When we put our thoughts into words, we clarify what these thoughts are and we think purposefully.

When we discuss things with other people, we meet other points of view and other ways of doing things. 

All this helps us to learn.

As with all learning, discussions work best when we base them on planned questions.  Robert Fisher suggests that the following questions encourage learners to put their thoughts into words and take part in a discussion: 

• To define the purpose of the activity: Why are you doing this?  What do you hope to achieve? How will it help?
•  To invite opinions or views about the topic: What do you think?  What are your views/opinions/beliefs about the topic?  Do you agree with what has been said?
• To question the topic, and to encourage learners to check their own understanding: What do you not know or not understand about it? What do you want to find out?  What questions can you ask about it?
• To clarify the topic or problem and to help learners say what they mean clearly:  What does that word/point/detail mean? Can you explain it? 
• To summarise, and to check understanding of the whole topic: What was said?  Can you say it in your own words? Can you say what you think/know?
• To develop strategies and tactics: What problems do you face? What ways can you try to overcome them? How can you succeed?
• To evaluate outcomes: Have you succeeded? What is good about what you have done? What could be improved?
• To review the whole process: Would you do this again? Would you do it the same way? What have you learnt from doing this?