Ideas for Facilitating Discussion



To facilitate a good discussion, you need to have a hot topic, ask good questions, and give participants lots of time to think – especially if it’s a complex or personal topic. Sometimes it helps participants (particularly the quiet ones) to have time to reflect or time to share with another person before asking them to share in a group. Try to use a combination of techniques. When you do, you may find that more people may participate actively in discussions more often.

 

Begin individually

• Incorporate journaling with questions to help focus the girls’ reflections.

• Inspire writing through the use of a quote or reading. The facilitator can choose a quote that touches on a relevant theme and read it, while the participants write their thoughts silently.

• Encourage the writing of free-flowing thoughts. This works well when you give participants a definite time frame, for example, three to five minutes to write non-stop about a topic.

• Include arts activities to stimulate reflection by making poems or drawing pictures.

 

Partner sharing

• Ask participants to discuss a question in groups of two and report back what they are comfortable to share with the group afterwards.

 

As a whole group

• Include “go-arounds.” These are a great way to give everyone the opportunity to contribute to the discussion. Make sure to remind everyone that they can “pass” if they choose to.

A few ways to facilitate a “go around” include:

    • Each person shares one descriptive word or sentence about the activity or experience.

    • One person begins to retell what happened during the activity or experience and anyone can interrupt if they think of something to add to the sequence of how the activity or experience unfolded.

    • Each person in the group completes a sentence, such as, “It makes me happy when...” or “My favourite part of tonight was…”

• Try a “Fish bowl.” In this activity, half the group sits inside a circle and the others sit or stand outside and observe while those in the “fish bowl” discuss a topic. After a period of time the “outside” group summarizes the discussion of the “inside” group. They then respond with their thoughts, while the “inside” group listens.