CLP SAC Consensus Building Strategy Steps.docx
CLP SAC Handout.docx
Structured Academic Controversy
Overview
Civics Learning Project Resources:
Introduce the concept of “Civil Discourse”, emphasizing that it focuses on conversation to enhance understanding. To help students think about the concept, pose questions, such as:
● What does a person engaged in a conversation look and sound like?
● What is the difference between conversation and debate?
● What should a successful classroom discussion look and sound like?
Civic Learning Program Resources: Structured Academic Controversy
One of the most important, and at times, most challenging aspects of incorporating current events into the classroom is fostering a civil dialogue amongst students. As polarization seems to be growing each year, the practice of holding a discourse with folks who hold different, and at times, conflicting views is becoming an ever more important skill to practice. There are a number of ways to introduce and encourage respectful discussion in classrooms, most of which begin with foundational work by the class in setting a respectful culture of inclusion. This activity focuses on one way to introduce and encourage civil discourse.