Working with Oversharers

In-class discussions can help students develop critical thinking skills, but effective discussions require structure and planning.

Garside, C. (1996). Look who's talking: A comparison of lecture and group discussion teaching strategies in developing critical thinking skills.

Related tips:
Facilitating In-Class Discussions: Facilitating a Coherent Discussion
Facilitating In-Class Discussions: Picking Good Discussion Topics
Facilitating In-Class Discussions: Working with Quiet Students

Look for common problems that arise in class discussions to determine which intervention is best.

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Establish as a classroom norm that you will occasionally interrupt and refocus the class discussion to create a shared expectations about the importance of keeping the class on track.

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Ask students to raise their hands rather than shouting out contributions to enable you to call on students who contribute less often.

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Ask everyone to wait for a certain number of other students to speak before speaking again to reduce a few students from monopolizing the discussion.

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Meet with oversharers to help oversharers monitor their participation.

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