A Detailed Lesson Plan

DISCUSSION METHODDiscussion methods are effective in getting thetrainees to think constructively while interactingwith the rest of the group. Conduct discussionswith large or small groups; however, small groupsare more desirable. You can control and directa small group more easily than you can largergroups of 10 or more trainees. If a group isextremely large, break it into smaller groups orteams with a discussion leader for each team.The use of the terms class discussion anddirected discussion in this text refer to amethod in which you direct and control the verbalexchange of the class. To use this method, firstlay a suitable foundation for the discussion byasking one or more challenging questions. Thenstimulate the trainees to discuss the basicquestions; finally, guide the discussion to a logicalconclusion.In the directed discussion, you act as thechairman or moderator. As a result of yourquestions, suggestions, and redirection of ideas,the trainees in the class become genuinely in-terested in exploiting all angles of the centralproblem. They forget the normal classroom re-straints and begin to talk to each other as theywould when carrying on an ordinary conversation.A true class discussion requires a trainee-to-traineeinterchange of ideas. An instructor-to-traineeinterchange of ideas during a typical question-and-answer period is not a class discussion.To conduct a class discussion, you must makemore extensive and more thorough preparationsthan you would for a lecture. Although thetrainees supply the ideas, you must have athorough knowledge of the subject matter to beable to sift out pertinent ideas. Be aware of ideasthat may lead the trainees off on a tangent; steerthe discussion away from these ideas. Guide thetrainees away from irrelevant ideas and towardthe desired goals without dominating thediscussion.You can adapt certain ideas to discussionsmore easily than others. The most easily adaptablerequire trainees to compare, contrast, and

References: These were taken during the “ CAPABILITY BUILDING SEMINAR FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS”  last May 28, 2009 at Calape Central Elem. School, Calape, Bohol.