Getting Ready for the Seminars

1. Getting Ready for the Seminars ENG 4U1

2. What is a seminar? • A focused presentation on a topic by a group of people • Knowledge is gained not only by listening but by reading and talking about the topic • Engagement with the audience is key • Delivery of information gathered from researching a text from a specific topic or standpoint and following up with a discussion • The process of the study of information is transparent – group members discuss barriers and challenges during the process

3. Purpose of Seminars • explore topics in more depth; • share ideas in a way that will advance your thinking; • learn from other people's experiences and background knowledge; • gain perspectives and points of view that you might not have otherwise considered.

4. Skills Demonstrated • All of the learning skills (collaboration, organization, independent work, initiative, etc.) • Active listening • Multimedia • Presentation • Verbal • Critical Thinking

5. The Socratic Seminar • Question based seminar -- it values the power of asking questions, and encourages inquiry over information and discussion over debate • In the seminar, participants systematically question and examine issues and principles related to a particular content, and articulate different points-of-view. The group conversation assists participants in constructing meaning

6. The Socratic Seminar • “The Socratic seminar is a formal discussion, based on a text, in which the leader asks open-ended questions. Within the context of the discussion, students listen closely to the comments of others, thinking critically for themselves, and articulate their own thoughts and their responses to the thoughts of others. They learn to work cooperatively and to question intelligently and civilly.” (Israel 89)

7. Keeping the Discussion Alive • Sample questions to move the discussion along: • Who has a different perspective? • Who has not yet had a chance to speak? • Where do you find evidence for that in the text? • Can you clarify what you mean by that? • How does that relate to what (someone else) said? • Is there something in the text that is unclear to you? • Has anyone changed their mind?

8. Closing Remarks • Sample debriefing questions: • Do you feel like you understand the text at a deeper level? • How was the process for us? Did we adhere to our norms? • Did you achieve your goals to participate? • What was one thing you noticed about the seminar?

9. Preparing for the Seminar • Form a circle so people are facing one another. • Be prepared with reading and questions completed. • Be courteous—there will be no put-downs and no sarcasm. • Allow everyone enough time to finish his or her thoughts—do not interrupt. • Speak up when no one else is talking. There should be no need to raise hands. • Be an active listener. If it helps you focus, take notes. • Have your book open and use it to share evidence to support your opinions. • NO SCRIPTING for the discussion portion of the seminar

10. Participants Should • Offer enough solid analysis, without prompting, to move the conversation forward • Demonstrate a deep knowledge of the text and the question • Come to the seminar prepared, with notes and a marked/annotated text • Show that she is actively listening to other participants • Offer clarification and/or follow-up that extends the conversation • Refer back to specific parts of the text.