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Socratic Seminars

Socratic Circles run as a whole-group activity. Students prepare to discuss by reading a selection ahead of time. The student leader (or teacher) prepares questions from open-ended questions, then literal, then inferential, and then open-ended again. The leader does not discuss but concentrates on running the group and keeping track of who has participated.

For example, if students read a selection about smoking, the leader might begin by asking each person to choose a word from the article that is most important to them. The leader would ask each child in turn to share his/her word. Then, to make sure students have a literal understanding of the text, the leader might ask a series of questions like, what is second-hand smoke? Anyone can answer and students bounce ideas off one another until the leader moves to another question.

To help readers synthesize the article, the leader might ask a series of questions like, why would cigarette companies sell their product to people in third world countries? If time at the end, the leader asks a question for each child to respond to like, as a result of reading and this discussion, tell us one way in which you changed your mind.

Socratic seminars may be messy at first. It takes several experiences for students to understand that "thinking" is valued. I encourage you to seek structured talk activities that will provide opportunities for students of any age - even kindergarten - to discuss texts like this in class. It is through the talking that students will get the confusing parts cleared up. When discouraged, remember that comprehension floats on a sea of talk no matter how messy.

My First Socratic Seminar

To ease my 10th grade struggling readers into my first Socratic seminar on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, I asked an easy question.

Just ask a question that everyone can answer, I'd been advised on my first time out. So I asked, "Tell me something you remember about the book. What stands out in your mind from your reading as you sit in this circle today?"

Most of the class had read about half of the book by this January morning so they would have plenty of pages on which to reflect.

But not right away. Instead, there was silence. Traditional silence. Long, tense silence.

"Remember," I reminded them, "I am recording points this morning for any one who contributes to the discussion," hoping someone would help me out.

"The monster," Shanita finally said.

"Tell me more about the monster and what you remember," I responded.

"You know, the monster. That was the best part."

"I don't remember a monster in the book, " I said scanning the faces and pleading with my body language for the others to come to my aid.

Instead, most of my class yelled back, "Mrs. Haag! You're confusing us."

"Well, go back to the text and read for me what you're talking about."

Silence. Traditional silence. Long, tense silence.

Some flipped through the pages. A couple dropped their heads to the desk, off to sleep again. Most just did nothing. Finally, one student focused our attention back to the earliest chapters, and read:

"The thing in question on the port quarter!"

All eyes were turned toward the point indicated. There, a mile and a half from the frigate, a large black body emerged more than a yard above the waves. Its tail, violently agitated, produced a considerable eddy. An immense track, dazzlingly white, marked the passage of the animal, and described a long curve... While I was observing it, two jets of vapour and water sprang from its vent-holes and ascended to a height of fifty yards, thus fixing my opinion as to its way of breathing." (P 24)

They looked at me as if to say, "Well?"

Now that I understood the mix-up, gently I tried to clear up the confusion. I referred them to another passage about the professor climbing out of the water, about 9 or 10 pages later. (Technically, I'm not supposed to talk in a Socratic Seminar but what was I to do?) I read, "I wriggled myself quickly to the top of the half-submerged being or object on which we had found refuge. I struck my foot against it. It was evidently a hard and impenetrable body, and not the soft substance which forms the mass of great marine mammalia.

"The blow produced a metallic sound. Doubt was no longer possible. The animal, monster, natural phenomenon that had puzzled the entire scientific world, and misled the imagination of sailors in the two hemispheres, was, it must be acknowledged, a still more astonishing phenomenon, a phenomenon of man's own making." (p. 34-35)

We talked about their confusion. At first most of the characters in the book had thought there was a monster in the sea but by now, the three main characters realized that the "monster" was some new vessel made of steel, indestructible.

The author described the submarine as a monster in the beginning because the people did not know what strange creature was destroying their ships. At the time this story was written, subs did not exist.

"The monster is the submarine you've been reading about, the sub on which Ned Land, Conseil and the professor are riding," I concluded.

"Oh," Shanita said. "Mrs. Haag, do I still get my points?"

Getting Started Select a text that is difficult to understand, not one that is difficult to read. Choose one that has meaty issues. Students read the text in class or for homework. It's ideal if students have a copy on which to write. It's the student's job to prepare for the seminar. The teacher needs to make clear when the seminar will take place. Require that students set personal goals for the discussion in their daybooks on the day of the seminar. Here are some suggestions: Refer to the text, other readings and other students to provide evidence to support ideas. Ask questions that demonstrate thinking. Listen to participants. Follow up other participants' questions and comments with comments, questions or compliments. Encourage others to speak. Argue safely - use language that will engage others in conversation. I agree and... That's true and... Tell me more about... I was wondering... I'm curious about what you thought about... What about... What did you think when... That's interesting. Did you also think that... Good point. I also learned... Be willing to change your mind.

The teacher - and eventually, the student leader - cannot participate except to keep the conversation flowing. (At first, the teacher may need to give direction.) It's important that the group move to be in a circle. The leader begins with a question that everyone can answer and gives each individual a chance to respond. (Students should be encouraged to say something original if they can - not repeat what others have said.) Examples: Read one sentence from the article that you think is very important. If you had to summarize this text in one word, what would it be? Then the leader moves to a list of questions he/she has prepared ahead of time. The leader asks the questions or asks students to comment on statements and lets the discussion flow. The leader keeps track of who speaks on a seating chart. The leader reserves the right to move on to the next question when he/she feels discussion is waning or as a result of time limitations. The leader can reserve the right to say things like, "I have 2 more questions. This would be a good time for students who have not participated to add their ideas to the discussion." Or, "I have 6 students who have participated 5 times. I am asking you to hold your comments so that others may share at this time." The leader can close by asking each person to answer a closing question. Or, in the interest of time, the leader may simply thank the participants and close the discussion. For example, Read one sentence from the article that you think is very important. Is that the same or different than at the beginning? Tell us one important idea about which you changed your mind. Tell us one detail that you understand more clearly as a result of the discussion. Students return to their response journals to evaluate whether they attained the goal(s) they set for themselves at the beginning of the session. They may want to make notes about goals for next time.