Discussion is an often-used teaching method that may not even seem to need mention in this setting. Yet experience has shown that there is a real art in creating good discussions. Consider the following suggestions to encourage better discussions in your lessons:

  1. Avoid asking “Yes/No” questions. Such closed questions do not encourage thinking or discussion. Instead, ask how or why questions.
  2. Address questions to certain individuals. Often, a few persons are more talkative (and possibly considered more knowledgeable). If you do not actively seek the participation of others, the few can dominate the lesson.
  3. Ask a second person to add on to the answer of the first. Or, ask that person to provide a counter-argument for the sake of discussion.
  4. Re-work your questions for clarity. An easy trap for the teacher while studying a scripture is to develop a question based on several presuppositions, but to fail to lead the class through the same train of thought before asking this question.