ABSTRACT
Maddox (1988:192-5) identifies four kinds of discussion class: group tutorials; seminars; the discussion class proper; and free or leaderless group discussion. The aims of each are different. For example, tutorial discussion groups might be organized to evaluate a student’s progress, discuss an essay or help solve study difficulties. Seminars tend to be topic-oriented. The discussion class proper is usually a group of people who may appoint a chairperson and secretary and operate along formal lines. Leaderless discussion is literally that, with group leaders emerging by default and leadership changing in such a way that a group cannot be said to have a fixed or appointed leader. Maddox points out that not everyone enjoys working in a group. Some students believe that groups
tend to bring into the open inequalities in the ability to express ideas. Furthermore, students who dislike one another will tend to remain silent. Rowntree (1988:121) also adds a significant point about the way groups behave when he draws attention to the importance of listening skills, particularly as men have a tendency to interrupt women and women need to be aware of the danger of being ignored by men. A seminar is as much about group behaviour as it is about the topic under discussion.
