Literature Circles - Discussion Etiquette

Literature Circle

Discussion Etiquette by Noe and Johnson

Discussion Elements	Looks Like	Sounds Like
Focused on Discussion Body posture Eye Contact	Eyes on speaker Hands empty Sit up Mind is focused Face speaker	Speaker's voice only Paying attention Appropriate response Voices low One voice at a time
Active Participation Respond to ideas Share feelings	Eyes on speaker Hands to yourself Hands empty Talking one at a time Head nodding	Appropriate responses Follow off other's ideas Nice comments Positive attitude
Asking Questions for Clarification	Listening Hands empty	Positive, nice questions Polite answers
Piggybacking Off Others Ideas	Listening Pay attention	Positive, nice talking Wait for people to finish
Disagreeing Constructively	Look at the speaker Nice face, nice looks	Polite responses Let people finish talking Quiet voices No put downs
Active Listening	Paying attention Hands empty Looking at the speaker	Quiet Speaker's voice only
Taking Turns to Let Others Speak	One person talking Attention on the speaker	One voice
Supporting Opinions with Evidence	Use the book and form Be prepared	Piggy back off others Help others find evidence One voice Let people finish talking
Encourage Others	Prompt people to share Ask probing questions	Positive response Appropriate responses

Best Practices: Pieces of the Puzzle