Strategies
Listening and Speaking
During the course of the unit, students will establish Listening and Speaking skills and strategies to communicate with others. There will be many discussions throughout the unit. In order for the students to have meaningful discussion, they have to be able to listen purposefully. They have to focus on the speaker’s point of view and the details. When a student responds, they have to be able to respond appropriately. Students may agree and present additional details, or they may disagree. When the student disagrees, they need to verbalize their point of view with details.
Socratic Seminar
Socratic Seminar is an extension of Listening and Speaking. The process of a Socratic Seminar include comments that contribute significantly to discussion, uphold norms for conversations, and builds and elaborated on other’s comments. In addition, the students contribute in a positive way, and disagree or agree respectfully. The discussion seminars will continue as long as needed. The group has to listen attentively, and demonstrate interest with body language and facial expressions.38 Students will be divided into groups of 3-4 students.
Reflection Journal
Taking notes is one of the important skills students need as they go up in the grades. It helps them remember things they would not because they learn so many things in a day. Reflection journal will be assigned at the end of each day for students to write down something they might have learned or something they thought was interesting. They may use their reflection journal to review for the lesson the following day.40
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