The method of conversation in training was developed by the ancient Greek thinker and philosopher Socrates. The word "heuristic" in translation from ancient Greek means literally "to find", "to find." This method, with the help of special questions skillfully formulated by the teacher, allows the student to come to the correct answer on their own.
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 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, pushes his audience to receive the correct answers. The teacher encourages students to use the already gained experience, to compare objects and phenomena among themselves, to make correct conclusions. Since this type of training is collective, it allows you to create an atmosphere of group interest. And this allows students to comprehend the information already available, contributes to the development of their thinking - both logical and creative.
Minuses
However, despite all the advantages, the heuristic conversation method has its drawbacks. The first, as already indicated, 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 group training - 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 should 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 the formulation of questions. Each question should cause a mental resonance among students, encourage them to an active thought process, to search for the correct answer to the question. That is why this method very well develops ingenuity at any age. Such questions are called “productive”.
What should be the answers?
The students' answers also have a number of requirements. First of all, they should reflect the independence of the student's reasoning. It is impossible to pose several questions to students at once - this will only help to divert the focus of their attention. 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 voiced, to correct the answer given by the comrade. You can not limit yourself to working only with active students - you need to involve the silent. It often happens that an uninitiated student behaves this way only out of constraint, although in reality he would like to take part in the conversation.
Also important for conducting a heuristic conversation is the environment in which it is held. The lesson 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. End the conversation by summing up the overall results.
How to prepare?
In preparation for a heuristic conversation, the teacher must follow the plan:
- First, clearly set the goal of the conversation with the students.
- Draw up a lesson plan in advance.
- Choose appropriate visual aids to convey information.
- Correctly formulate the main and additional questions that students will have to ask during the conversation.
The most important part in this is the preparation of questions. They must 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 hidden form. Questions are asked for the entire group of students. After they have been given time to think about the right answers, one of the students is called. The others also need to be involved in the discussion process. Other students can correct, supplement and clarify the answer. Conversation is one of the most difficult methods, because it requires a strain of strength both from the teacher and from a group of students. The teacher should have a high level of skill, listen carefully to the answers, approve the correct ones, correct and comment on erroneous opinions, 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 conclude what is 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. Teachers of various subjects often need to find an example of a heuristic conversation. However, even having a rough lesson plan, the teacher must remember: this method requires the ability to improvise. Also, the teacher needs to thoroughly know his subject, in time to be able to direct the conversation in the right direction. We give an example of a heuristic conversation on the topic of geographical discoveries:
- Ask students the question of what were the reasons for the great geographical discoveries.
- Ask the audience what the similarities are between discovering America and finding the way to India.
- How do students feel about Europeans subjugating America? Ask them to clarify their opinion.
The teacher can also ask students how Christian missionaries helped spread knowledge across different territories. It is possible to give a group of students the idea that it was thanks to great geographical discoveries that various plants and animals exchanged between continents.
Heuristic conversation in a history lesson.
This method is not inferior in its effectiveness to the traditional conduct of classes in the form of a lecture. The solution of one question will give rise to a second, third, and so on among students. With this technique, it will be easier for students to understand the logic of historical events, to understand and appreciate 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 on these issues by drawing up a plan for a problematic conversation on the subject of his own lesson.
- Remember who conquered China in the 18th century?
- What brought the domination of strangers to his people?
- How long did it last? How was it overthrown? Why did the conquerors adopt language and culture from the vanquished?
Application of the method with preschoolers
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 should I do if there is a fire in the apartment? What to do if you see that a person is drowning? And what actions should be taken if the crane breaks, and adults are not at home? All these questions will help children learn to think in a difficult situation.