Discussion Roles

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

You can take different roles when you're having a group discussion or doing a group activity.

Roles are the different jobs you can do to help everything run smoothly. In the examples above, things did not go well because the participants didn't have specific jobs.

Here are just a few of the roles you might take in a group discussion or other group activity.

• leader
• organizer
• recorder
• encourager
• reporter

Take a closer look at each of these roles.

Leader

You don't have to know or talk more than others to be a leader. You just have to watch and listen to what's happening and ensure the group stays focused on the discussion topic.

You'll also make sure everyone is treated fairly and has a chance to contribute their ideas.

Organizer

The organizer ensures everyone has the materials they need for the activity and that everything gets picked up and put away at the end.

They can also keep an eye on the clock to check if the group is using its time wisely and will be ready to wrap it up when group time is over.

Recorder

The recorder keeps track of the names of everyone in the group, their roles, and what they contributed to the discussion or activity.

Encourager

The encourager tries to get everyone to participate. They ask questions to clarify and bring out others' ideas.

Reporter

The reporter uses the recorder's notes to summarize what the group did and what they learned and makes a presentation to the rest of the class.

Now that you've learned about the roles you can play in a group discussion or activity, move on to the Got It? section to see how much you remember!