The method of conversation in teaching was developed by the ancient Greek thinker and philosopher Socrates. The word "heuristics" in translation from ancient Greek means literally "to find", "to look for". This method allows the student to come up with the correct answer on their own with the help of special questions skillfully formulated by the teacher.
Definition
Today, heuristic conversation is a collective method of thinking, or a conversation between students and a teacher on a specific topic. In pedagogy, this method is called problem-based learning. It should be noted that the application of this method should be carried out only with those students who already have a certain knowledge base in the subject.
Method advantages
The meaning of the heuristic conversation is that the teacher, with the help of special questions, prompts his audience to get the right answers. The teacher encourages students to use the experience already accumulated, compare objects and phenomena with each other, and make correct conclusions. Since this type of learning is collective, it allows you to create an atmosphere of group interest. And this allows students to comprehend the information already available, contributes todevelopment of their thinking - both logical and creative.
Cons
However, despite all the advantages, the method of heuristic conversation has its drawbacks. The first, as already mentioned, is the need for students to have a certain amount of knowledge. Without experience, they will not be able to reflect on the questions posed in the right direction, this can only further complicate their understanding of the subject. The next disadvantage is that this type of training belongs to the group - it is difficult to apply it in individual training. Also, the method of heuristic conversation requires careful preparation from the teacher. Often it takes more time than the lesson itself. The teacher must divide the planned conversation into logical parts, formulate a lot of questions, arrange them in the correct order, which will correspond to the logic of reasoning.
One of the main tools of heuristic conversation is asking questions. Each question should cause a mental resonance among the students, encourage them to an active thought process, the search for the correct answer to the question. That is why this method develops intelligence very well at any age. Such questions are called "productive".
What should be the answers?
There are also a number of requirements for students' answers. First of all, they should reflect the student's independence of reasoning. You can’t put several questions to the students at once - this will only help to disperse the focus of theirattention. The teacher should praise students for questions to themselves and the group. He should turn to the students as often as possible, offering to reflect on the questions that have already been asked, to correct the answer given by the comrade. We should not limit ourselves to working only with active students - we need to involve the silent ones as well. It often happens that an uninitiated student behaves this way only out of embarrassment, although in fact he would like to take part in the conversation.
Also of no small importance for the heuristic conversation is the environment in which it is conducted. The session should be conducted in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. It is important not only what the teacher says, but also how he does it - what is his tone of conversation, facial expressions. It is necessary to end the conversation by summing up the general results.
How to prepare?
When preparing for a heuristic conversation, the teacher should follow the plan:
- First, clearly set the goal of the conversation with the students.
- Make a lesson plan ahead of time.
- Choose appropriate visual aids to convey information.
- Properly formulate the main and additional questions to be asked by students during the conversation.
The most important part of this is the preparation of questions. They should be logical and clearly articulated. Also a prerequisite is their compliance with the level of knowledge of students. In addition, the question does not have to contain the answer in a hiddenform. Questions are asked to the whole group of students. After they have been given time to think about the correct answers, one of the students is called. Others also need to be involved in the discussion process. Other students can correct, supplement and clarify the answer. The conversation is one of the most difficult methods, since it requires effort from both the teacher and the group of students. The teacher must have a high level of skill, listen carefully to the answers, approve the correct ones, correct and comment on erroneous opinions, and involve the entire group of students in the process.
Heuristic conversation example
The value of this method lies in the fact that with its help the teacher can draw a conclusion about the current level of knowledge of students in the subject. He can assess the level of their cognitive activity - students' questions can serve as a kind of feedback between them and the teacher. That is why this method is popular with teachers of schools and universities. Often, teachers of various subjects need to find an example of a heuristic conversation. However, even with a rough lesson plan, the teacher must remember that this method requires the ability to improvise. Also, the teacher needs to know his subject thoroughly in order to be able to direct the conversation in the right direction in time. Here is an example of a heuristic conversation on the topic of geographical discoveries:
- Ask students what the reasons for the Great Geographical Discoveries were.
- Ask the audience what are the similarities between discovering America and finding the way to India.
- How do students feel about the conquest of America by Europeans? Ask them to explain their opinion.
Also, the teacher can ask students how Christian missionaries contributed to the spread of knowledge in different territories. You can lead a group of students to the idea that it was thanks to the great geographical discoveries that the exchange of various plants and animals between continents began to occur.
Heuristic conversation in history class
This method is as effective as the traditional lectures. Solving one question will generate a second, third, and so on. With the help of this technique, it will be easier for schoolchildren to understand the logic of historical events, to understand and evaluate their meaning. A heuristic conversation on history is prepared on the basis of the topic that the teacher plans to present in the lesson. As an example, consider this type of conversation on the topic "History of China". The teacher can take these questions into service by drawing up a plan for a problematic conversation on the topic of his own lesson.
- Remember who conquered China in the 18th century?
- What did foreign domination bring to his people?
- How long did it last? How was it overthrown? Why did the conquerors adopt the language and culture from the conquered?
Application of the method withpreschoolers
Conducting heuristic conversations with preschoolers is no less effective than with older students. Children can be given a number of situational tasks. For example, what to do if there is a fire in the apartment? What to do if you see a person drowning? And what actions should be taken if the tap bursts, and adults are not at home? All these questions will help children learn how to think in a difficult situation.
