What Are Socratic Seminars?

In a Socratic Seminar activity, students help one another understand the ideas, issues, and values reflected in a text through a group discussion format. ... Through this type of discussion, students practice how to listen to one another, make meaning, and find common ground while participating in a conversation.

What is the purpose of a Socratic Seminar?

The purpose of a Socratic Seminar is to achieve a deeper understanding about the ideas and values in a text. In the Seminar, participants systematically question and examine issues and principles related to a particular content, and articulate different points-of-view.

What is Socratic seminar format?

The Socratic seminar is a formal discussion, based on a text, in which the leader asks open-ended questions. Within the context of the discussion, students listen closely to the comments of others, thinking critically for themselves, and articulate their own thoughts and their responses to the thoughts of others.