Procedure:
- It is presumed that a conversation topic has been chosen (either by the instructor or the students) or that the instructor has a prepared list with possible age-appropriate discussion topics from which the students can choose.
- The instructor explains that s/he would like to hand over the moderation of the conversation to a student. Who wants to give it a try? What do you have to pay attention to in guiding the discussion? (Key points: preparing stimulating questions and prompts; observing the time frame; compliance with the conversation rules established thus far.)
- The child who assumes the moderator role is given 5 minutes of preparation time and writes down a few inspiring questions and prompts for the conversation. The instructor must absolutely assist the student in this phase.
- The student initiates the conversation in that s/he writes the topic and the goal on the board and arranges his/her notes.
- The conversation is guided based on the discussion leader’s notes.
- In closing, the course of the conversation and the experiences with the leadership of the discussion are briefly reviewed.
Variants:
- The moderator function can also shared between two students.
- If possible, all students should be afforded the possibility of assuming the leadership of the conversation one time. This will require various conversations. It is also possible to pass on the leadership role of the discussion to another student after 5-10 minutes.
- The discussion leadership can also be implemented and practiced in forms such as class council, etc.