socratic seminar presentation

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

Win a $1,000 gift certificate of your choice! ✨

Socratic Seminar: Step-by-Step Guide and Questions (Free Printable)

Here’s how to use this guided discussion strategy.

Looking for new ways to engage all your students and get them to think more deeply and critically about a text? Consider trying a Socratic seminar. This formal, guided discussion method encourages students to take the lead and share their thoughts in meaningful ways. Learn how it works, plus fill out the form on this page to grab a free printable list of Socratic seminar questions to try with your class.

What is a Socratic seminar?

Many people are familiar with the Socratic method, used by the famous Greek philosopher and teacher Socrates. Rather than lecturing, Socrates would ask his students thought-provoking questions and encourage discussion on the topic. As students answered, they began to draw their own conclusions by thinking critically. Rather than passively receiving information, students actively worked their way to knowledge through discussion and critical thinking. This method is still used today in many fields, such as the study of law or philosophy.

In the early 21st century, educators like Laura Billings and Terry Roberts popularized the Socratic seminar teaching method , a collaborative guided discussion on a specific text. It uses many of the same strategies as the Socratic method, but focuses on encouraging students to think collaboratively and critically, citing examples from the text to support the points they make in a discussion. Students prepare in advance, reading a text with specific questions in mind. Teachers usually start the discussion by asking open-ended questions, then guide it only as needed along the way.

What are the benefits of a Socratic seminar?

Billings and Roberts noted many benefits to using this discussion method in the classroom. It gives students a chance to develop:

Critical Thinking

When students discuss a text using Socratic seminar questions, they must think deeply and critically about the subject. Rather than just sharing their opinion, they must cite passages from the text that support their thinking. This encourages them to apply important critical thinking skills by analyzing and evaluating the information carefully.

Collaborative Thinking

As students work to form educated conclusions in answer to the Socratic seminar questions, they must listen and build off each other’s responses. They work together to revise and refine their conclusions, taking everyone’s contributions into consideration. It’s a powerful way to find creative answers and common ground.

Communication Skills

Students participating in a seminar must both speak and actively listen. They learn to present their ideas clearly, using passages from the text to support their views. Active listening plays a huge role, as students take notes while others talk and gain new perspectives. Students must also ensure everyone feels safe and comfortable contributing to the discussion, welcoming diverse perspectives about the topic.

Self-Confidence

Participating in class discussion is hard for some students, but this seminar style can help build their confidence. Because students prepare in advance, they can feel more comfortable when it’s their turn to contribute. Over time, they develop confidence in their communication and discussion skills, which benefits them both in and out of the classroom.

Personal Connections to the Text

When students prepare a text for discussion in a seminar, they spend more time thinking deeply about it. This helps them feel more personally connected. Class discussions tend to reflect the ideas and values students feel are most important, making the learning (and the text) more relevant to everyone.

Who can use Socratic seminars?

You’ll most often find this learning method used in English language arts and social studies classes like sociology, history, or ethics. But it can be applied to any subject where students read and evaluate a piece of writing, including magazine or online articles. ADVERTISEMENT

Socratic seminars work for any age where students are capable of reading a text on their own and making notes in response to questions. Even elementary-age students can participate, although they’ll likely need more guidance as they learn what’s expected of them before and during the discussion.

How do students participate in a Socratic seminar?

Since students are largely responsible for their own learning in these seminars, they’re actively involved in both preparation and discussion. To prepare, students read the text and take notes. Teachers usually provide a list of questions in advance, so students can highlight or otherwise mark the parts of the text they feel are relevant. This prepares them to participate effectively in class.

During the conversation, students take turns responding to the questions, citing textual evidence to support their answers. They also listen actively as others talk, making notes so they can ask questions or respond to others when it’s their turn to speak again.

In larger classrooms, teachers sometimes use what’s known as a “ fishbowl discussion .” A small group of students sits in a circle and participates in the initial discussion, while the others sit around the outside and take notes. After the smaller group completes their discussion, the outer circle adds their own thoughts based on what they observed throughout.

How To Get Started With Socratic Seminars

Choose a text

This is one of the most important steps, since the right type of text ensures a successful seminar. You can use a wide array of texts, including poems, stories, historical documents, newspaper or journal articles, speeches, and more. Good Socratic seminar texts are:

• Complex: To provoke a thoughtful discussion, choose a rich text with layers of meaning and ambiguities for students to analyze and interpret.
• Accessible: Choose a text that fits all students’ reading levels, so they’re able to understand it well. Shorter texts generally work best, as students need to be able to know the text well enough to cite passages that support their discussion. Poems, short stories, and articles are especially well suited to Socratic seminar. You can use longer reads like novels by focusing on shorter portions like a chapter or specific section.
• Relevant: Your text should be both relevant to your current learning objectives, as well as relevant to students. Since part of the goal is to help students make connections to what they’ve read, choose texts relevant to their background knowledge and interests.
• Diverse: Expose students to texts that expand their horizons, while ensuring every student has a chance to see themselves represented. Seek out texts with diverse cultural, historical, ethical, and generational perspectives.

Prepare questions

Next, consider what you want students to take away from their discussion, and develop questions that help students consider those concepts. Socratic seminar questions must be open-ended and often have no right or wrong answer. Our printable list (below) can help you develop the right questions for your seminar.

Generate a list of 8 to 10 questions you might use during discussion, bearing in mind that students may only get to a few of them depending on the depth of their discussion. Narrow that list to four or five key questions to share with students in advance.

Set expectations

If students are new to Socratic seminar, explain how it will work in advance. Let them know they’ll need to show up prepared, with a thorough knowledge of the text you’re exploring. Explain that every student will be expected to participate, and all ideas are valid as long as they’re supported by the text. Share your list of the top four or five questions you’d like students to consider while they prepare.

Let students know that while you’ll be there to begin and guide the discussion, once things get started, it will really be all about them. That means they’ll need to be thoroughly prepared with a good understanding of the text. However, it’s also OK for them to bring their own questions to the seminar, especially about something they didn’t understand. Their fellow students can help them find answers to those questions too.

Let students prepare

Encourage students to read the text through once to get acquainted with it. Then, they should review the questions you prepared, and reread the text with them in mind. They should make lots of notes, marking their text to make it easier to find what they’re looking for during the seminar.

They don’t need to write their answers to the questions out completely; instead, they should jot notes and highlight portions of the text they feel are relevant to these questions. That way, they’ll be more prepared to participate. The more familiar they are with the text overall, the better the seminar will be.

Set up the classroom

Socratic seminars usually take place with students sitting around a table or with their desks pulled into a circle. Participants should feel like an equal part of the discussion, with no one at the head or more important than anyone else.

Because most classes are larger than the ideal Socratic seminar size (10-15 students), many teachers use a “fishbowl” setup instead. One group of students sits in the inner circle, participating in the initial discussion. The rest sit in the outer circle, observing and taking notes to share during the larger class debrief. Learn more about fishbowl discussions here.

Start the discussion

Before you begin, remind students that everyone is invited (and expected) to participate. Consider having each student give a response to the opening question before allowing others to chime in again or move on to another topic.

Your opening question sets the tone for the discussion. Choose a fairly broad question about topics like theme, characterization, ethics, or personal connections to get things going. However, avoid questions that are too generic, like “What did you think about this text?” or “How did this text make you feel?” Instead, try something like “What central themes did you identify as you read this text?” or “What connections did you draw between the historical events in the text and our current culture and society?”

Guide and facilitate

As students begin to respond, step back and listen. Your job as a teacher is to keep things on track and ensure everyone’s voices get a chance to be heard. But try to resist stepping in at the first sign of trouble. Allow students a minute or two to resolve differences of opinion on their own. Give less confident students a bit of time to grow more comfortable before inviting them to speak.

If the discussion does seem to go off the rails, step in and gently redirect it. You can do this by prompting them to return to the questions you asked them to prepare for. You might also need to remind them to use textual evidence to back up their points, or encourage everyone to participate.

At first, students will likely look to you for direction. Resist the urge to lead the discussion, and instead ask more open-ended questions for them to consider. Whenever possible, simply listen and observe, taking notes of your own to share at the end.

Reflect and wrap up

As your time draws to a close, ask students to reflect on their discussion and try to capture their key insights. If you’re using the fishbowl method, now’s the time to let the outer circle speak up and share what they noticed. Ask participants to think about what they agreed and disagreed about or any issues they left unresolved. Encourage them to consider how their own opinions evolved throughout the discussion, and what they found particularly effective (or ineffective) about the process.

Finally, share your own observations and reflections about the seminar. Help students see what they’ve learned collectively, identifying key insights and connections to learning objectives. Share your own thoughts on any unresolved questions or issues.

If time allows, open the floor one last time for any final thoughts. Then, thank every participant sincerely for sharing their thoughts and evidence-based opinions, and for listening actively and respectively to what others had to say.

50 Open-Ended Socratic Seminar Questions To Try

These questions are open-ended and thought-provoking. They require students to understand the text thoroughly, encouraging critical thinking and deeper analysis. Looking for more? Check out our list of 100+ critical thinking questions here.

Don’t forget to grab your free printable copy of this list of questions!

General Socratic Seminar Questions

• How is this text relevant to you (personally or as a larger cultural group)?
• What are the author’s underlying beliefs, and how do they affect the text?
• How can this text be interpreted differently based on factors like culture, gender, age, economic status, and more?
• What factors could have led to a different outcome?
• What is the author’s purpose in writing this text?
• Who is the intended audience, and who would benefit most from reading this text?
• What assumptions does the author make about the reader?
• What evidence supports the author’s conclusion?
• How does the author’s choice of language impact the reader?
• What questions or issues does this text leave unresolved?

Literature Questions

• What broad themes does the author explore in this text?
• What examples of symbolism did you identify, and how does the author use them?
• How does the structure and form of the text contribute to its meaning and impact?
• What role do the settings play in shaping the characters and events of the story?
• How do the characters’ actions reflect the broader themes?
• What literary devices does the author use to convey emotion or meaning?
• Who does the author consider the hero/heroine and/or villain, and do you agree with that perspective?
• How does the relationship between [characters’ names] reflect the broader theme?
• What effect does the author’s narrative style have on the reader’s understanding of the story?
• How are the author’s personal cultural perspectives reflected in the text?
• What are some different ways this text can be interpreted?
• In what ways does the text challenge traditional literary conventions or expectations?
• What parallels can we draw between the events of the text and real-world issues or historical events?
• How does the author’s choice of language or dialect affect your understanding or interpretation?
• How is the impact/meaning of this text different for today’s audiences than it was when it was written?

History and Social Studies Questions

• What lessons can we learn from studying [historical event/topic], and how do they apply to society today?
• What were the most important factors leading to the outcome of [historical event]?
• If [historical event] were to happen today, what factors would affect it differently?
• What insights do these primary sources provide into your understanding of [historical event/person]?
• What would have happened if [historical event] had ended differently?
• How did people living at the time view [historical event/person], and how and why do we view it differently today?
• Is there a clear moral or ethical “right side” in this conflict?
• What are the ethical implications of the choices [person/people] made during [historic event]?
• How do the choices [person/people] made during [historic event] continue to affect society today?
• What were the root causes of this conflict, and which was most important?
• How does studying [historical event] challenge or reinforce our existing beliefs and assumptions?
• How does personal bias on the part of the author affect the text?
• What key factors contributed to the rise and/or fall of [historic person, government, or movement]?
• What perspectives are missing from this version of events, and how might those perspectives change your interpretation?
• How would [historical person] view today’s world?

Science Questions

• What practical impacts does this discovery have on our society?
• How do the results of this [discovery/invention/event] justify the money spent on it?
• In what ways does the impact of this information/discovery vary based on culture, gender, economic status, or other factors?
• How could the data in this study be interpreted differently than the author’s interpretation?
• What ethical questions did this study raise, and how should they be addressed?
• What did the scientists do to ensure the accuracy of their data, and what factors didn’t they consider?
• How did the scientists distinguish between correlation and causation?
• How does the author’s interpretation of this [discovery/invention/event] reflect their own personal biases?
• What are the limitations of this discovery/proposal?
• How did the use of the scientific method contribute to the findings in the text?

Get your free printable list of Socratic seminar questions:

Just fill out the form on this page to get your free printable list of Socratic seminar questions to try with your class.

Do you use Socratic seminar in your classroom? Come share your thoughts or ask for advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

You might also like.

Help! How Should Teachers Handle Extreme Student Entitlement? 

What safeguards would you recommend to protect myself? Continue Reading

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

Socratic Seminars

About this Strategy Guide

This strategy guide explains Socratic seminars and offers practical methods for applying the approach in your classroom to help students investigate multiple perspectives in a text.

Research Basis

Strategy in practice, related resources.

Socratic seminars are named for their embodiment of Socrates’ belief in the power of asking questions, prize inquiry over information and discussion over debate.   Socratic seminars acknowledge the highly social nature of learning and align with the work of John Dewey, Lev Vygotsky, Jean Piaget, and Paulo Friere.

Elfie Israel succinctly defines Socratic seminars and implies their rich benefits for students:

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. (89)

Israel, Elfie.  “Examining Multiple Perspectives in Literature.”  In Inquiry and the Literary Text: Constructing Discussions n the English Classroom .  James Holden and John S. Schmit, eds.  Urbana, IL: NCTE, 2002.

• Choosing a text :  Socratic seminars work best with authentic texts that invite authentic inquiry—an ambiguous and appealing short story, a pair of contrasting primary documents in social studies, or an article on a controversial approach to an ongoing scientific problem.
• Preparing the students : While students should read carefully and prepare well for every class session, it is usually best to tell students ahead of time when they will be expected to participate in a Socratic seminar. Because seminars ask students to keep focusing back on the text, you may distribute sticky notes for students to use to annotate the text as they read.
• Preparing the questions :  Though students may eventually be given responsibility for running the entire session, the teacher usually fills the role of discussion leader as students learn about seminars and questioning.  Generate as many open-ended questions as possible, aiming for questions whose value lies in their exploration, not their answer.  Elfie Israel recommends starting and ending with questions that relate more directly to students’ lives so the entire conversation is rooted in the context of their real experiences.
• Establishing student expectations :  Because student inquiry and thinking are central to the philosophy of Socratic seminars, it is an authentic move to include students integrally in the establishment of norms for the seminar.  Begin by asking students to differentiate between behaviors that characterize debate (persuasion, prepared rebuttals, clear sides) and those that characterize discussion (inquiry, responses that grow from the thoughts of others, communal spirit).  Ask students to hold themselves accountable for the norms they agree upon.
• Establishing your role :  Though you may assume leadership through determining which open-ended questions students will explore (at first), the teacher should not see him or herself as a significant participant in the pursuit of those questions.  You may find it useful to limit your intrusions to helpful reminders about procedures ( e.g. “Maybe this is a good time to turn our attention back the text?”  “Do we feel ready to explore a different aspect of the text?”).  Resist the urge to correct or redirect, relying instead on other students to respectfully challenge their peers’ interpretations or offer alternative views.
• Assessing effectiveness : Socratic seminars require assessment that respects the central nature of student-centered inquiry to their success.  The most global measure of success is reflection, both on the part of the teacher and students, on the degree to which text-centered student talk dominated the time and work of the session.  Reflective writing asking students to describe their participation and set their own goals for future seminars can be effective as well.  Understand that, like the seminars themselves, the process of gaining capacity for inquiring into text is more important than “getting it right” at any particular point.
• Lesson Plans
• Professional Library
• Print this resource

Explore Resources by Grade

• Kindergarten K

• Our Mission

Socratic Seminars: Building a Culture of Student-Led Discussion

Implementing effective Socratic seminars is a multistep process that takes careful planning.

Throughout my nine years as a high school language arts teacher, I’ve refined a pivotal strategy called the Socratic seminar. This type of student-led discussion —based on Socrates’ method of student inquiry rather than teacher lecture—elicits student ownership , deep thinking , critical questioning , academic vocabulary usage , and a rooted sense of community . Although the teacher is seemingly offstage, a meaningful and effective Socratic seminar only occurs through intentional planning.

Planning Your Seminar

The most important part of a meaningful Socratic seminar is the planning embedded throughout the year.

Let’s get comfortable: There is no Socratic seminar without risk. And there is no risk without trust. An effective Socratic seminar occurs because of the thousands of invisible connections already built among students and teacher.

At the beginning of the year, establish classroom procedures, routines, and expectations. At the beginning of every discussion, do the same. Hold students accountable for demonstrating the utmost respect for each other.

Let’s get academic:  Use anchor charts to teach, model, and reinforce target vocabulary every period. Establish a way for students to recognize each other’s academic vocabulary use (snapping, tracking). This ensures that students both identify and apply the target language, while offering ample opportunity for practice .

Practice gradual release of discussion leadership throughout the year. At the beginning, model strong facilitation skills and verbally label them for students. Collaboratively create anchor charts of what makes strong discussion leaders, participants, and conversations. Reflect on the day’s discussion: strengths, weaknesses, modifications. Eventually poll students to see who wants to take a more active role in leading class discussions.

Directly teach, model, practice, and assess analytical and text-based questioning. The top resources for this, in my opinion, are from AVID . This skill is essential in reading comprehension, high-level discourse, and critical thinking. What I’ve found works best is delineating  between right/wrong, yes/no questions and those that produce discussion. Additionally, text-dependent questions ground students in the work.

Let’s get prepared: Choose a rich text that offers cross-content and real-world connections. I often use a whole novel as the basis of a Socratic seminar.

Create prep work based on learning objectives and student data. Whether students are in 9th grade Intro to Lit or AP Lit , I have found that prep work allows them to feel confident going into the Socratic seminar.

Repeatedly explain the purpose and expectations of the Socratic seminar. I use a contract clearly outlining expectations .

Implementing Your Seminar

Once the culture and preparations have been established, it's time to set the scene for the actual Socratic seminar.

Let’s get physical: A Socratic seminar is best done in a circle, where students are equal and I (as a facilitator and not a participant) am on the outside. There are two ways to do that based on the class size and dynamics: one giant circle for all students, or fishbowl style (where the participants in an inner circle have a discussion and the participants in an outer circle coach the inner circle).

Let’s get ready: When students arrive on the Socratic seminar day, I create a five- to 10-minute activity so that I can check for prep completion. I don’t allow students to participate if they’re not 100 percent complete with the prep. At the beginning of the year, this is harsh. But as the year goes on, students rise to expectations and accept that the rule is designed to ensure a better discussion (and often grade).

The first Socratic seminar of the year begins with a lot of direct instruction going over what makes a good Socratic seminar, what makes a bad one, and how students can get an A (targets). These targets—which can shift throughout the year—are based on standards and can include active voice, upgraded verbs, academic vocabulary, transitional phrases, textual evidence, clarifying questions, etc. Every Socratic seminar thereafter, I still spend time at the beginning directly establishing these norms and targets. I also have students set goals.

Let’s get better:  I practice gradual release of Socratic seminar throughout the year. Early on, I insert myself into the conversation frequently. These interruptions can be feedback about strong performances or ways to improve, lessons about conversation strategies, highlighting impressive questions or insights, muting dominant voices, soliciting reserved voices, and/or pausing the dialogue so that students can self-assess and adjust moving forward. As the year goes on, these interruptions occur less frequently as students internalize expectations and step up as facilitators.

Follow-Up and Assessment

Assess student performance at the conclusion of your Socratic seminar. Clear expectations and guidelines are the key to the assessment.

Let’s get assessed: Establish clear metrics for success (e.g., using and explaining quotes, expanding on a peer’s idea, asking questions that keep the conversation going) and make sure the class is aware of them. Socratic seminars can move quickly—to ensure that your grading keeps pace, create a list of codes for successful interactions and use the codes to keep a running tally of student performance as they talk. You’ll be confident that you got it right, and you can even show the students your methodology.

Let’s get reflective: The final element to any meaningful Socratic seminar is reflection for both students and teacher. Provide prompts for students to use to reflect on and discuss the seminar, and then have them plan adjustments for future seminars.

What I love the most about effective Socratic seminars is that they create the feeling of a college class. And my students deserve this. As do all students.

• International
• Education Jobs
• Schools directory
• Resources Education Jobs Schools directory News Search

Socratic Seminar PowerPoint

Subject: Pedagogy and professional development

Age range: Age not applicable

Resource type: Other

Last updated

6 October 2023

• Share through email
• Share through twitter
• Share through linkedin
• Share through facebook
• Share through pinterest

Elevate your class with an amazing Socratic Seminar, a best practice strategy that includes reading, writing, speaking, and listening components. This 36-slide Socratic Seminar PowerPoint has everything you need including text ideas for each content area, best practice tips and tricks, Before/During/After the Seminar, and model seminar questions.

Perfect for a top-notch evaluation or ready-to-go sub plans!

Seven Benefits of the Socratic Seminar:

• Socratic Seminars enhance critical thinking.
• Socratic Seminars improve speaking and listening skills.
• Socratic Seminars increase student engagement.
• Socratic Seminars enhance reading comprehension
• Socratic Seminars encourage diverse perspectives and cultivate empathy.
• Socratic Seminars build confidence and hone communication skills.

Tes paid licence How can I reuse this?

Your rating is required to reflect your happiness.

It's good to leave some feedback.

Something went wrong, please try again later.

This resource hasn't been reviewed yet

To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have purchased this resource can review it

Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.

Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource:

• Teaching Resources
• Upcoming Events
• On-demand Events

Socratic Seminar

• Civics & Citizenship
• English & Language Arts
• Social Studies
• facebook sharing
• email sharing

What Is a Socratic Seminar?

In a Socratic Seminar activity, students help one another understand the ideas, issues, and values reflected in a text through a group discussion format. Students are responsible for facilitating their group discussion around the ideas in the text; they shouldn’t use the discussion to assert their opinions or prove an argument.

Through this type of discussion, students practice how to listen to one another, make meaning, and find common ground while participating in a conversation.

Save this resource for easy access later.

Lesson plans, how to conduct a socratic seminar.

Select an Appropriate Text

The Socratic Seminar strategy is based on close textual analysis, so it is important to select a text that provides ample avenues for interpretation and discussion. If you choose a simple text where the meaning is fairly straightforward, there won’t be much for students to discuss. Also, the text should not be too long to read closely in the allotted amount of time. Often, teachers select a text ranging from one paragraph to one page.

An example of texts often used as the basis of Socratic Seminar activities include the preamble to the US Constitution, Dr. Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail , or the reading No Time to Think from our resource Holocaust and Human Behavior .

 Give Students Time to Prepare

Before beginning the seminar, it is essential that students have time to prepare ideas. Students should annotate the text before the start of the class discussion. Teachers often assign a discussion leader who generates a few open-ended questions that can be used to begin the seminar.

Develop a Classroom Contract

These seminars have rules that may not apply to other forms of discussion, so before beginning the seminar, it is important that everyone is aware of the norms.

Typical Socratic Seminar Rules

Below are typical rules used to structure a Socratic Seminar activity. Of course, you can adapt these to fit the needs of your students.

• Talk to each other, not just to the discussion leader or teacher.
• Refer to evidence from the text to support your ideas.
• Ask questions if you do not understand what someone has said, or you can paraphrase what another student has said for clarification (“I think you said this; is that right?”).
• You do not need to raise your hand to speak, but please pay attention to your “airtime”—how much you have spoken in relation to other students.
• Don’t interrupt.
• Don’t “put down” the ideas of another student. Without judging the student you disagree with, state your alternate interpretation or ask a follow-up question to help probe or clarify an idea.

Socratic Seminar Questions

Common statements or questions used during a Socratic Seminar activity include:

• Where does that idea come from in the text?
• What does this word or phrase mean?
• Can you say that in another way?
• Is this what you mean to say...?
• What do you think the author is trying to say?
• What else could that mean?
• Who was the audience for this text? How does that shape our interpretation of these words?
• Who was the author of this text? What do we know about him/her? How does that shape our understanding of these words?

Consider the Purpose of a Socratic Seminar

Before beginning the seminar, it is also important to remind students that the purpose of the seminar is not to debate or prove a point but to more deeply understand what the author was trying to express in the text. If you have never done a Socratic Seminar activity with your students before, you might spend a few moments brainstorming the qualities that would make for a great seminar. These qualities or criteria can be explained on a rubric and used to evaluate the seminar at the end of the class period.

Criteria you might use to evaluate a Socratic Seminar activity include engagement (everyone listening and sharing), respect (no interruptions or put-downs), meaning-making (students understand the text more deeply at the end of the seminar), and use of evidence (comments always refer back to the text).

The Socratic Seminar

A Socratic Seminar activity often begins with the discussion leader, a student or the teacher, asking an open-ended question. A typical opening prompt is: What do you think this text means?

Silence is fine. It may take a few minutes for students to warm up. Sometimes teachers organize a Socratic Seminar activity like a Fishbowl activity , with some students participating in the discussion and the rest of the class having specific jobs as observers. At least 15 minutes should be allotted to the activity, and it can often last 30 minutes or more.

As students become more familiar with the Socratic Seminar format, they will be able to discuss a text for longer periods of time without teacher intervention.

Reflect and Evaluate

After the Socratic Seminar activity, give students the opportunity to evaluate the process in general and their own performance specifically. Reflecting on the seminar process helps students improve their ability to participate in future discussions. Here are some questions you might discuss or have students write about when reflecting on the seminar:

• At any point, did the seminar revert to something other than a dialogue? If so, how did the group handle this?
• What evidence did you see of people actively listening and building on others' ideas?
• How has your understanding of this text been affected by the ideas explored in this seminar?
• What parts of the discussion did you find most interesting? In what parts were you least engaged?
• What would you like to do differently as a participant the next time you are in a seminar?

Socratic Seminar Sentence Starters

Socratic seminar stems, you might also be interested in…, three good things, slow down with the slowdown, take a stand, appreciation, apology, aha, closing challenge, looking back, looking ahead, our names and our place in the world, making meaning of community, community is… community isn’t, emoji emotions, picture this, unlimited access to learning. more added every month..

Facing History & Ourselves is designed for educators who want to help students explore identity, think critically, grow emotionally, act ethically, and participate in civic life. It’s hard work, so we’ve developed some go-to professional learning opportunities to help you along the way.

Exploring ELA Text Selection with Julia Torres

Working for justice, equity and civic agency in our schools: a conversation with clint smith, centering student voices to build community and agency, inspiration, insights, & ways to get involved.

• My presentations

Auth with social network:

Download presentation

We think you have liked this presentation. If you wish to download it, please recommend it to your friends in any social system. Share buttons are a little bit lower. Thank you!

Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Socratic Seminar.

Published by Marvin Austin Modified over 6 years ago

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "Socratic Seminar."— Presentation transcript:

The Socratic Seminar. Debate and Dialogue Dialogue is collaborative: multiple sides work toward shared understanding. Debate is oppositional: two opposing.

The Vision Socrates believed that enabling students to think for themselves was more important than filling their heads with right answers.

Socratic Circles Advanced English with S. Van Zoost Copyright SVZ 2006.

"The unexamined life is not worth living." -Socrates.

State the rule or law the society has Analyze: What is the underlying value this rule stems from? Evaluate: State why you disagree with.

Where questions, not answers, are the driving force in thinking.

What does Socratic mean? Socratic comes from the name Socrates Socrates Classical Greek philosopher who developed a Theory of Knowledge.

Deliberate Questioning: Using Socratic Seminars to Develop Critical Thinkers Susan Baum, Ph.D. International Center for Talent Development.

Introduction to Socratic Seminar. What does Socratic mean? Socratic comes from the name Socrates. Socrates (ca B.C.) was a Classical Greek philosopher.

SOCRATIC SEMINARS Socrates - 470/469 BC – 399 BC Greek Philosopher.

Socratic Seminar. What does Socratic mean? Socratic comes from the name Socrates Classical Greek philosopher who developed a Theory of Knowledge.

 “Know Thyself”.  Classical Greek Athenian philosopher B.C.  Generally regarded as one of the wisest philosophers of all time. He held discourses.

The Socratic Seminar 1. Socrates Socrates was a famous Greek philosopher. His focus was the development of the human character. His method of teaching.

Socratic Seminar Guidelines

Socratic Seminar Socrates (June 4, ca. 470 BC – May 7, 399 BC) (Greek Σωκράτης Sōkrátēs; invariably anglicized as IPA: /'s ɒ k ɹ əti ː z/ S ǒ cratēs) was.

About project

© 2024 SlidePlayer.com Inc. All rights reserved.

Socratic Seminar

Oct 22, 2014

780 likes | 1.8k Views

Socratic Seminar. Dr. Rob Danin Senior English Language Fellow www.robdanin.com. What does Socratic mean?. Socratic comes from the name Socrates Classical Greek philosopher who developed a “Theory of Knowledge” .

Share Presentation

• socratic seminar
• socratic seminars
• successful socratic seminar
• socratic seminar student reflections

Presentation Transcript

Socratic Seminar Dr. Rob Danin Senior English Language Fellow www.robdanin.com

What does Socratic mean? Socratic comes from the name Socrates Classical Greek philosopher who developed a “Theory of Knowledge”. Based on a form of inquiry and discussion between individuals, based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking. The Socratic Seminar serves as a discussion, not a lecture.

What is a Socratic Seminar? Ahighly motivating form of intellectual and scholarly and focused discussion between participants with the goal of informing those involved

Why do we have Socratic Seminars? Participants seek a deeper understanding of complex ideas through thoughtful Dialogue / Conversation rather than by memorizing information.

Advantages of Socratic Seminars • Provides opportunities for critical readings of texts • Teaches respect for diverse ideas • Enhances students' knowledge • Creates a community of inquiry • Develops critical thinking, problem solving, speaking, and listening skills • Maximizes student participation

Expected Outcomes • Students determine the flow of the classroom discussion by applying the inquiry process • Ability to critically think (Bloom’s Taxonomy) • Use prior knowledge to pose or identify problems • Determine the reliability and importanceof information using multiple sources

Four Essential Elements An effective Socratic Seminar consists of four basic elements: 1. the text being considered - varied text formats including readings from the Internet 2. the questions raised 3. the seminar leader, and 4. the participants

The Text Seminar text can be drawn from readings in literature, history, science, math, health, and philosophy or from works of art or music A good text raises important questions - There are no right or wrong answers - At the end of a successful Socratic Seminar, participants often leave with more questions than they brought with them

When Examining the Text… Use thoughtful and polite comments such as: • “I agree with… but would like to add…” • “I disagree with…because…” • “I am confused by…”

The Questions A Socratic Seminar opens with a question posed by the teacher, the leader, or participant Responses to the openingquestion generates new ideas and leads to new responses -- Avoid using YES/NO questions --

The Leader serves a dual role as leaderand participant Keeps the discussion focused on the text by • asking opening and follow-up questions • helping clarify positions when arguments become confused • involving reluctant (quiet) participants • Considerations for both teacher and leader: • How do you make sure that all students get to participate? • What do you do if no one talks?

Sample Questions • Here is my view and how I arrived at it. How does it sound to you? • Do you see “gaps” in my reasoning? • Do you have different conclusions? • How did you arrive at your opinion? • What would change your mind?

The Participants • Share responsibilityfor the quality of the seminar • Most effectivewhen participants: • study the text closely in advance • listenactively • enthusiasticallyparticipate • sharetheir ideas and questions • search for evidence in the textto support their ideas

8 Strategies for Participants in a Socratic Seminar • Refer to the text during the discussion. • Ask for clarification. • Stick to the point. • Don't raise hands; take turns speaking. • Listencarefully and speak up so that all can hear you. • Talk to each other, not just to the leader. • Discuss ideas rather than each other's opinions. • Take risks in making mistakes in order to learn.

Expectations of Participants Did I….. • speak loudly and clearly? • cite reasons and evidence for my statements? • use thetext to find support? • listento others respectfully? • avoid angry responses? • question others in a polite manner? • avoid inappropriatelanguage? • stick tothe subject? • talk to others, not just to the leader? • paraphrase accurately? • askquestions to clear up confusion? • support others? • seem prepared?

Expected Outcomes • An atmosphere of intellectual engagement, cooperation, and conversation is encouraged • The goal is not only to answer questions, but to generate more questions (inquiry) • The teacher serves as a facilitator • initiate well thought out, open-ended questions • gives no response, negative or positive,to the students’ discussion • pose questions to“move” discussion • Students learn the difference between DEBATE and DIALOGUE

Debate Dialogue • Is collaborative • One listens in order to find common ground • Enlarges points of view • Reveals assumptions for re-evaluation • Creates an open-minded attitude • Is oppositional • One listens to counter arguments • Affirms participant's points of view • Defends assumptions as truth • Creates a close-minded attitude

Debate Dialogue • Expects other’s reflections will improve their own thinking • Temporarily suspending one's beliefs • Searches for strengths • Respects others and seeks not to alienate • Assumes that cooperation can lead to greater understanding • Remains open-ended • Defends thinking to show that it is right • Calls for investing one's beliefs • One searches for weaknesses • Rebuts contrary positions and may belittle others • Debate assumes a single right answer • Demands a conclusion

Socratic Seminar Learning Objectives Student will be able to (SWBAT): • participate in the decision-making process. • actively synthesize information (making connections)from multiple sources. • demonstrate how to effectively communicate through group discussion. • Others?

Socratic Seminar Rules (“Norms”)

Tips for Introducing Socratic Seminars • Stress the importance the Socratic Seminar (expected outcomes) • Don’t rush into the discussions without establishing your expectations for each role (teacher, leader, participant) • Explain the process fully • Clarify terms on the rubric, observation checklist and guided notes • Remind students to use appropriate vocabulary and academic language • Make sure note-takers understand what good notes look like • Show them models • The observers’ job is to providepositive feedback • After you’ve trained the students in effective CONSTRUCTIVE feedback, then you can encourage a more “critical friend” form of response. • To ease students’ nerves the first time around, make the first time a “dry run” for feedback, not a grade. • Start with shorter sessions (e.g., six minutes) and questions on familiar topics (how they feel about various holidays , which movies they like the best, etc.) • You might also use this opportunity to prompt personal reflection, such as “What are your plans after university?”

Tips for Teachers • Read the text carefully before the seminar • Focus on possible stimulating questions • Select short passages for special attention • Identify tough vocabulary words • Choose an introductory question in advance • Broad, open-ended, thought-provoking • Allow for pauses during discussion • Silent moments for deep thinking

    SET UP: • Desks arranged in a circle • Text given in advance • Students must read the text and prepare important questions and references if they intend on participating. • Rules posted • Allow 45-50 minutes • 30 minutes for first time • Teacher or Leader is ready with an opening question • Participants respond with textual evidence for support • Participants respond with questions • Students do not raise hands • Students reflect and debrief • Accountability through rubric assessments and student • reflection

Evaluation Considerations • Evaluating student participation during a Socratic Seminar can be challenging.  • It would be a mistake to assume that the most talkative students are necessarily the most active participants or that the quiet students are not actively participating.  • It may be important to provide the more quiet student with time to reflect on the dialogue and consider how it has shaped their thinking. 

Socratic Seminar Rubric: Page 1

Socratic Seminar Rubric: Page 2

Socratic Seminar Peer Evaluation

Socratic Seminar Partner Evaluation

Socratic Seminar Self Assessment: Leader

Socratic Seminar Self Assessment:Participant

Socratic Seminar Checklist:Teacher Reflection

Socratic Seminar:Student Reflection

Socratic Seminar: Student Reflections Use of “Reflective Questioning” • Questions to consider: • Were we courteous to one another? • Were our comments to the point? Easy to understand? • Did anyone dominate the discussion? • Did we follow our established group norms and process? • Conduct a debriefing: • Have students write a reflection(journal writing) • Debrief on the Socratic Seminar TOPIC • “If you have changed your mind about a particular point or issue, what made you change it?” • Debrief on the PROCESS • What seminar guidelineswhere observed? • What social skillsdid the group exhibit? • What might the group goalbe for the NEXT seminar?

Socratic Seminar Demonstration (4:31)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pGVR6ZF_2M

Socratic Seminar Demonstration:“Patience and Practice” (7:25) • http://www.edweek.org/tm/section/teaching-channel/index.html?cmp=ENL-TU-NEWS2

www.robdanin.com Socratic Seminar According to Bloom

• More by User

Socratic Seminar. On the Recycling of Scrap Iron. Miss Denise Maloof Roger Williams University General Chemistry [email protected]. GROUND RULES of the SOCRATIC SEMINAR. All members of the inner circle are expected to participate in the discussion.

973 views • 9 slides

Socratic Seminar. Dr. Rob Danin Senior English Language Fellow www.robdanin.com. What does Socratic mean? . Socratic comes from the name Socrates Classical Greek philosopher who developed a “Theory of Knowledge” .

1.1k views • 36 slides

Socratic Seminar. Inquiry Based Learning. Who was Socrates?. Philosophize, Dude . Who was Socrates?. Ancient Greek philosopher who said that the only thing he knew was that he knew nothing – Socratic Irony

364 views • 18 slides

Socratic Seminar. Preparation for Romeo and Juliet. Socratic seminar Behavior Expectations. Groups will be created ahead of time. Groups will have a maximum of six people per group unless otherwise created.

322 views • 10 slides

EDU 592. Curriculum for the Gifted Converse College. Socratic Seminar. How do I start?. Socratic Circle.

460 views • 19 slides

Socratic Seminar. The Mighty League, Vol. 1 The Terrible Taunting. Socrates. 469 BC – 399 BC Greek Philosopher Socratic Seminar – Socrates founded this way of teaching that involves students learning through questioning while the instructor moderates the discussion as opposed to leading it.

258 views • 7 slides

Socratic Seminar. w/ The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Who is Socrates…and why did he have a seminar?. Classic Greek Philosopher Founder of Western Philosophy Ethics Socratic Seminars = a teaching tool that promotes questioning through dialogue

246 views • 8 slides

Socratic Seminar. Generating insightful Statements and Questions. What makes a good statement?. It should be insightful. It should make a point. It should reference the text. It shouldn't just state a simple fact. . Examples and Non-Examples of Insightful Statements. Non-Example:

440 views • 22 slides

Socratic seminar

Socratic seminar. Background information to help us prepare…. What are they?. Socratic Seminars are named after the Greek philosopher, Socrates Believed in the power of asking questions “ To make my contribution I must Ask Questions, Speak the Truth, Think for Myself, and Care for My Soul”.

308 views • 6 slides

Socratic Seminar. http://youtu.be/sM1qT-jzP5s.

291 views • 16 slides

Socratic Seminar. Socrates ( June 4 , ca. 470 BC – May 7 , 399 BC ) ( Greek Σωκράτης Sōkrátēs; invariably anglicized as IPA : /'sɒkɹətiːz/ Sǒcratēs) was a Greek ( Athenian ) philosopher.

364 views • 19 slides

SOCRATIC SEMINAR

SOCRATIC SEMINAR. There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance. - Socrates. Expectations for Socratic Seminar. Be prepared to participate. Don’t raise hands. Invite others into the discussion. Refer to the text. Comments must be appropriate, respectful, and focused.

538 views • 26 slides

SOCRATIC SEMINAR. Election 2012: What’s At Stake?. Some Guiding Questions…. Here are a few ideas you can discuss – How do Democrats and Republicans view the government in general? What major differences exist between the candidates – Obama and Romney?

89 views • 2 slides

Socratic Seminar. “The unexamined life is not worth living.”. SOCRATIC SEMINAR. Not a teacher led class discussion Based on Socrates’ method of questioning, dialogues Questions are the driving force in thinking. Participants carry the burden of responsibility for the quality of the seminar.

372 views • 16 slides

Socratic Seminar.     “The unexamined life is not worth living.”. How does it work?. Students sit in two concentric circles Outer circle=questioners Inner circle=conversationalists. Outer Circle .

211 views • 11 slides

Socratic Seminar. Set-Up. When you walk in on a seminar day the class will be arranged in two circles (inside and outside). Students will switch circles at the halfway point of the mod. Inside

153 views • 4 slides

Socratic Seminar. An introduction. 1. Socrates. 2. “Let him that would move the world, first move himself.” Socrates. Dialogue Collaborative: shared understanding One listens to understand, to make meaning, and to find common ground

249 views • 21 slides

Socratic Seminar. “There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.” Socrates. What does Socratic mean?. Socratic comes from the name Socrates. Socrates (ca. 470-399 B.C.) was a Classical Greek philosopher who developed a Theory of Knowledge.

156 views • 13 slides

Socratic Seminar. Zoos. Knowledge & Comprehension. What is a zoo? What are the different types of zoos? What kinds of animals are in zoos?. Application. What benefit do zoos provide to animals? What benefit do zoos provide to humans? What animals belong in a zoo?. Analysis.

73 views • 5 slides

Socratic Seminar. Socrates ( June 4 , ca. 470 BC – May 7 , 399 BC ) ( Greek Σωκράτης Sōkrátēs; invariably anglicized as IPA : /'sɒkɹətiːz/ Sǒcratēs) was a Greek ( Athenian ) philosopher. There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.

207 views • 17 slides