The Unstoppable Writing Teacher

Unstoppable Writing Teacher Book Club Flier

Would you like to join us for discussion about teaching writing? Reply to me and I will add you to the discussion through google docs.  Then, buy the book  The Unstoppable Writing Teacher and read.  Discussion will take place on this blog and through google docs.  You are sure to benefit from the collaboration that will take place between a group of educators who wants improve their writing instruction.  Reply if you're interested! 

Using Socratic Seminar to Improve Writing, Part II

In a previous post, I wrote about using Socratic Seminar as a means to help students process their knowledge and understanding for writing.  In this post, I will expand on that idea, as well as provide a step-by-step plan for implementing a Socratic Seminar on any topic into your classroom. 

Students' ability to write relies on their ability to understand the text they are writing about.  Writing is thinking and many students require support to aid their thinking.  If students are not able to understand the text, they are not able to write about it. Therefore, teachers must plan activities that give them opportunities to make meaning of the text they are writing about. This practice will provide students with the tools they need to successfully begin their writing.

In a Socratic Seminar, students discussion of a text help them have a deeper understanding of the material.  It is a collaborative process.  Procedures during the seminar encourage students to take the lead as facilitators of their own learning.  I have used Socratic Seminar in my classroom. It amazes me to see the discussion that takes place.  It reminds me that often times, the best learning takes place without the teacher being the key figure in the classroom.

I've listed the steps I follow in my classroom.  I suggest you try them, then tweak them to fit your desired outcome and goals.  

Steps of a Socratic Seminar: 

1. Before students arrive, set room up your room for the seminar.  I use an inner-circle and an outer-circle.  I also have a "hot seat" where students who are waiting to enter the inner-circle wait.  I put cups on each desk in the inner-circle with five craft sticks in each cup.  Each time the student talks, they must take out a stick (I also keep track of their responses on my grading sheet).  This ensures all students get equal "air time."  You may want to put a sheet of sentence stems on the inner-circle desks for students who need support.  This will give them a structure for their dialogue.

2. To begin my seminar, students were given a preparation sheet to prepare.  They develop three open-ended response questions to use during the seminar.  They also identify three key pieces of evidence they want to address during the seminar.


3. Explain how to fill out the Dialogue Sheet.  Students need to understand what the codes.  Students must evaluate six classmates' dialogue during the seminar. This requires them to listen to other students who are talking.  Dialogue Sheets are filled out by students while they are in the outer circle.

Below, are the sheets I use with my students during seminar.

Socratic Seminar Materials by Christy Bailey McManus

4. Once the preparation sheet is completed and the dialogue sheet is explained, you are ready to begin. This is one of the only times I talk (unless problems arise).  I ask one of the students in the inner-circle to begin the discussion with one of their open-ended questions.  Once this occurs, students are to respond to their question.  Once that has be accomplished, they may bring up a new point of discussion.  Questions cannot be ignored.  Discussion may be slow at first, but be patient.  They will catch on to the process.

5.  While the seminar is going on I use this document to keep track of students' responses, peer observations, and point deductions during the Socratic Seminar.  I give a grade on the students' participation in the seminar.  They are graded on their participation (I require five responses), the strength of the comments (coding), and their observation of their peers.  They may also loose points for talking out of turn or talking in the outer-circle.  

Socratic Seminar Grading Sheet by Christy Bailey McManus

6. When a student has contributed to the discussion five times (their cup is empty), they leave the inner-circle and the student in the "hot seat" enters the circle.  The process continues until all students have been given a turn in the inner-circle.  If time allows, students may have another turn.



Once I've completed a Socratic Seminar, I follow up the next day with an extended written response.  This allows students to show what they've learned through the process of making meaning of the text and their thinking.  

Students must have sufficient knowledge to write.  One way to accomplish this is through strategically planning opportunities for students to understand the text.  Socratic Seminar is one of the collaborative-inquiry strategies that teachers can use to help students make meaning of a text.