Panel Discussion
 1. Warm-up

Do you enjoy taking part in discussions? Why?

generate – initiate– provoke – stimulate a discussion

a heated – animated – intense – lively discussion


 2. Brainstorming – associations

Does the word discussion have any associations for you?

 It calls up, evokes, sparks off, triggers all kinds of associations for me.


 3. Communication


      Pair work.

Student A: You think that your partner should work in the Student Parliament. Invite them to stand
for the post explaining to them just how exciting they would find the role and how suited they are
to it.

Student B: You think your friend wants you to do something that you may find attractive, but at the
moment you don’t have time to do. Say no elegantly.


 4. Panel discussion – principles

            Can you define a panel discussion?

What’s the difference between an ordinary discussion and a panel discussion?


 7. Stages of a panel discussion.  How is the panel discussion organized? Focus on the beginning
part of the discussion (see below) transcript: http://www.hoover.org/multimedia/uk/2996211.html

Welcome to Uncommon Knowledge. I'm Peter Robinson. Our show today: a disagreement--a sharp
disagreement--over the state of the planet. On one side, environmentalists, and a tale of woe:
global warming, overpopulation, deforestation, the mass extinction of species. According to the
environmentalists, the planet has been in dire straits for decades and things are going to get
worse. On the other side, one young man, a Danish statistician who has come forward to say, not so
fast. After looking at the figures, he has concluded that the state of the planet has actually been
getting better, and is likely to go on doing just that. His claims have generated a firestorm of
criticism.

Joining us two guests, an environmental scientist, Dan Kammen, who is a professor of energy and
society at the University of California at Berkeley and that young Danish statistician, Bjorn
Lomborg, whose book, The Skeptical Environmentalist, started all the trouble.

Peter Robinson: The late economist Julian Simon, "The material conditions of life will continue to
get better for most people, in most countries, most of the time, indefinitely." True or false?
Bjorn?

Bjørn Lomborg: I think it's true.
                Peter Robinson:
Dan?
Daniel Kammen: I think it's true if you direct your research appropriately, which we're not doing
currently.


8.      The stages of a panel discussion are jumbled. Put the items in correct order

Moderator welcomes the panelists.

Debate in progress

Moderator introduces the panel of experts in a few words.

            Moderator opens the discussion.

Moderator thanks the speakers.

Moderator closes the discussion.

Moderator introduces the topic.

Moderator summarizes what has been said.


 9. Panel discussion: role-play

In groups of 5 to 7 students agree on one controversial topic, choose roles including a moderator
and prepare for an in-depth discussion (duration about 30 minutes).