types.
● Vary group size and procedure.
Some companies undertake selection group discussions with very large groups of
people – over ten in some cases. If your students will be facing these types of group
discussions in the future make sure they get some practice doing them. It can also be
useful to mix classes of students so they have practice doing discussions with people
they don’t already know.
English for Teaching 2
Module 2: In your opinion Coursebook

● Encourage group discussions outside class time.


Give students some extra feedback forms to use to give each other input on how they
perform in group discussions outside of class.

5) Giving and encouraging feedback


Feedback can take several forms and it is a good idea to vary the way it is given. Students
can observe each other doing group discussions and give each other feedback on the
specific areas of input that you have covered (ideally using a feedback form that you have
created).
● Additionally, students can do a ‘Reflective group feedback exercise’ where, at the end of the
group discussion, they discuss how effective each of the participants was during the
discussion. Again, giving them some focused questions to guide this stage will help them.
● You could also try video-taping the group discussions and playing sections of this back to
the class to analyse. Some students find this extremely useful.
● Finally, monitor the groups yourself and make notes for feedback on whole groups or
individual performances. Keeping a record of these will help you and the students to see
where they have improved.

Conclusion
As we have seen, group discussions can take a variety of formats and are useful for all types
of students. They can be done in preparation for job interviews or as extended speaking
practice simply to increase fluency.
It is important to consider the different sub-skills that are involved in participating in a group
discussion and ensure that you do activities that address each of these. Additionally, structuring
and varying the way that feedback is given will help the students to identify areas for
improvement.
English for Teaching 2
Module 2: In your opinion Coursebook

B. Types of discussion
1. Make decisions
2. Give and share their opinions
on a given topic
3. Create something
4. Solve a problem

A. Why teach group [Link] sub-skills for


discussion skills? students
- used in job market 1. Analyse
- chance to improve speaking 2. Persuade
and listening skills. 3. Control emotions
4. Support
Group
discussions

E. Giving and D. Setting up group


encouraging feedback discussions
1. planning time
- focus on spesific area of input 2. Choose topics
- discuss about the effectiveness 3. Ensure a balance
of each participants 4. Variety of styles
- analyse using video-taping 5. Vary group size
- monitor the groups and make notes 6. Group discussion outside

Common questions

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To effectively develop persuasion skills, students can be given topics to discuss and initially make notes in small groups. Subsequently, they are reorganized into new groups where they must use their notes to persuade others in the group. Success is measured by how much of their original input remains persuasive to the group, emphasizing effective use of evidence and argumentation .

Emotion control in group discussions can be practiced by assigning students controversial topics and instructing them to keep voices low and emotions in check while discussing. This skill is crucial in maintaining a constructive dialogue and teaches students to engage in discussions thoughtfully, without allowing emotions to override logical reasoning .

Decision-making is a critical component in group discussions, teaching students to evaluate options, weigh pros and cons, and reach consensus. It can be effectively taught by assigning scenarios requiring decisions, encouraging deliberation, and fostering teamwork to assess and agree on solutions .

Classroom discussions can replicate decision-making scenarios, opinion sharing on topics, collaborative creation tasks, and problem-solving exercises. These discussions are significant as they align with real-world communication needs, enhancing critical thinking, cooperative learning, and creativity among students .

Effective group discussions should be set up by allowing planning time, introducing relevant vocabulary, choosing interesting topics, ensuring a balance of input and practice, and varying discussion styles and group sizes. It’s also beneficial to encourage discussions outside class and use feedback mechanisms to guide improvement .

Varied feedback is crucial as it provides comprehensive insights into performance and areas needing improvement. Effective methods include peer observations, reflective group feedback exercises, video-taping discussions for later analysis, and instructor monitoring with structured feedback forms to track progress and guide learning .

Incorporating external environments, such as practicing discussions with unfamiliar peers or in real-world settings, offers students exposure to diverse perspectives and challenges. This enhances adaptability, listening skills, and confidence, bridging classroom learning with practical application .

Mind maps help in visually organizing information from reading texts, making it easier to see the relationships between different concepts and ideas. In group discussions, this allows participants to better analyze topics, identify subtopics, and prepare clear, structured arguments for discussion .

Teaching group discussion skills is beneficial as it prepares students for everyday interactions involving discussions with peers, colleagues, and family. It also equips them for group discussions commonly used in job interviews and selection procedures. Additionally, it offers a platform for extended speaking and listening practice, enhancing overall communication proficiency .

Analyzing sub-skills like analysis, persuasion, emotional control, and support is vital as these underpin successful group discussions. Developing each sub-skill strengthens a student’s ability to effectively communicate, critically engage with content, and interact constructively with peers, leading to overall communication competence .

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