What happens in a Shared Inquiry discussion?
In a Shared Inquiry discussion, the leader starts with a basic question that addresses a central problem of meaning in the reading selection. Everyone listens carefully to the responses of the group members to the leader’s basic question. The leader asks follow-up questions to help participants think through and share their ideas about the reading. This in-depth questioning and responding sustains interest in the discussion as participants recognize that interpretations other than their own are also substantiated by the text. As a leader, you can ask group members questions to: • Clarify their comments. Ask them to explain what they mean by what they say. • Elicit evidence for their opinion from the selection. Interpretations need to be tested against the text to see if they are valid. • Solicit additional opinions that agree or disagree with a participant’s idea. • Build relationships between the new ideas of a participant and the ideas already offered by other group members. Stay wit
