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What clicked with me when I read this was how our weekly synchronized sessions are planned this way: snowballing student discussions! :)

Students are put into pairs or small groups to discuss the question(s) posed by the instructor. Then they return to the main room to speak about what they'd discussed in the small group.

Snowballing gives everyone a chance to express their ideas, whether in a small or big group. It is an excellent way of getting the most out of discussions.

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Many students are reluctant to take part in discussions, especially when they've just started at university, or on a new course. Students may feel nervous about whether their opinions have values, or a group of students might have one person who takes over and dominates the conversation. To enable students to feel more confident about talking through ideas with their peers, you might ask them to form into pairs to answer a question. However, if students are solely working in pairs, it might mean that they're not exposed to the full range of experiences and knowledge of the rest of the class. Snowballing is one technique which enables students to initially think about their own response to a question, then converse with just one other person, and then join together with other pairs to enable a wider discussion.

This is how you might run a snowballing activity:

1. Give learners a task to do individually for one minute. For example:
"What you think are the three most important points from the last section of the presentation?", or
"What two suggestions you would come up with to solve the problem presented?", or
"Suggest three responses you could make in the scenario I have just outlined."

2. Individuals form pairs and have two minutes to hear what each other has come up with and agree on their joint response.

3. Pairs form groups of four and have three minutes to agree on their joint response.

4. Fours form groups of eight and have three minutes to agree and appoint one person ready to announce what they have agreed as a group.

5. At this point you may want to hear briefly from each group of eight and comment on or record their suggestions. In a sense, what you do at this point is less important than the previous stages because everyone in the group, however large the group is, has had to talk and be actively involved in the task.

Have you tried snowballing? How did it work for you? Have you got any other ideas for engaging students in discussions?

This entry was posted in Small groups by Jessica Hancock. Bookmark the permalink.

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How to snowball student discussions | Teach like a PhD researcher

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Many students are reluctant to take part in discussions, especially when they’ve just started at university, or on a new course. Students may feel nervous about whether their opinions have values, or a group of students might have one person who takes over and dominates the conversation. To enable s…

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Although in-class lectures are a staple part of classroom activities, more often than not teachers may become overwhelmed in regard to leading the discussion. Students, if they are given too much jurisdiction, may cause, the discussion to completely change course. As such, it is the highest priority of the teacher, to make sure the discussion always focuses back to the main topic. One aspect I agree with is the utilization of technology to promote active discussion, as the point of the discussion is to obtain a final answer.

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1. Do students know what they are to learn in terms of content and skills?

2. Are teachers checking for student understanding throughout a lesson?

3. Are students engaged in the process of their own learning?

One strategy that addresses all of these aspects effectively is the student "turn and talk." During a turn and talk, students pair up and are given a short prompt or question to briefly discuss. Drawing upon students' existing content knowledge and skills, this prompt helps educators assess student understanding while simultaneously engaging multiple learners in the process of introspection.

Research consistently shows a positive association among student engagement, inquiry, and conceptual learning . Brief student turn and talks can be an effective strategy to foster these elements with moderate planning. By encouraging students to discuss and reflect on their learning, turn and talks help students assess their own level of understanding, promoting metacognition and deeper engagement with the material.

The High School Challenge

Simple enough, right? Well, not exactly. Recently, while coaching ELA teachers in a local high school, I observed a teacher preparing students for upcoming state exams by reviewing the components of an argumentative essay. When I suggested using a turn and talk to help students differentiate between essay details and components, the teacher pushed back, feeling it was a strategy best used in elementary school. Other high school teachers feel similarly.

I decided to dig deeper. Why the reluctance? The reasons were multifold. Several felt that turn and talks took time away from covering curriculum. Others assumed their students already understood the material that would be discussed. Lastly, there was fear that it could lead to unfocused discussions and classroom management issues.

These concerns, while valid, shouldn't overshadow the potential benefits of turn and talks in high school settings. Here are some suggestions for ensuring that student turn and talks improve learning at the secondary level.

Designing Effective Turn and Talks

Determine Purpose

A well-placed student turn and talk can significantly enhance the sequencing and objectives of a lesson. At the beginning, it helps students activate prior knowledge and connect to upcoming content. For instance, in a high school lesson on argumentative essays, students might discuss a real-world scenario like negotiating a later weekend curfew with their parents, which can prime them to think about persuasive techniques. During the lesson, turn and talks can serve as checkpoints for understanding. By pausing a mini-lecture to allow students to discuss the content presented so far, teachers can gauge comprehension levels and clarify any misunderstandings.

At the lesson's conclusion, a final turn and talk encourages students to reflect on their learning, helping them assess their understanding and identify areas needing clarification. Throughout these discussions, teachers can circulate the room, listening for key understandings and misconceptions. This targeted listening allows teachers to address common issues promptly, ensuring that the class moves forward with a solid grasp of the material.

Ensure Cognitive Complexity

Effective student turn and talks require thoughtful preparation to ensure students engage with cognitively complex content. While this involves some planning, it doesn't have to be overly time-consuming for teachers. The key is to develop thought-provoking questions that encourage critical thinking, analysis, and application of concepts. Teachers can use Depth of Knowledge (DOK) question stems to craft queries that promote higher-order thinking.

As students become more comfortable with the process, encourage them to create their own discussion questions. This metacognitive exercise further deepens their engagement with the content. Additionally, providing context and scaffolding before the turn and talk gives students a foundation to build upon during their discussions. Framing prompts in ways that relate to overarching themes or real-world applications of the subject matter also enhances cognitive complexity.

Differentiate and Align

Although most high school students will be ready to engage in appropriate conversations with peers, some students may need extra support during turn and talks. In these situations, high school educators might want to:

Reflect and Assess

Reflection is a critical component of the learning process. It allows students an opportunity to actively analyze and evaluate their learning experiences as they are having them. This real-time introspection deepens understanding and enhances retention of new information.

As such, reflection should be a key part of the turn and talk process but is often overlooked in the rush to cover content. Plan to have a few students share what they and their partner discussed during their turn and talk with the whole group. After this initial sharing, ask if any additional students can add on to the conversation.

Embrace Technology

In some high school classrooms, learning occurs primarily on individual student laptops, with students rarely looking beyond their own keyboards. However, even in device-heavy or remote learning environments, the power of effective student turn and talks should not be overlooked. These interactions are crucial for developing student community and engagement. If students must remain tethered to their devices or if school is remote, consider using online discussion boards where students can capture and reflect upon discussion points. These digital conversations can be conducted synchronously or asynchronously, with participants either named or anonymous, allowing for flexibility while still fostering meaningful peer interaction.

Learning Through Dialogue

Turn and talks are not only for elementary students-this learning strategy can benefit all K-12 students if planned with students' needs and their level of cognitive development in mind. With practice and persistence, turn and talks can become a valuable tool in any high school teacher's instructional repertoire, transforming classrooms into vibrant spaces of active learning and engagement.

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A High School Teacher's Guide to "Turn and Talks"

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Peer-to-peer classroom discussion isn't just for elementary students-older students can also benefit from this type of reflection.

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Discussion strategies are used by teachers to create structured and meaningful conversations that promote critical thinking. In a dance class, effective discussion strategies can help students articulate their observations and create intentions. for example, after watching a peer performance or a professional dance, the teacher can use "think-pair-share" strategy: students first share what they noticed or felt to the performance, and then discuss their thoughts with a partner, and finally share key ideas with the whole class. This process ensure everyone has time to think, and engage with different perspectives, and develop language to express their observations. The discussion not only enhancing students' ability to talk about dance but also supporting them develop evaluation thinking way.

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Student-led Recaps and Retrieval Practice

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Student-led Recaps and Retrieval Practice

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Student-led Recaps and Retrieval Practice（R&RP）について初めて知った。感覚的にこれはきっと有効だろうと思える手法が、学生にも教員にも実際に好意的に受け入れられている点が興味深い。しかし、この研究では実際の学力向上についての客観的な測定は行われていないのと、一般的なクラス環境でも成立するのかといった点が気になるところである。特に、素行の良いクラスでなければうまく機能しないのではという気もする。。でも、いつかこういうことをやってみたいと思った。

This was my first time learning about Student-led Recaps and Retrieval Practice (R&RP). I find it interesting that this approach, which intuitively feels like it would be effective, is in fact positively received by both students and teachers. However, I do wonder about a few things—such as the lack of objective measurement of actual academic improvement in this study, and whether it would work in a typical classroom setting. I especially feel that it might not function well unless the class has good behaviour. Still, I would like to try something like this someday.

Prompt: Translate this into English without changing the tone or intent or adding any information.
Translated by ChatGPT (GPT-4o), 2025-07-05

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Here are some good strategies for taking the spotlight off of the confident, outgoing students and helping to share some of the attention with the shy ones, or with the students that take time to organize their ideas. The first suggestion “Think-Pair-Share” is tried and true. I have used it for years. It works well in any subject. I have used it in language instruction and also with story predictions, math, science. It is my favorite way for students to try their ideas out on their peers before sharing with the class. But also it is a great way to give everyone equal opportunity to speak; after sharing with their peers, sharing with the class isn’t always necessary. Thinking routines are also suggested to encourage collaborative work. “What, So What, Now What” or “See, Think, Wonder” are good examples of ways to add structure in order to increase the likelihood of full student participation in a deeper thinking process. Lastly, silent engagement is suggested. Technology works well for this. Padlet is suggested, and we all know that works for us in this class.

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3 Strategies to Get All Students Participating

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In upper elementary and middle school, students may be hesitant to speak up, so strategies that encourage full participation come in handy.

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It is a reality that not all students are comfortable speaking up and participating during discussions. But it doesn't mean that they do not know anything. It takes a creative and passionate teacher who will inspire and motivate students to do beyond their comfort zone or capabilities.

If teachers are aware of the ways on how to encourage students to speak up, then everyone will be totally engaged during discussions. I liked the way the writer mentioned about creating classroom cultures that support academic risk. Most students are afraid of committing mistakes. They feel embarrassed when others would tell them that they are wrong and eventually lower their self-confidence. Another suggestion was to provide provide a variety of opportunities for students to engage. It could be verbal, non-verbal, is small groups, pairs, written notes, etc. This way, they will still be able to participate without being the focus of the whole class. Of course recognizing those who are doing well would also encourage others to do so. Also, when students collaborate, they are able to get more ideas from others and be more confident with their answers.

As teachers it is crucial that students feel safe and valued because it will lead to them being more capable of participating.

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Some students thrive on the opportunity to share their voices. They embrace the thrill of standing before their peers and reading, debating, or demonstrating. Some students, however, do not.

As a teacher, you have likely had both of these kinds of students in your class before, and it can be difficult to figure out the best way to engage your shy students in classroom discussions and activities.

When I was in middle and high school, I not only was terrified of being called on in class but found myself incredibly uncomfortable in classrooms that required active, out-loud participation. While it's important for teachers to help students like my former self grow their capacity to communicate and take academic risks, we are also responsible for helping create supportive environments that make our students feel safe.

Classroom Culture

The first thing to consider when increasing students' willingness and ability to participate is the classroom culture around mistakes. Many students are afraid to speak up because they are afraid of what others might think or say about them.

To promote a culture of academic risk-takers, shout out students who are trying their best, even if they aren't 100 percent perfect. When a student does make a mistake, explain how important it is that the class got to hear the mistake and learn from it, rather than just telling the student they were wrong.

If you hear students saying negative things about someone in the class because of an answer they gave or the way they read something aloud, don't let it go unaddressed. Ensure that all students recognize the classroom as a space for them to take chances and be supported as they work toward mastering all of their academic goals.

Alternative Means of Participation

Next, you want to plan for how you are going to ask students to participate and ensure that there are options for all students. The idea of popcorn reading or just speaking into the space was incredibly scary for me as a shy student. Being cold-called was another anxiety-inducing experience. In my own classroom, I now offer many different ways for students to participate: silent raised hands, nonverbal responses to questions, and sharing with a partner instead of the whole group.

Another strategy I use is the warm call. While I'm circulating during independent practice, I will tell a student in advance that I am going to call on them to answer a question. The student will usually ask me if they have the correct answer before they share aloud, which gives them the confidence to participate.

I also do this with written work by starring answers on student papers that I want them to read aloud. Again, students already know that they have an answer that exceeds expectations and are therefore more eager to speak up.

To further encourage student participation, create systems that ensure that every voice is heard during class. This can look like a participation tracker on which students earn a check each time they participate, whether by speaking up or actively engaging with silent signals.

While some students may need time to feel comfortable taking academic risks, these same students may be willing to participate by reading aloud, asking their own questions, or making connections to their previous learning and real-world experiences.

To celebrate student participation, take time to shout out the top three most active participants or award an MVP for that class period. You can even tie participation to a positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) system or your own classroom reward system.

Confidence Through Collaboration

Finally, create ways for students to help one another build their confidence. When I ask students to come to the board to demonstrate something or give a presentation, they often ask if they can do it with a partner. As often as possible, I allow them to do the presentation or demonstration together.

Some students just need to know that they aren't alone and won't be the absolute center of attention to feel OK getting up in front of the class. When students are allowed to work together, they can help each other grow more confident in the space.

Another way I foster students supporting one another is through small group work. I will assign each student a role in the group, and one will be the presenter. The students work collaboratively to put their presentation together, which helps students feel more confident sharing out, knowing that their group members supported them in coming up with things to say.

There will always be some students who love to speak up and some who find it extremely scary. By creating classroom cultures that support academic risk, providing a variety of opportunities for students to engage, and fostering collaboration in the classroom, teachers can help all students feel safe and, ideally, more capable of participating.

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Encouraging Shy Students to Speak Up in Class

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Some students thrive on the opportunity to share their voices. They embrace the thrill of standing before their peers and reading, debating, or demonstrating. Some students, however, do not. As a teacher, you have likely had both of these kinds of students in your class before, and it can be difficult to figure out the best way to engage your shy students in classroom discussions and activities.

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I enjoyed this article by Katie Martin on ways to encourage students to participate. I particularly liked the strategy titled, 'What, So What, Now What' which encourages brainstorming. It is useful in examine texts or events. I would like to try this as well as a thinking exercise in English reading classes.

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3 Strategies to Get All Students Participating

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In upper elementary and middle school, students may be hesitant to speak up, so strategies that encourage full participation come in handy.

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3 Strategies to Get All Students Participating

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3 Strategies to Get All Students Participating

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This article gave me ideas to get all students participating in classroom. One of the recommended strategies is 'Think-Pair-Share', and this strategy allows students to give 30 seconds to think and share their thoughts with peers first, and then give them the chance to voice their opinion. By sharing thoughts with peers around before sharing them in front of everyone, I thought it's the lower pressure and a great way for them to participate. Other strategy is to encourage students to have 'Thinking routines', and it helps them share ideas by providing structure to frame ideas and engage in more productive collaborative work. As we've practiced in this course, I realized that it takes time and practice to think, and these structures help me organize my thoughts and understandings. I like to investigate further to develop thinking routines especially for younger PYP students. Mai

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3 Strategies to Get All Students Participating

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In upper elementary and middle school, students may be hesitant to speak up, so strategies that encourage full participation come in handy.

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This videoclip introduces Fishbowl Discussion. Fishbowl Discussion involves two groups which are divided into a group having a discussion and a group observing the other group's discussion. The observers take notes (participation, referencing, questioning, generating ideas, etc.) and reflect on the discussion. They give feedback to those in the first group. It is an effective method because both groups can learn what is a good discussion and how they can achieve it. It is called the fishbowl because those discussing are at the center table while the observers sit around them making it look like a fishbowl. It is a unique idea.

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Since I am a high school teacher, I watched videos on discussion strategies for high school students. Each video introduces immediately usable strategies in a step-by-step manner, making them very helpful for teachers who want to incorporate discussions into their classes or are struggling with how to conduct discussions.

Among them, the "Double Circle" is particularly easy to implement. Students form a double circle, and the students in the outer and inner circles face each other to discuss. Then, by having the students in the inner circle shift one position, new pairs are created, allowing for new discussions. The "Whiteboard Relay" can also be done quickly if the necessary tools are available. It has a game element, so students are likely to participate enthusiastically. The "Fishbowl Discussion" is an effective method for improving discussion skills. Students receive peer feedback on their discussion performance, allowing them to understand their strengths and weaknesses in discussions. I also want to try out other strategies introduced in the videos in my classes.

-Masami

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Encouraging Shy Students to Speak Up in Class

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Encouraging Shy Students to Speak Up in Class

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After reading this article I was able to picture shy students I had in my classes over the years. It was difficult to get them to participate in lesson discussions because many were too afraid of making mistakes or standing out too much.

The article presented a few strategies for alternative means of participation and confidence through collaboration.
One of the strategies-sharing with a partner instead of the whole class, is one that I use a lot in my class.
It allows for shy students to only work with one person so they don't feel stressed about possibly answering in front of the class.

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How IB Strategies Can Enhance Project-Based Learning

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How IB Strategies Can Enhance Project-Based Learning

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In this article, the author, Matthew Kloosterman explores the integration of project-based learning (PBL) and the IB's  methods to enhance meaningful learning experiences. Kloosterman emphasizes the importance of using visible thinking routines throughout the PBL process to support students and ignite curiosity while fostering perspective-taking in the classroom.

He suggests various thinking routines from Harvard University's Project Zero, such as Chalk Talk, Compass Points, Step Inside, What Makes You Say That?, and I used to think… Now I think… These routines serve as valuable tools to engage students in critical thinking, reflection, and metacognition, facilitating deeper understanding and meaningful connections.

Kloosterman also supports the idea for the explicit teaching of skills aligned with the IB's ATLs during PBL units. By addressing specific subskills, such as effective note-taking or communication, educators can empower students with transferable skills applicable beyond the classroom.

Furthermore, he discusses the creation of driving questions inspired by the IB's conceptual and debatable questions framework. These questions prompt inquiry, debate, and student engagement, encouraging a deeper exploration of topics.

By integrating these practices, educators can streamline planning, create student-centered learning environments, and cultivate curiosity, connection, and idea-building in PBL classrooms.

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 3 Strategies to Get All Students Participating

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 3 Strategies to Get All Students Participating

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This article suggests three strategies in order to engage students to participate in class. Think-Pair-Share encourages students to think individually before sharing with a partner. Thinking routines provide structure for collaborative work and make thinking visible. Silent engagement allows nonverbal participation through technology tools or low-tech methods like sticky notes. These strategies create an inclusive learning environment where all students feel valued and contribute to deeper learning.

As I mainly teach middle school students in grades 7-9, it can definitely be a  struggle to get students to actively participate in class. There are a number of reasons as to why, but the major ones include becoming more self-conscious, the cultural notion of not to stand out, and shyness in general. I have tried multiple strategies to get students to participate and it's a bit of a hit or miss. Some work really well for some students and not for others. I think it's important to mix up your strategies so that over time everyone will have the opportunity to participate.

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How do I go about developing the traits, qualities, and principles necessary to become an effective leader?

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How do I go about developing the traits, qualities, and principles necessary to become an effective leader?

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