tle with the matter before they comment. Scripture must be re lated to contemporary problems and the questions should be per tinent and complex enough so they cannot be answered by a simple “yes” or “no” answer. De cide in advance how long the ses sion will last. If this is a Sunday school class, your time is already set. Keep the time in mind as you will need the last few moments for summarization. You may want a loose structure so that you can spend the entire time on one question; or you may limit spe cific topics to 15 or 20 minutes. 1. Be enthusiastic and friendly. Spend some time getting ac quainted. Know what you are going to say before you say it and why! The first words you speak will either enliven or kill the group process. If possible, use name tags for everyone. 2. Any time a contribution is made by a class member, accept it and use it in the way in which it was intended. 3. Be careful how much you talk. If possible, leave a tape recorder on during a class session and lis ten to the tape afterward to de termine who did the talking. Good discussion leaders do not talk more than 30% and it is best to limit your comments to about 20 % . 4. Know who controls the group. Is it the class or the leader? Be sure you can control the class. Do not let one or two of the class members monopolize and di rect the direction of the class. Questions are one of the better devices to maintain control. You may want to limit the number of contributions a person can make. 5. Know what size group will be the best for the discussion ses sion that you have in mind. You may have to use a size limit for the class. 6. Be alert to your group and make sure each person feels free enough to contribute. If some sit Specific guidelines for leading a discussion
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Efective discusion doesn’t just hapen!
b y H . N o rm an W r ig h t can be used to accommodate everyone. Before the actual discussion be gins, there are other preparations to consider. The actual physical setting, materials and techniques are important but not as vital as the leader. Personal prepara tion will involve knowledge of the subject to be d i s cu s s ed and prayer is a part of this prepara tion. Visualizing the face of each person who will attend and pray ing that all will be open and in volved in the discussion is neces sary. Prayer that the leader him self will be flexible, knowledge able and understanding is another basic foundation. Prayer that the Holy Spirit will be the Teacher and the Word of God will be the content must be a repeated re quest. As you prepare, write down notes that you feel you may need during the discussion. Plan to teach by questions that provoke thought and cause others to wres
I W O U L D l i k e to use discussion in my class but I just don’t know how! I’m afraid to try, but I know it’s an excellent technique for learning. What can I do?” Many teachers have felt just this way but this is a con flict that need not remain. Planned discussion with proper guidance can be one of the most effective means of learning. Dis cussion leaders, however, do not “just happen” ; they must be trained. There are a few simple rules that will help to insure the suc cess and effectiveness of a class discussion. If followed properly, they should be beneficial. The physical setting is very im portant. Seat each member of the class so they are able to see every one else. If you use tables, move them so they form a square or rectangle. If you do not use tables, arrange the chairs in a circle. With a large group of 40 or more, a diamond-shape ar rangemen t
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