My interest in and respect for each student's contribution is demonstrated by looking directly at the student and by asking questions as I struggle to understand his or her point. This kind of attention gives the student self-confidence and the sense that what he or she has to say is important. Other students, realizing my interest in a particular student's ideas, tend to perk up their ears so they won't miss something important. Interest in the discussion increases and more students become involved. Sharing the load I often specifically request that students offer one idea or one small step in the process of solving a problem to remove the pressure of having to cope with the whole problem.
More students are then able to contribute their ideas to the solution process.
This active involvement by several students also tends to slow down the process, allowing more students to understand. There is the sense that if a number of students are understanding, then there is a chance that I can also with a bit of effort on my part. Transcribing One practice that I initiate early in the year is to transcribe students' thoughts or solutions on the board as they arise during discussions. As I jot down their thoughts, I sometimes check with them to ensure that I have correctly heard their idea or to check to see if what they said was really what they meant to say. Other times, when the students are engaged in a vigorous discussion, I simply record what I hear without interrupting the flow.