3 Easy Steps to Socratic Seminars

Students love Socratic Seminars because the format provides a forum to express their ideas and hone their leadership skills. Keep reading to learn how to use Student-Led Fishbowl Discussions, Philosophical Chairs, Socratic Circles and Whole Class Socratic Seminars in your classroom lesson plans!

PRIOR TO ANY SOCRATIC SEMINAR

Step 1: Choose a thought-provoking text and provide discussion questions (as students become more advanced, they can write their own discussion questions). A text may include a scholarly article, piece of literature, poem, or even a video.

For more text ideas, check out these SOCRATIC SEMINAR TEXTS!

Step 2: Teach discussion skills! Students need to be explicitly taught how to have a productive discussion, build upon the ideas of others, and ask open-ended questions.

I use an acronym called PHOGA (Paraphrasing, Helping, Obstructing, Giving, and Asking), combined with Celeste Headlee’s Conversation TED Talk to teach discussion skills. Common norms for a Socratic seminar include asking questions “popcorn style” (students do not raise hands), building upon the ideas of other students, referring to the text, pausing to let students think, and showing respect for one another’s ideas.

Step 3: Decide on an evaluation method. I find it helpful to have secondary students set clear communication goals prior to the discussion and then reflect on their success after the discussion. Students may self-evaluate, evaluate a partner, or the teacher may evaluate the effectiveness of the discussion. My Socratic Seminar Unit teaches discussion skills using an acronym called PHOGA, while single Socratic seminars in my store use a more general partner-evaluation method. I prefer partner evaluations using the Fishbowl method because it forces students to pay attention the discussion and focus on the application of specific discussion skills.

Now you are ready to choose a Socratic Seminar format that works best for your students. Fishbowl Socratic Seminars, Philosophical Chairs, Socratic Circles, and Teacher-Led Seminars are described in detail below. If you are looking for a complete NO PREP Socratic Seminar Unit plan, I have one for you:

1. Fishbowl Socratic Seminar

Students love this method because they are in charge of the discussion! I love using this method to discuss literature, but it can literally be used to discuss pretty much anything.

A fishbowl-style Socratic seminar is a student led discussion in which the class divides into two groups. Each student has a partner to evaluate. One group observes and evaluates a partner in the discussion. Mid-way through the allotted discussion time, the groups trade places and the students who were observing now hold the discussion.

How To Conduct a Fishbowl Socratic Seminar:

Prior to the discussion, each student is assigned a partner. One partner is in discussion group one and the other is in discussion group two. The students in discussion group one arrange their chairs in a circle. This is the fishbowl. The students from discussion group 2 arrange their chairs in a circle outside the fishbowl where each student can easily see his or her partner.

To hold the discussion, students bring their completed fishbowl discussion questions into the circle. Student partners evaluate each other during the discussion. Students lead the discussion by asking the first half of the provided discussion questions and then the open-ended questions they wrote to prepare for the discussion. The audience outside the fishbowl listens to the discussion, carefully observing and evaluating the assigned partner. When the time allotted to group one is up, students trade places and group two discusses the second half of the discussion questions while group one observes and evaluates. I recommend allotting at least fifteen minutes per discussion. 

A Fishbowl Variation:

In an open fishbowl, one chair in the fishbowl is left empty. Any member of the audience can, at any time, occupy the empty chair and join the fishbowl for a short time. This is useful when a student in the outer circle has something important to say and can hardly keep it in. When using this format, students who join the fishbowl are still responsible for observing and evaluating their partners.

2. Philosophical Chairs Socratic Seminar

Students love Philosophical Chairs! It is a kinesthetic whole-class activity in which students physically take sides on different questions pertaining to a text and then have a meaningful text-based discussion. It’s a great activity to introduce Persuasive or Argumentative Writing. Check out these 25 high interest Persuasive Topics!

Prior to the discussion, students read and annotate the assigned text. Students may answer prepared discussion questions, or prepare their own questions, but it’s not necessary. 

To hold the discussion, student desks or chairs need to be arranged in two lines facing one another. If this isn’t possible, clear a space and students can form lines without desks or chairs and hold the discussion standing up.

To begin, the teacher asks a polarizing question about the text. Students who feel one way stand on one side of the room facing students with an opposite response, who stand on the other side of the room. Students then hold a discussion about why they picked each side. The moderator continues to ask questions for which students can take a side. After each question, students choose a side of the classroom on which to stand and then discuss their stance.

If students are experienced with classroom discussions, one variation is to have students moderate the discussion. Students can prepare Philosophical Chairs questions while reading the assigned text and then lead the discussion. This variation allows for greater student ownership of discussion outcomes and procedure.

This works well for discussing polarizing texts in which students can take sides on various issues. Philosophical Chairs is also good for experienced students who know how to respect each other’s differences. The format allows for kinesthetic learning in an exciting and enjoyable whole-class activity. This format also maximizes student participation because everyone must choose a side and physically move as each question is asked.

3. Simultaneous Socratic Circles

Simultaneous Socratic seminars are engaging and powerful for students with previous experience conducting Socratic seminars who need minimal guidance. Students are divided into small groups. Each group may discuss a different text (preferable for differentiation or topical discussions), or the same text (preferable for in-depth discussions that occur in smaller groups). I love using Socratic Circles with Literature Circles Units:

Prior to the discussion, students read the assigned text (or texts) and answer thoughtful discussion questions. Students may also write their own open-ended discussion questions, learn how here: SOCRATIC CIRCLES

To hold the discussion, students are divided into small discussion groups and each group forms a circle in a different part of the classroom. Students bring their completed discussion questions into their circle. Students lead the discussions by asking the provided discussion questions and then the open-ended questions they wrote in preparation for the discussion.

Students may self-evaluate, evaluate a partner, or the teacher can evaluate the discussions.

It’s effective to conclude simultaneous Socratic seminars with a large whole-class discussion. As a whole class, the discussion serves to compare and contrast the ideas shared in the smaller seminars. If multiple texts were used, a larger discussion may occur about how each text corresponds with one another.

Simultaneous Socratic seminars are best for students who are experienced in leading discussions. It is an excellent format for in-depth discussions, allows students to hone leadership skills by moderating a discussion on their own, and requires students to prepare in a meaningful way by thoughtfully answering and preparing questions. Simultaneous discussions give students confidence in their ability to construct meaning on their own.

4. Teacher-Led Whole Class Socratic Seminar

The whole-class Socratic seminar is best for inexperienced students and can be used for any classroom discussion, such as this thought provoking TED Talk Discussion on Stereotypes with Chimamanda Adichie’s A Single Story. This is a great format for your first ever Socratic seminar. Having the teacher as the moderator helps establish respectful discussion patterns and gives students the ability to practice discussion flow and asking their own discussion questions in a controlled environment. The whole-class seminar can be used for both lengthy in-depth discussions and shorter discussions. 

During a whole-class Socratic seminar, the teacher asks the first question and moderates the discussion. Students are encouraged to ask questions surrounding the text, but the teacher keeps the discussion on task. Students may be evaluated by the teacher or other students. 

First students process the text to be discussed (any thought-provoking text will work). Students come to the discussion after completing discussion questions and writing open-ended questions to ask their classmates.

The whole class Socratic seminar is most effective if students sit in a circle, facing one another. Facing the front of the classroom can also work if moving desks/chairs is undesirable.

To hold the discussion, students bring their completed discussion questions into the circle. The teacher begins the discussion by asking the first question. Students may ask subsequent questions, or the teacher may continue to ask discussion questions. The discussion flows as students respond to one another, or ask questions, to gain a greater understanding of the text.