Marie P. Casey
Objective
To promote listening and speaking skills in a large group discussion. To engage as many as possible in the discussion, and have each person feel that his or her participation is needed and encouraged.
Strategy
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1. The moderator/teacher must be prepared to ask a series of questions that control the discussion and give it direction.
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2. The teacher should examine each student response by asking for the reasons for them or the implications that they have.
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3. The teacher should try to engage the students in two-way discussions with one another when the views they contribute appear to be in conflict.
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Questions should raise issues; questions should
not
be answered by yes or no.
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The teacher should be sure that all the questions are listened to and understood by students.
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4. All the participants including the teacher should be prepared to change their minds as a result of the discussion in which they engage.
Materials
&
Activities
Read aloud the poem “Death of The Hired Man” by Robert Frost. Assign the reading of four lines to each student to read aloud. At the end of the reading ask students to tell about their section of reading.
Story of the poem for teacher’s use
“The Death of The Hired Man” consists of a dialogue between Warren, a farmer, and his wife Mary. Silas, their old hired man, has returned, sick, after a long absence. He stays with them during the hard winters but leaves for other farms with better wages in haying time. They feel sympathy but do not know what to do. They want to send him to his wealthy brother but know that Silas doesn’t want to go there. Social attitudes emerge as the couple remember how Silas fought with a college boy about book learning and life experience. Warren is antagonistic to Silas whom he regards as an economic liability. Mary is more emotional and begs Warren to give him a home one more time. Meanwhile, Silas dies in the next room.
Questions for discussion:
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1. What is the story of the poem?
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2. What are the feelings portrayed in the poem by each character? Silas, warren, Mary.
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3. What are the social issues discussed in the poem? Are they still relevant today? e.g. Homelessness, education, who has the obligation family or society?
