Challenges and Potentials of Implementing Discussion-Based Instruction in Elementary and Middle School Classrooms: An Interview With Catherine Snow at Harvard Graduate School of Education

Abstract

Highlights This article consists of an interview with Professor Catherine Snow, an expert on English language and literacy education. The interview aims to introduce discussion-based instruction to educational practitioners. Discussion-based instruction inspires students to take initiatives and increases their engagement in the classroom. It is recommended that a dilemma without a singular answer should be set as the discussion topic. Discussion-based instruction can be combined with traditional lecture-based instruction. It helps students become better readers, thinkers, and writers, facilitating their achievements in standardized assessments. The article highlights that teachers can switch their roles from being owners and conveyors of knowledge to becoming fellow knowledge seekers with their students.