Communication Skills (1+0)

15.1.2.How to conduct a group discussion ?

1. The extension worker or village leader should locate and identify the individual interested in a particular problem through individual contact and invite them informally to meet for informal group discussion.
2. The time, date, place and the topic should be informed to the people concerned well in advance.
3. The seating arrangements should be in a circular or semicircular fashion, so that the speaker face the audience.
4. The extension worker should receive the member with a welcoming smile and see the they are comfortably seated,
5. He should fuid out whether any one member of the group is capable of leading the discussion and request him to start the discussion.  If nobody prefers to lead the discussion, the extension worker himself take the lead.
6. The atmosphere of the meeting should be kept friendly and informal.
7. The group leader should be elected democratically.
8. At the beginning of discussion, ideas should be invited from members of the group and the problems should be defined.  If the person goes on talking the extension worker should politely ask him to end his speech.  The easiest way to avoid this is for the extension worker to tell him, “You have given a nice idea and spoken nicely.  Shall we hear others” opinion also?
9. Extension worker should not dominate the discussion.
10. Extension worker should encourage all the persons of the group to express their suggestions, because the objective of group discussion is to get maximum participation by the members present.
11. The discussion should promote recognition of problem by the group and also create the desire for a solution. All the available information about the problem should be presented before the group, preferably with some visual aids.
12. The extension worker should not give the impression that his solution is the best and should not condemn the existing and suggested practices.  Even a shyperson of the groups should be persuaded by the extension worker to give his suggestion.  It is quiet possible that his suggestion may be the best of all suggestions.
13. At the end of group, discussion made the summary of the problem, solution arrived at by the members through discussion and the actions that are to be taken should be given.
14. Appreciate the members for their valuable contribution.
15. Undertake a systematic follow-up.