Description
This resource includes a rubric, clear guidelines, discussion prompts, and a student reflection for facilitating a Socratic Seminar based on any text.
A Socratic seminar is a student-led, formal discussion grounded in a shared text. The discussion emphasizes thoughtful, evidence-based dialogue and encourages students to engage deeply with both the text and one another. During the seminar, students are expected to speak directly to their classmates rather than the teacher, creating a collaborative and respectful academic conversation.
Students prepare for the seminar by reading and annotating the selected text in advance. During the discussion, they listen carefully to the ideas of others, think critically, and respond using textual evidence. This structure promotes active participation, accountability, and meaningful exchange of ideas.
Through participation in a Socratic seminar, students strengthen critical thinking, speaking and listening, and social-emotional skills. They also practice respectful disagreement, cooperation, and academic discourse in a structured setting.
All components of this resource are provided in both ready-to-print PDF format and editable Word documents, allowing teachers to customize materials to fit their classroom needs.