Socratic method

This article explains the history and theory of the Socratic method of teaching, which emphasizes teacher-
student dialogue. The article offers suggestions for creating Socratic circles and Socratic seminars and
provides resources for further reading.
BY HEAT HER CO F F EY

Developed from Plato’s Socratic Dialogues, the Socratic method of teaching is a student-
centered approach that challenges learners to develop their critical thinking skills and
engage in analytic discussion. The Socratic method can be used at any grade level and Learn more
with all subject areas, and lessons can be adapted to fit a changing society. Greece Central School
District's Socratic seminar
overview This Overview

History of the Socratic method from the Greece Central

School District's website
provides history and
An ancient form of discourse, the Socratic method is over 2400 years old and is
information about the
reportedly founded on Socrates’ belief that lecture was not an effective method of Socratic method and
teaching all students. According to Matt Copeland, Socrates valued the knowledge and seminars, as well as
understanding already present within people and thought that using this knowledge sample discussion
could potentially be beneficial in advancing their understanding. Copeland explains, “by questions and guidelines
helping students examine their premonitions and beliefs while at the same time accepting that can be adapted for
the limitations of human thought, Socrates believed students could improve their different subjects and
lessons.
reasoning skills and ultimately move toward more rational thinking and ideas more
StudyGuide.org: Socratic
easily supported with logic.”1
seminars The
The term ‘Socratic seminar’ appears to have first been used by the Great Books StudyGuide.org website
Program founder Scott Buchanan in his work with the St. John’s College New Program, offers background, sample
and the concept has been popularized by organizations such as The Center for Socratic questions, guidelines, and
Practice, the Touchstones Project, Junior Great Books, the National Paideia Center, and a participant rubric to
the Coalition of Essential Schools. support the use of Socratic
Lynda Tredway explains that although this type of teaching practice has been seminars.
explored throughout history, this teaching technique was reintroduced in the 1980s, as
REL AT ED PAG ES
part of Mortimer Adler’s Paideia Proposal for comprehensive school reform.2
Beyond blended learning:
Reaching every student:
This archived presentation
The Socratic method in practice from the 2010 NCTIES
conference explores the
In the Socratic method of education, teachers engage students by asking questions that theory and application of
require generative answers. Ideally, the answers to questions are not a stopping point for blended learning and
thought but are instead a beginning to further analysis and research. Teachers can use the offers ten ways to improve
Socratic method in a variety of subject areas and across grade levels in order to challenge teaching using a blended
approach.
students to examine both contemporary and historical issues. In modeling the practice of
Socrates, the teacher questions students in a manner that requires them to consider how Why inquiry?: The
they rationalize and respond about topics. Copeland explains that it is important for rationale for using
discovery learning
teachers to clarify that these questions are not intended to create an environment of
methods in teaching
judgment, but rather to help students “examine their attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and
science.
logic.”3 The goal of the Socratic method is to help students process information and Project-based learning:
engage in deeper understanding of topics. Most importantly, Socratic teaching engages Project-based learning is a
students in dialogue and discussion that is collaborative and open-minded as opposed to teaching approach that
debate, which is often competitive and individualized. engages students in
sustained, collaborative
Ideally, teachers develop open-ended questions about texts and encourage students
real-world...
to use textual evidence to support their opinions and answers. In the Socratic seminar,
the teacher uses questions to guide discussion around specific learning goals. It is
REL AT ED TO PICS
imperative for teachers to “establish guidelines to help students understand their roles
Learn more about Socratic
and responsibilities” in the Socratic discussion.4 “Socratic questioning is a systematic
method, critical thinking,
process for examining the ideas, questions, and answers that form the basis of human and teaching methods.
belief. It involves recognizing that all new understanding is linked to prior
understanding, that thought itself is a continuous thread woven throughout lives rather
than isolated sets of questions and answers.”5 Help
Please read our disclaimer for
lesson plans.
Socratic circles
Socratic circles can be used to engage in the Socratic method in various subjects.
Legal
Typically, when participating in Socratic circle activities, students first read a passage The text of this page is
critically and then form two concentric circles. First, the inner circle examines and copyright ©2009. See terms of
discusses the text and the second circle comments on the quality of the dialogue. Then, use. Images and other media
the two circles switch places and roles, and the process is repeated with the new ideas may be licensed separately;
from a new circle. The outer circle is required to remain quiet while the inner circle reacts see captions for more
information and read the fine
and dialogues, and conversely, the inner circle must listen quietly to the outer circle’s
print.
evaluation of their conversation.
Copeland explains that Socratic circles “turn partial classroom control, classroom
direction, and classroom governance over to students by creating a truly equitable
learning community where the weight and value of student voices and teacher voices are
indistinguishable from each other.” Copeland suggests that Socratic circles help to
develop “critical and creative thinking skills that will ultimately facilitate their growth
and development into productive, responsible citizens.”6
According to Copeland, Socratic circles encourage students to “work cooperatively
to construct meaning from what they have read and avoid focusing on a ‘correct’
interpretation of the text.”7

S T E P S F O R C R E AT I N G S O C R AT I C C I R C L E S

Typically, Socratic circles must include a short passage of text in which students have
already given a critical read, and two concentric circles of students — one circle focusing
on exploring the meaning expressed in the text and a second circle observing the
conversation.8
Basic structure:

1. Teacher assigns a short passage of text the day prior to the Socratic circle activity.
2. Students read, analyze, and take notes individually.
3. Students are divided into two circles.
4. The inner circle reads the passage aloud and discusses the text for about ten
minutes, while the outer circle silently observes.
5. The outer circle evaluates the inner circle’s conversation and provides feedback to
the inner circle.
6. Students switch circles.
7. The new inner circle discusses the text for approximately ten minutes and then is
 given ten minutes of feedback by the outer circle.

Socratic Seminars
Lynda Tredaway describes the Socratic seminar as “a form of structured discourse about
ideas and moral dilemmas.”9 According to Tredway, the Socratic seminar is a 50-80
minute discussion in which 25 or fewer students react to a novel, poem, essay, document,
or art reproduction. Students engaging in Socratic seminar generally sit in a circle and do
not raise their hands to speak; instead, they make eye contact and observe body language
in order to learn the cues for engaging in discussion.
In the Socratic seminar, the teacher usually provides questions that require students
“to evaluate options and make decisions.” When Socratic seminars engage students in
active learning, they “develop knowledge, understanding, and ethical attitudes and
behaviors, they are more apt to retain these attributes than if they had received them
passively.”10 Proponents of this teaching methodology propose that it also has the
potential for character and communication development in addition to facilitating the
improvement of self-esteem.

T H E T E A C H E R ’ S R O L E I N S O C R AT I C S E M I N A R

In the Socratic seminar, the teacher is responsible for guiding students to “a deeper and
clarified consideration of the ideas of the text, a respect for varying points of view, and
adherence to and respect for the seminar process.”11 The teacher also counts the number
and type of comments made by students and models expected behaviors for listening,
thinking and interacting within the dialogue. Teachers often participate in student-led
seminars, and in case, the dialogue is charted by students who tally the types of
contributions made by classmates.

D E V E L O P I N G Q U E S T I O N S F O R S O C R AT I C S E M I N A R S

There are several methods of developing questions for Socratic seminars; however,
creating an opening question can determine the success of the seminar. According to the
Greece Central School District of New York,12 a good opening question must:

Arise from the curiosity of the leader.

Have no single “right” answer.
Be structured to generate dialogue that leads to a clearer understanding of textual
concepts.
Require participants to make textual references.

The questions that follow the introduction to the seminar require students to make
personal connections with the text and the world outside of school. For example, the
questions might ask students to share similar or different experiences as those in the text.
The teacher might also pose questions that ask students to clarify their perspectives and
draw on textual evidence to support their claims. The questions in a Socratic seminar
might also challenge students to make comparisons, give evidence for cause-and-effect
relationships, provide suggestions for why this text might be realistic or unrealistic, and
compare it to their personal lives. Sample questions may be found on the Socratic
Seminars page at the Greece Central School website.

G U I D E L I N E S F O R PA R T I C I PA N T S I N A S O C R AT I C S E M I N A R
When implementing Socratic seminars in the classroom, teachers may want to create
their own guidelines for participation. Examples of participation guidelines can be found
on the following web pages:

Socratic Seminars on the Studyguide.org website

Socratic Seminars — Responsibilities: Participants on the Greece Central School
District website

Notes
1. Copeland, M. (2005). Socratic Circles: Fostering Critical and Creative Thinking. Portland, MN: Stenhouse Publishers, p.
7. [return]
2. Tredway, L. (1995). “Socratic Seminars: Engaging Students in Intellectual Discourse.” Educational Leadership. 53 (1).
[return]
3. Copeland, M. (2005), p. 14. [return]
4. Copeland, M. (2005), p. 15. [return]
5. Copeland, M. (2005), p. 7-8 [return]
6. Copeland, M. (2005), p. 3 [return]
7. Copeland, M. (2005), p. 26 [return]
8. Copeland, M. (2005), p. 9 [return]
9. Tredway, L. (1995), p. 26 [return]
10. Tredway, L. (1995), p. 26 [return]
11. Tredway, L. (1995), p. 28 [return]
12. “Socratic Seminars.” Greece Central School District. New York. http://www.greece.k12.ny.us/academics.cfm?
subpage=1260 [return]