Reflection on Group Discussion as a Teaching Strategy

Reflection 1
REFLECTION
By (Student’s Name)
Professor’s Name
College
Course
Date

Reflection 2
REFLECTION
Introduction
Theme: Group discussion as a teaching strategy
General education classroom has group work and class discussion as teaching strategies.
The teacher and the students agree on a specific topic before it is assigned to a particular group
of students. Students in their groups, might assign themselves roles that suit them. For example;
note taking, and other functions relating to the assignment given. A group discussion expects that
the members of a group equally contribute towards the assigned task. This method, however,
might be challenging for some student’s, example are students who have ASD. These students
have a problem socializing, therefore, to them, group work can be confusing unless specific roles
are assigned (Green 2017, p. 45).
A group of students from the different cultural background can also suffer unproductive
fate. It is from such issues that an interview was developed to determine how students feel about
group discussions and whether group discussion, as a learning strategy, leads to its productive
abilities (Cohen and Lotan 2014, p. 34). The students chosen for the interview were from
different racial background to help understand the diversity of opinions on this issue. It was also
meant to determine whether the presence of the teacher’s assistance helps the student in any way
during the discussion (Metzler 2017, p. 27).
Overview of the Reflection
This reflection is, therefore, an overview of essential matters noted in the interviews
conducted with the students, their views about the school environment and how it affects their
group discussion in classes. It further goes on to find an overview of how the school community

Reflection 3
that contributes to the different races in the classroom in a way, affects group discussion
conducted in class (Muijs and Reynolds 2017, p. 65).
The reflection further determines the role that the students would like their teachers to
play in classroom discussions. The roles include assessment and guidance.
Theme discussion
Group discussion enhances natural learning. For language lessons involving grammar and
speaking skills, it is best that the teacher in charge, use group discussion (Mertens 2014, p. 47).
The learners can overcome their fears and open up during conversations than during tutor
lecture. They are also able to express their views freely in an informal language making the other
members of the group understand each other better than a teacher would have. However, a
teacher’s guidance is needed so that the group maintains focus during the discussion (Fraser
2015, p. 161).
Interview guide in relation to theme
From the interview carried out, it is evident that group discussions play the role that it is
supposed to represent according to many students. Eight out of ten students interviewed
confessed that they gain a lot during classroom discussions compared to classrooms lectures.
Exploring theme from the interviews carried out
According to students, group discussions provides a platform for free interaction with
other students. It is also where most of the students build their confidence (Brookfield 2015, p.
38). In one of the interviews where a student was asked how group discussion has helped her,
she replied in a very encouraging manner. She noted that she developed her literacy poetry skills
from group discussions. Each time she would narrate to her group members a poem and ask them