You’re a new teacher looking for ways to engage adult learners in interesting discussions in your class or you’re simply trying to find another way to encourage your students to think for themselves and share their ideas with others. Here is a technique called pyramid teaching that I think you will find to be very effective.
Organize the students into pairs and have them discuss a question or a problem to reach consensus. After 5 or 10 minutes have each pair joined with another pair and have that group before reach consensus. Those groups of 4 then double up , 2 groups of 8 and so on.
This technique will involve every student and developer confidence in discussing their ideas with their peers. It’s not hard for them to talk to each other and once they have already expressed and clarify their ideas, it’s easier to talk in larger groups.
Each student gets a chance to participate and each student’s ideas become part of the final group project. This technique gives you dirhe and immediate student feedback from multiple sources. Every time you expand your group the ideas are seen from more points of view. The students will see how their ideas need to be a improved and they will all take responsibility for the final product.
An option that works very well with the first group of two pairs is to have each student brief their partners ideas. In that way the originator of the idea out will get to see how well they were able to communicate to their partner.
I have used this technique in a variety of settings and classrooms and over many different topics. It is without question one of my favorite techniques for encouraging students to participate in the dialogue. All I have to do is browse in between groups to ensure that conversations are productive and encouraged. Give it a try and see what you think!