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Open Discussion Sessions: weekly extracurricular small-group discussions in a relaxed non-classroom setting

Design · All designs
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 causal), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description

A reusable lesson/unit-level design in which students meet weekly in a non-classroom setting (a large tent) in small groups of seven, each guided by an instructor, to discuss student-chosen topics. Each 50-minute session follows a set time-plan: a 10-minute instructor introduction, 25 minutes of small-group discussion, and a 15-minute whole-group summary and conclusion session. The article states "Each weekly session lasts for 50 minutes managed smoothly and systematically according to a specific time-plan."

Design Implications

Context

Requirements

  • An Activity Hour or equivalent time slot outside regular classes, with instructors available to mentor groups and prepare materials and thought questions beforehand

Constraints

  • Participants reported one hour per week was not enough and that the format demanded good preparation of proper material and increased instructor workload

Target Learners

  • Undergraduate EFL English language majors

Learning Goals

  • Oral communicative ability in English
  • Speaking confidence
  • Fluency and coherent expression of opinions

Claims

Examples

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Key Sources

  • Daif-Allah, A. S., & Khan, M. I. (2016). The Impact of Open Discussion Sessions on Enhancing the Oral Communicative Abilities of Saudi English Language Majors at Buraydah Community College. English Language Teaching, 9(6). https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v9n6p108
Page metadata
Field Value
type design
id open-discussion-sessions-format
title Open Discussion Sessions: weekly extracurricular small-group discussions in a relaxed non-classroom setting
description A reusable lesson/unit-level design in which students meet weekly in a non-classroom setting (a large tent) in small groups of seven, each guided by an instructor, to discuss student-chosen topics.
status review
generated by process:settle-candidates on 2026-11-03
trust unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
sources 1 — daif-allah-2016

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