Prompting Deeper Discussions: A Teacher's Guide to Crafting Great Questions

by Matthew R. Kay

Overview

Learn how to craft better prompts and lead deeper class discussions.

Class discussions are the cornerstone of successful instruction and learning— a way to explore complex subject matter and help students develop critical-thinking, listening, and speaking skills. Too often, the questions teachers ask are met not with deep engagement and discovery but blank stares and silence. In order to reap the benefits of student discussion, teachers must know how to plan and facilitate great class conversations and avoid common pitfalls.

Prompting Deeper Discussions offers a winning formula: a great prompt, delivered by an agile teacher, at the best time, to a group of students that has been properly prepared to discuss it. Teachers across grades and content areas will learn how to

• Set goals for class discussions that are both ambitious and realistic.
• Thoughtfully prepare to lead these discussions.
• Craft and refine discussion prompts.
• Keep well-prompted discussions from falling flat.

Classroom teacher Matthew R. Kay also shares exercises that give both new and veteran teachers a chance to practice writing prompts without the pressure of a looming class. Ultimately, this book will help teachers strengthen in-class discussions so that students will have a greater depth of knowledge and develop essential skills they'll need to thrive.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781416633396
Publisher:	ASCD
Publication date:	12/19/2024
Pages:	148
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Matthew R. Kay is a proud product of Philadelphia's public schools and a founding teacher at Science Leadership Academy. He is also the founder and co-director of Philly Slam League, a nonprofit organization that shows young people the power of their voices through weekly spoken word competitions and workshops.

Kay is the author of the bestselling Not Light, but Fire: How to Lead Meaningful Race Conversations in the Classroom, as well as the co-author of We’re Gonna Keep on Talking: How to Lead Meaningful Race Conversations in the Elementary Classroom and Answers to Your Biggest Questions About Teaching Middle and High School ELA.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Matthew Kay reminds us that vibrant student talk is the heartbeat of any engaging classroom, and Prompting Deeper Discussions provides teachers with in-depth practical steps for starting—and extending—deeper student conversations. As James Britton famously said, 'Reading and writing float on a sea of talk,' and this book is a valuable resource for centering this important talk in your classroom."
—Kelly Gallagher, author of Readicide: How Our Schools Are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It

"In Prompting Deeper Discussions, teacher Matt Kay pulls back the curtain on crafting questions that lead to fabulous classroom conversations. Through his clear analysis, illuminating classroom examples, and lively writing, Kay shares his classroom-tested approaches with fellow educators, equipping us to adapt his simple, powerful planning and implementation techniques for our specific teaching contexts. Prompting and facilitating deep, engaging, productive discussions isn't magic, and it's no longer mystery, thanks to Kay's superb, tight, useful book. Highly recommended!"
—Tracy Johnston Zager, author of Becoming the Math Teacher You Wish You’d Had: Ideas and Strategies from Vibrant Classrooms

"Clearly and concisely, Matthew Kay delivers the essential pedagogical moves necessary to lead and deepen classroom discussion. Prompting Deeper Discussions will help new and experienced teachers alike how to think more intentionally about how they structure their discussions and anticipate and handle the dilemmas and issues teachers often face in this important aspect of instruction. Drawing from his many years in the classroom, Kay has gifted us with a book for educators to meaningfully improve professional practice across the content areas."
—Bruce Lesh, author of Why Won't You Just Tell Me the Answer? and Developing Historical Thinkers

"A meaningful classroom discussion is perhaps the most authentic thing we can do as educators, but it also can be one of the most difficult things to structure well. What Matt has done with this book is create the conditions by which teachers can improve their facility at the classroom discussion, and make classrooms more meaningful and powerful for all their students. Prompting Deeper Discussions is a practitioner's book—it is written by a master teacher for teachers everywhere."
—Chris Lehmann, founding principal, Science Leadership Academy

"Matthew Kay has managed another brilliant work for educators with Prompting Deeper Discussions. As he has done so well before, Matt opens the door to his classroom and welcomes you in to observe his planning and lessons. This book is absolutely on target for the moment we are in, and Matt connects all the dots to help readers understand the importance of class discussions and how they are facilitated. He makes the process of planning for these conversations look obvious and easy, and he gives us the tools to actually make it so!"
—Jennifer Orr, elementary educator and author of Demystifying Discussion

"Prompting Deeper Discussions is a powerful resource for any educator that wants to improve classroom discussion. Kay offers a path to enhancing classroom discussions, promoting critical thinking, and ultimately creating a more engaging and inclusive learning environment."
—Melinda Stewart, MiddleWeb