DIALOGUE
EXPLORE QUALITIES OF A PRODUCTIVE DIALOGUE ABOUT CIVIC ISSUES - IN PERSON OR ONLINE
conversation starter:
how can we
communicate better?
This conversation starter invites students to watch a TED talk before discussing the strategies for a successful conversation on any topic.
Watch the TED talk, “10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation” by radio journalist, Celeste Headlee. As you and your students watch, take note of and record on chart paper the 10 strategies Headlee describes.
After watching the video, ask students to reflect on the following questions:
​
-
What’s familiar? Are any of the strategies Headlee describes familiar to you? Do you ever use these strategies when in a conversation with someone?
-
What’s new? Are any of the ideas or strategies new to you or strategies that you don’t typically use? Can you imagine using these strategies in future conversations? Why or why not?
-
Do you think these strategies are useful for any kind of conversation - including conversations about civic issues? Why or why not?