Questions should be open-ended, and allow students to go beyond a surface-level understanding of the text. In other words, the goal of the discussion is to get your classmates to analyze and connect the assigned text.
Analyze – author’s main argument and supporting evidence. What are some other possible opinions or perspectives? What parts are useful for the oral history project?
Connect – author’s ideas with other readings from other classes; comparisons or connections with previous classes; connecting Vancouver to the Americas
A week before the discussion, students leading the discussion must prepare 1-2 guiding questions and send them to the instructor. These questions do not have to be the same as ones you use during the discussion. Be creative – get your classmates to debate or make arguments; break them up into small group; ask them to use evidence.