Have students write low-stakes responses to a brief prompt to help get them ready for discussion.
Example:
At the start of class, give students time to write down informal thoughts and impressions in response to a prompt, such as “What stood out to you in the reading and/or what was confusing or difficult that we can try to better understand together?” Students can then share these in small groups as a way to jumpstart a discussion. You can also ask for volunteers to share theirs aloud. Sometimes quieter students are more likely to participate if they can read something they have written down.
Further Reading:
Bean – Engaging Ideas, Chapter 6: Informal, Exploratory Writing Activities (2011)
Elbow – Writing with Power (1998)
Psychology Today – The Magic of Freewriting
Composition Forum – The Difficulties of Thinking Through Freewriting
Created by Kaitlin Mondello
Reviewed by Louis Olander
Categorised in: (4) Physical Action, (5) Expression and Fluency, (6) Executive Function, (7) Recruiting Interest, (8) Effort and Persistence, (9) Self Regulation, ACTION AND EXPRESSION, ENGAGEMENT