Possible response: Ask the students to pause and write down what they think were the last couple of claims or statements made. Universities are where learning is supposed to happen, and it is up to you to enable students to tackle difficult issues in a constructive way. The students trust you to maintain control and will respond to your calmness.ĭon’t avoid the issue. What might students learn from their own behaviour and that of their classmates? Responding to difficult situations in the classroom Model good practice yourself by being open to multiple perspectives if you are open with the students about your own views, be careful to distinguish between evidence and speculation, and encourage students to do the same.Įncourage students to distinguish between evidence and opinion by using “I…” statements when expressing opinions.Īsk students to think about how their own reactions to the topic reflect the reactions of the broader society. Give students a chance to write before speaking, or to talk with a partner before speaking to the whole group.Įncourage active listening: before presenting their own viewpoint, ask students to acknowledge the previous speaker by restating content or indicating that they heard the other’s message. Structure the debateĪsk students to participate in discussions with the aim of understanding other people’s reasons for their points of view, and articulating the reasons for their own. Seek additional guidance and training if you need to. If you know your own positions on issues, and your own sensitivities, you are less likely to get drawn into the controversy.ĭecide whether you are going to maintain impartiality or acknowledge your own beliefs.īe honest with yourself about your level of experience and skill in managing the classroom and facilitating group work. Addressing difficult or sensitive topics Prepare yourself This can encourage them to keep in mind the need for fairness, and may provide you with a useful record of the group’s activity. If tasks are unsupervised or off-site, consider providing a brief role description for a chair to manage meetings and keep the group on task.įor extended group work, particularly when it is assessed, consider requiring each student to keep a record of how the group decided on tasks, arranged meetings and allocated work. Structure the tasks so that group members have clear roles and responsibilities. Recognise that, left to themselves, students may not distribute the group’s workload fairly and consider whether to provide additional structure to address this. If students select their own groups they may self-segregate in ways which can be unhelpful. It also helps to put instructions for tasks in writing, and either provide them in advance, or allow plenty of time for reading.Ĭonsider whether to allow students to select their own groups or whether you will allocate them yourself, either randomly or in some other way. Small group workĮnsure that the tasks and the expected outcomes are clearly defined: uncertainty can allow confident students to dominate. In addition, consider reminding students that if they have a disability or impairment which might affect participation you can support them better if they let you know. do not use inflammatory or offensive language, sarcasm, or raised voices.keep discussion and comments on the topic, and off the people.listen to each others’ points of view, recognising that there may be disagreement.treat each other with dignity and respect.It helps to make your expectations clear from the outset. This guidance is intended to help teaching staff develop their own way to strike this balance. In order to make student interaction effective and safe for participants, teaching staff must create an environment in which people treat each other with dignity, courtesy and respect, while also promoting open and critical exchange of ideas. Student interaction plays an important role in learning in higher education. This article provides strategies for structuring small group work, with a focus on addressing difficult or sensitive topics.
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