Small Groups: 8 Tips for Facilitating Discussion
Creating an environment where honest, open discussion can happen starts with modeling honesty & openness.
This environment should also be safe & sensitive to its participants:
- Doesn’t allow one person to dominate the discussion.
- Keeps the focus on the topic at hand.
- Doesn’t allow an individual to be cut off while making a point.
- Is Okay with the people who really don’t have a lot to say.
Enjoy the silence…
- Don’t be afraid if you ask a question and no one says anything.
- Realize that people are often processing the question.
- Don’t give in to the desire to answer the question yourself in an attempt to kill the silence.
- If the pause is too long, you can rephrase the question.
- Read the participants. Often you will see someone who has something to say, but they are afraid to say it. Ask them for their input!
Hey, I’m not the expert here!
When questions are asked by a member of the group, rely on the group. Don’t feel like you specifically have to answer. After all, it’s facilitated discussion.
Fielding Questions from Participants:
- Repeat the question, paraphrasing it, and presenting it to the group as a whole. (That’s a great question. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?)
- Ask probing questions. (What do you mean exactly?)
8 Tips For Facilitating Discussion
1. Paraphrase what someone has said so that the student feels understood and the other students can hear a concise summary of what’s been said at greatest length.
So, what you’re saying is …
2. Check your understanding against the words of a student or ask a student to clarify what he or she is saying.
Are you saying that…? I’m not sure that I understand exactly what you meant. Could you please run it by us again?
3. Compliment an interesting or insightful comment.
That’s a good point. I’m glad that you brought that to our attention.
4. Energize a discussion by quickening the pace, using humor, or if necessary, prodding the group for more contributions.
5. Ask for other thoughts and opinions on a student’s comments to stimulate further discussion.
Has anyone else had an experience that is different than Jim’s?
6. Mediate differences of opinion between students, and relieve any tensions that may be brewing.
I think that Susan and Mary are not really disagreeing with each other but are just bringing out two different sides of this issue.
7. Pull together ideas, showing their relationship to each other.
As you can see from Dan’s and Jean’s comments, there are some real similarities between…
8. Summarize (and record, if desired) the major views of the group.
I have noted three major ideas that have come from the group’s discussion…
