All The Information You Ever Wanted To Know About Socratic Seminars (and then some).
Mrs. Barten – English 10 Honors
Socratic seminars are NOT debates! So what’s the difference?
Dialogue is…*collaborative
*about understanding
*listening for deeper meaning
*re-evaluating assumptions
*keeping an open mind
*temporarily suspending beliefs
*searching for strength or validity in ideas
*about respecting all participants
*exploring different possibilities
*open-ended / Debate is…
*oppositional
*about proving others wrong
*listening for flaws
*defending assumptions
*close-minded
*about defending beliefs
*searching for weaknesses
*about destroying someone’s argument
*having one right answer
*demands a conclusion
How do Socratic seminars work?
· Because our class is large, we will primarily use the fishbowl method. The class will be split in half with one group discussing and one group observing. Then we’ll switch roles for the second day of discussion.
· You will be assigned a partner, and your job in the outer circle is to observe your partner and give them feedback using the attached form.
· Sometimes there is a hot seat in the inner circle. This is an empty seat that you can jump into if you’re in the outer circle, and you have something brilliant to contribute
· Eventually we will have a student facilitator who leads the discussion and you will also be writing all of your own questions for the seminar. You will run the show, and I will just sit in the back and listen
· I will be tracking your participation, but when you discuss, look at your classmates, not at me. I’m not really part of the conversation.
· The goal is to have a conversation supported by evidence and to consider ideas, not to earn points. Don’t think of it like a checklist of things you must do or say in order to get ______grade. In the upper grades, you will not always receive points for discussion, but are still expected to contribute. Do it for the learning, not for the grade.
Facilitator Sentence Stems· What quote helped you form that opinion?
· Can you give some textual evidence to support that idea?
· Does anyone have a question they would like to ask?
· Let’s hear from someone new J
· What do you mean by that? Can you clarify your thinking? / Expressing an Opinion
· I believe that…because…
· In my opinion….
· It seems to be that….
· Based on my experience, I…
Disagreeing with Others
· I respectfully disagree with you.
· If what you said is true, isn’t it also true that______?
· I disagree with what you’re saying because…
· I understand what you’re saying, but I see it differently because… / Adding to Others
· I agree with what ______said because…
· So you’re saying…..?
· I’d like to add on to what ______said…
· I have an example that goes with that.
· I see a connection between what you just said and something that we discussed earlier.
· That’s interesting because….
Questions to Others
· Why did you say that?
· Could you give an example?
· What would happen if…?
· So, what you’re saying is….
· I don’t understand; can you say that in a different way?
· Can you show me how you got that idea? / Holding the Floor
· As I was saying…
· To finish my thought, I….
· What I am trying to say is…..
· So, I’m saying that….
Socratic Seminar Scoring Guide
Your total seminar grade will be out of 50 points
· Seminar – 30
· Evidence Sheet – 15
· Self-Reflection Form - 5
Advanced
· You make many comments and ask insightful questions during the seminar (at least 5-6)
· Your comments express original, deep thinking: beyond the literal, debatable, supported by the text. This thinking does not always need to be a new thought. The comments may extend a previous comment, delving deeper into a previously mentioned issue or topic.
· Your comments always refer to the text for supporting arguments.
· You always appear to listen, by asking a follow-up question, responding to one, jotting down notes, involving others in the conversation, refocusing the topic)
Proficient
· You make several comments during the seminar (at least 3-5)
· Your comments express original ideas or extensions, but they lack the depth of thought at the “A” level.
· Your comments always refer back to the text for supporting arguments, but analysis may be lacking
· You almost always appear to listen, by asking a follow-up question, responding to one, or jotting down notes, involving others in the conversation, refocusing the topic)
Average
· You makes a few comments during the seminar (1-2)
· Your comments express a mixture of original thinking/extensions and repeating others.
· Your comments almost always refer back to the text for supporting arguments but at least half of the time there is a mismatch for the argument or analysis is lacking.
· The majority of the time, you appear to listen by asking a follow-up question, responding to one, jotting down notes, involving others in the conversation, refocusing the topic)
Not There Yet
· You make a couple comments during the seminar (1-2)
· Your comments often repeat others’ comments.
· Your comments rarely refer back to the text.
· You only appear to listen half the time, by asking a follow-up question, responding to one, or jotting down notes, etc)
*Points are deducted for irrelevant comments, disruptive behavior (side conversations), or dominating the conversation.