ABSTRACT
Studying the process, it becomes obvious that the well-balanced, interactive discussion is not made up entirely of a string of questions, no matter how well each meets the criteria for provoking intelligent thought. The construction of good questions is only one measure of effective interactive teaching. The others lie in the teacher's ability to listen, to attend to what the student is saying, and to interpose good questions with other responses that require students to re-examine their ideas. The construction of good questions is only one measure of effective interactive teaching. Teachers who are embarking on a discussion teaching class may want to arm themselves with a few questions in advance that attend to the big ideas that underpin the curriculum experience. The neophyte discussion leader comes to the class with not a little anxiety about how well he or she is going to be able to fulfill the challenges of leading a productive, effective discussion.
