Conducting educational discussions

Hints:

The framework for educational discussions in HLT comprises mostly two types of situations:
1. Shorter educational talks that concern primarily a brief feedback about a specific task. This type can occur during class, e. g.parallel to students‘ quiet work assignments in class.
2. More comprehensive educational discussions, which involve more of a fundamental status assessment. They require more time and should be conducted before or after class.
Educational discussions should be conducted with every student at least once per semester. In practice, this often occurs in conjunction with a grade report. Equally valuable are also educational talks concerning a specific assignment (presentation, etc.).
It is useful when the instructor and the students prepare themselves for the discussion. To this end, the students should receive concrete questions or assignments.
In exceptional cases, educational talks can be conducted with two students simultaneously.
Good information, suggestions and examples (in German) are available in the internet under the heading ‹Schulentwicklung nrw – Lerngespräche führen›.

Procedure (Example):

The starting point can be the instructor’s request for an educational talk with the students concerning a specific task or generally about their progress and development needs. It can also result from the request of a child to discuss a certain task, problem, or progress with his/her teacher.
Before more fundamental discussions, an appropriate and fitting timeframe should be determined to allow the conversation partners ample time for preparation.
The educational discussion ends with a summary. Possibilities: a short protocol with agreements is drafted, or concrete goals for the next weeks or 3-4 months are agreed upon and recorded.

5 - 25 minutes

1st – 3rd grade 4th – 6th grade 7th – 9th grade

Explanations, abbreviations
First language	Also mother tongue or family language: the first language a child has learned and speaks at home. Some children have two first languages.
School language	The language that is spoken in the schools of the host country. In addition, the local dialect may count as an environment language.
Abbreviations	S: Student T: Teacher (instructor)

Legend for indications referencing organizational form, class, time requirements concerning teaching proposals:
	IW = Individual Work
	WP = Working with a partner
	SG = Small Groups
	WC = Whole Class
2nd – 4th grade	Suitable for... to... (e.g. 2nd – 4th grade). Keeping in mind that this designation may vary according to the requirements of the individual students.
20 minutes	Approximate time requirement, e.g. 20 minutes. (Estimated time varies, must be determined by the instructor according to the level and the requirements of the class).

19. Conducting educational discussions