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Socratic Dialogue Packet

Contents

Socratic Best Practices ................................................................................................................................. 4

What Is the Difference Between a Discussion and a Dialogue?................................................................. 6
Socratic Dialogue Example Class Outline .................................................................................................. 8
How Will I Be Graded?............................................................................................................................... 9
Socratic Dialogue Packet

Socratic Best Practices

1. Make sure you watch all three teaching tip videos regarding Socratic best practices.

2. Each period and grouping of students is different.

• Don’t be afraid to mix things up.

• What works with one period may not work with another period.
• Some periods of students can handle a Socratic discussion as a large group, while others need to
be broken down into smaller groups.
• Some may want to stay with their groups for each discussion. Others need to change every class
period, or things begin to feel monotonous.
• The key is that you know your students and can continually measure their level of engagement.

3. What do we do with lulls?

• Lulls in the conversation are bound to happen during Socratic discussions. Do not fear them.
• There are times when I am tempted to rush in and save the students from a lull in the conversation
only to be incredibly thankful that I did not. These pauses often allow quieter students to process
their thoughts and gain enough courage to enter into the discussion—often making incredible
contributions.
• On the other hand, don’t allow a lull to cause disengagement. Do not be afraid to replace a
discussion leader or form new groups to ensure students are maximizing their engagement.

4. Recognize that it will take time for students to learn the skill of the Socratic discussion.

• Do not be discouraged if things do not go perfectly during the first conversation.

• Set the ground rules from the beginning: Students must interact directly with the book throughout
the discussion and must call out page numbers of the passages they are referring to. Remind the
students that they are conversing with one another—they are not talking to you.
• Maximize student engagement by gathering their questions before the first discussion.
• Do not place the students in a circle and expect that the conversation will magically begin.
• Hand out 3x5 cards and have the students write out one or two questions that they would like to
see discussed by the class. Collect the cards and then hand them to the discussion leader.
• Another idea is to collect questions the night before, then type them out and hand a copy of the
questions to every student.
• This gives students a chance to process their question and increases engagement by allowing the
students to recognize that they are heard.

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 Socratic Dialogue Packet

5. After two or three Socratic discussions in a row, even the most engaged students might need a
change of pace.

• Here is an additional idea: Direct the students to read and make comments in the book with
a colored pen. When the Socratic discussion begins, direct students to pass their books three
people to the left or three people to the right.
• Give students a new colored pen and direct them to respond to each other’s comments.
• After 10 minutes, direct the students to pass their books three or four more people to their right
and repeat the process with a new colored pen.
• When they are done, pass the books back to the original students and give them time to process
the comments.
• Use this process as a discussion starter to mix things up and maximize student engagement.

6. Using exit cards at the end of each day as part of students’ self-assessment will help you know
if students are learning. The back of their daily rubric is an excellent place for this ongoing
interaction. Don’t always use the same prompts, but the basics work well.

• What is one thing you learned today?

• What is one question you still have?
• Another idea is to take notes through their discussion and then ask them to reflect on something
they discussed in class. Use their responses to measure engagement and understanding.

7. Plan ahead: Throughout the dialogue, students will touch on many different doctrines. It is a best
practice to allow students to talk things out even if it seems like they are getting off track. Make
sure that you set aside time at the end of the class to step in and provide clarity in the instances
where they did not self-correct and struggled with understanding an orthodox position in that
doctrine. Also, recognize that each of the different doctrines will be covered more in-depth in
other classes, so you have the opportunity to ensure that students do not leave confused but you
do not have to get sidetracked from the main point or the essential question for that particular
dialogue.

Bottom line. Resist the urge to “save the students.”

• Allow student dialogue to take natural progression. Some of the best dialogue from students came
after I resisted the urge to save students from a lull in the conversation. Remember, it takes time for
some students to think and to get enough courage to get involved.
• Other times, the best dialogue came after I resisted the urge to correct heresy. Ensure that if student
dialogue takes a heretical path, you take copious notes and leave time at the end of class to gently
address it, but don’t be afraid to allow students the opportunity to self-correct. That is a significant
part of the skill they are learning in this process.
• Finally, please take pictures and share them with us! Every semester, we hear stories about how
administrators have observed these classes and walked away thoroughly “blown away” by student
dialogue, engagement, and learning. Affirm your students throughout the process and celebrate the
opportunity to learn during this unit.

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Socratic Dialogue Packet

What Is the Difference Between a Discussion and a Dialogue?

To prepare to teach, you need to watch the online teaching tip videos that explain the concept of Socratic
dialogue and how to maximize student learning through these lessons.
Your role as a teacher is dramatically different during the dialogues to what you may be accustomed to.
Teaching Tip: Socratic Dialogue
The goal of the Socratic discussion method is to give the responsibility for teaching, differentiation, and
learning to the students.
How to Lead Socratic Dialogue
• First have the students read the day’s material on their own in class, noting points on which they
agree, have questions, or disagree.
• Next, divide the students into groups of no more than seven students. Three groups are best, though
having two groups is usually not a problem.
• Appoint a dialogue leader who will engage everyone in the group.
• Assign one student the task of recording the group’s conversation by marking on a diagram when a
student talks and to whom that student is talking.
• Walk around the room and listen for topics that seem most important to them and for questions that
you should revisit later.
• Don’t step in and save them. Allow the students to save themselves. Remember, this is the kind
of conversation that students will have outside the classroom. They need to learn to ground their
discussions in the Word of God.
• It might be a good idea to write on the board questions or hints that they mentioned but didn’t fully
pursue in their dialogue. This will encourage them to go back to these topics.
Note: It is not unusual for teachers who have never utilized this method in the past to experience a level of
tentativeness toward employing this method. It is also standard and routine for the teacher to report back
that this was one of the highlights of student learning for this semester.
It is essential that this method is employed. The purpose of the class is an emphasis on examining what
Christians believe rather than “what I need to believe to earn an A.” This method encourages all students to
consider things in an academically safe way that allows for dialogue and understanding rather than repeating
what has been taught.
• Begin with a review of previous material and the introduction of the essential questions.
• Explain to students the context and flow of where we have been and where we are going.
Defining Expectations
• Introduce the Socratic Discussion Rubric.
• Read through the rubric with the students and explain how they will be graded. Examine the
expectations of what they will need to do to demonstrate their learning and to earn level V responses
in each of the four categories.
• Explain how the students will be reading the chapters. Make the colored pens available and set the
expectations for how they will interact with the content of the book as they read (Be sure to watch all
three of the teaching tip resource videos in the online instructor resource).

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 Socratic Dialogue Packet

Examine the difference between a discussion and a dialogue to create a “safe” environment for students to
talk about beliefs.
• First, be sure to emphasize that the purpose and intention of the rubric are that students will be
objectively graded on their understanding and participation according to the proficiency scale on the
rubric. They will not be graded subjectively on what they individually believe.
• Second, examine the definition of discussion: “to talk about and consider all aspects of a subject.”
The goal is to allow students to explore personal beliefs and to hear the perspectives of others.
• To do that, we need to set ground rules. Part of the purpose of delineating between exegesis and
eisegesis is that when we take an exegetical approach to a discussion, it turns into a dialogue (a
conversation) rather than a debate. The reason for this is that the conversation is objective. We are
looking at positions based on external evidence.
• In contrast, an eisegetical discussion is based on subjective opinion, and it can quickly turn into
something that is debated more about personality and the ability to “win” an argument than to listen
to and examine all the perspectives on a given topic. One is subjective and internal and can turn
personal. The other is objectively based on external positions and is useful to build understanding
and perspective.

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Socratic Dialogue Packet

Socratic Dialogue Example Class Outline

• Put chairs in a circle(s)

• Identify essential questions.
• Identify a discussion leader (this will rotate).
• Identify a person to keep track of who talks (fills in the circle – see Teaching Tip video).
• Step out of the circle to a position of safe observation.
• Wrap-up discussion approximately 10-15 minutes before the end of class (or whatever is appropriate
for your group) to give students time to self-evaluate, write down their concluding thoughts, give your
feedback, talk about how they can to continue to improve, and set expectations for next class.
• It is crucial that every student have a clean copy of the rubric in front of them every day and that they
use the last few minutes of class for self-evaluation.
• Have the students circle their proficiency.
• Write a personal observation about their interaction from the class and a goal for the next class.
• In the future, students will assess progress on their individual goals from previous courses and
staple (or clip) their new rubric to their previous one until they have a full portfolio for the unit.

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 Socratic Dialogue Packet

How Will I Be Graded?

Socratic rubric

Standard Element not Does not meet Meets standard Above average Proficient in
present for standard at basic level for standard standard
assessment

1 2 3 4 5

Conduct Arrives Displays little respect Participates and Generally shows Demonstrates respect
unprepared for the learning expresses a belief composure but may for the learning
without notes, process. Argumentative that his/her ideas display impatience process. Has patience
pencil/pen, or or apathetic. Takes are important in with contradictory with different opinions
perhaps even advantage of minor understanding the text. or confusing ideas. and complexity of
without the text. distractions. Uses May make insightful Comments but ideas. Shows initiative
inappropriate language. comments but does does not necessarily by asking others for
Speaks to individuals not contribute to encourage others to clarification. Brings
rather than ideas. the progress of the participate. others into the
Arrives unprepared conversation. conversation. Moves the
without notes, pencil/ conversation forward.
pen, or perhaps even Speaks to all of the
without the text. participants. Avoids
talking too much.
Speaking Arrives Extremely reluctant Responds to questions Responds to questions Understands questions
unprepared to participate even but may have to be voluntarily. Comments asked before answering
and without notes, when called upon. called upon by others. show an appreciation them. Cites evidence
reasoning pencil/pen, or Comments are illogical Has read the text but for the text. from text. Expresses
perhaps even and meaningless. May not put much effort into Comments are logical thoughts in complete
without the text. mumble or express preparing questions and but not connected to sentences. Moves
incomplete ideas. Little ideas for the seminar. other speakers. Ideas conversation forward.
or no account taken of Comments take details interesting enough Makes connections
previous comments or into account but may that others respond. between ideas.
important ideas in the not flow logically in
text. conversation.
Listening Arrives Appears uninvolved in Appears to find some Generally pays Pays attention to
unprepared the seminar. Comments ideas unimportant attention and responds details. Writes down
without notes, display complete while responding to thoughtfully to ideas questions. Responses
pencil/pen, or misinterpretation of others. May require and questions of other take into account
perhaps even questions or comments questions or confusions participants and the all participants.
without the text. of other participants. to be repeated due leader. Absorption in Demonstrates that
to inattention. Takes own ideas may distract he/she has kept up.
few notes during the the participant from Points out faulty logic
seminar in response to the ideas of others. respectfully. Overcomes
ideas and comments. distractions.
Critical Arrives Student is unprepared Appears to have read or Has read the text and Thoroughly familiar
unprepared for the seminar. skimmed the text, but comes with some ideas with the text. Has
reading without notes, Important words, has not marked the text from it, but these may notations and questions
pencil/pen, or phrases, and/or ideas in or made meaningful not be written out in in the margins (when
perhaps even the text are unfamiliar. notes or questions. advance. Occasionally applicable). Key words,
without the text. No notes or questions Little evidence of references terms and phrases, and ideas are
are marked in the text. serious reflection prior page numbers. highlighted. Possible
No attempt made to to the seminar. contradictions are
get help with difficult identified. Uses terms
material. and page numbers
where appropriate.

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