Last three to speak

This is a really simple technique which I recommend at any point during whole-class dialogue and P4C. Simply ask: Who were the last three people to speak? What did they say, and what do you think about what they said?

Students can then make individual notes, or discuss with a partner.

This is useful for several reasons:

  1. It encourages active listening.

  2. It encourages thinking about what others are saying. Do I agree with what M said, or disagree?

  3. It breaks up whole-class dialogue into more manageable chunks, allowing for sustained engagement.

Two children talking in a pair in the classroom; the listener is clearly giving attention

(Thanks to Roger Sutcliffe for this tip.)