Discourse Among

Diverse Students
By: BJ Hemphill
MIA 320
9/19/2014

Embrace the Change

Teachers

need to embrace the shift

of reliance on textbooks solely for
delivery of lessons to one of
authentic learning
Get accustomed to letting students
talk through their learning
processesit doesnt need to be a
silent as a morgue
Create high expectations for all
students

Environment
It

all starts with a safe, knowing, and

comfortable environment
A safe environment where students

know they can contribute their thoughts

and ideas without being harassed or
being made fun helps to ensure class
wide participation and develops self
confidence

Cultural Background
Be

aware of cultural background

differences
Not all cultures put an emphasis on education
Get to know your students and find out what

their beliefs are towards their education

Encourage all students to step out of their
comfort zone and challenge their own
understanding
Empower all students (especially girls of
traditional male dominated cultures) to explore
higher level education

Develop Critical and Higher

Level Thinking Skills
Not

all students come to the

classroom with critical and/or higher
level thinking skills
Students need to be taught to use

critical thinking skills

They all have the ability to think
critically and these skills can be
developed over time
Teach them to preserver to the end

Open Ended Questioning

Facilitate

class discourse by preplanning the type of questions

students are to think on
Try to eliminate or at least limit yes or

no response questions

How did you arrive at your answer?

What have you tried?
What else did you notice?
Explain it in a different way?

Monitor Discourse
Encourage

student to student interaction

Circulate to ensure continued discourse or to

keep students on task

Let

students know its ok to disagree with

another
They should be encourage to show how they

arrived at their answer

Always

allow for the various types of

learners
Linear, hands on, visual, auditory

Praise and
Encouragement
Praise,

when given authentically, is a

powerful motivator
Students know when they are trying
their best and being acknowledged
for their efforts validates those
efforts
Encourage all students to think
without boundaries we are not all
cut from the same cookie cutter

Conclusion
Teachers

need to embrace change

Stop heavy reliance on textbooks

Introduce technology into the lesson

when possible
Allow students to think for themselves
and dont be so enthusiastic about
giving them the answer
Encourage

all to think outside the

box
The proverbial box is gone

Conclusion (cont.)
Let

all students know your

expectations on class, group, one on
one, and small group discussions
Everyone is to participate

Students

need to know they will be

required to develop their higher level
thinking skills
Just coming to class and doing the very

minimum is no longer the norm

Conclusion (cont.)
Listen

when student are speaking

Use active listening skills when students

share their thought and ideas

Yes

and No responses are a thing

of the past
Students need to know they will be held

to a higher level of responsibility for

their own learning they are going to
have to be prepare to explain

Conclusion (cont.)
Teach

students how to discourse

They are not talking for the sake of

talking, but to deepen their

understanding
Give

praise sparingly

Students will learn that when they are

doing their best their efforts will be

rewarded
If praising just to praise is your norm,
stop and rethink what it means to your
students