This session was focused on the use of dialogue sheets for conversation. The team spoke about using dialogue sheets to facilitate all speaking when working together as one group on a topic and, a way of all voices being heard. These sheets in the first instance have been used in the middle of a table to prompt discussion and to record the conversation. The sheets can be designed in a number of ways but need to have prompts on them. These can include quotes from students, staff, research and literature or pictures. These sheets can be developed in publisher or powerpoint.

The team also discussed how through the use of these in various ways they had developed alternative approaches to their use with single sheets of A4 with prompts on that students could re-order and then write on a blank sheet in the middle with the prompts around them.

The idea is to have groups of 6 – 8 people around each and to use a main question with 5 – 6 prompts for this. The prompts should be numbered unless you are permitting students to re-order these when single sheets. The person sat near 1 starts by reading this to the others and then writing down the conversations. This then moves to 2, 3 etc with the person nearest the number undertaking the lead for that point.

This activity is a good way to get high level engagement and participation, it is stimulating, thought-provoking and interesting, all have a voice, it makes a change from powerpoint, it’s fun, good for reluctant/shy people, helps explore research in depth, and no one feels judged.