I use this activity in all sorts of ways. I just adapt the question and sometimes the scales to suit. Can be a great starter.

I have this up in my room as a reminder to pupils to bring things back on topic if we are getting side tracked. It just acknowledges that you value what they have said and put it aside for another time of end of lesson.

These cards are designed to help you and your teaching assistants to improve your teacher talk. By simply changing the way we respond and question our students we can improve their learning and model how to develop a more inquisitive and probing vocabulary. The use of Socratic questioning creates an active classroom where learning is student-centered and inquiry- based. This form of questioning also facilitates long-term retention of information and advances the problem-solving skills of the students. * I cut these up, laminate, hole-punch and put onto a split ring. I have given them to teaching assistants and students to use. * You could print them off as posters to put up in class. *Print them small and stick into books or your planner.