Drawing Conclusions from Discussion

English · Speaking & Listening · ages 10-11

Name ______________________ Date ____________

A conclusion after a discussion should include ideas from every speaker, not just your own.
Circle one: True False
What is the first step after a group discussion ends, before you draw a conclusion?
- Think back over what each speaker said
- Forget what others said and use only your own idea
- Ask to restart the discussion
During a class talk on recess time, three students spoke. Which sentence is a summary of the main points, not just one opinion?
- 'I liked what Maya said the best.'
- 'Maya wants more time, Leo wants more games, and Zoe wants a quiet corner.'
- 'Recess should stay exactly the same.'
Before a discussion, Layla thought all plastic bottles get recycled. After hearing classmates explain that many bottles end up in landfills, what should Layla say happened to her understanding?
- It changed, because new information showed her first idea was incomplete
- It stayed exactly the same
- It has nothing to do with the discussion
In a group talk about class pets, Ben said fish are quiet and easy to feed. Tara said fish are boring to watch. Omar said a class pet should be easy to care for. What conclusion best combines their ideas?
- Fish are the best because Ben said so
- The class should not have a pet
- A fish could work well since it's easy to care for, even though it's less exciting to watch
If two speakers in a discussion disagree, a good conclusion can still consider both of their points.
Circle one: True False
In a discussion about the school garden, four students spoke: two wanted vegetables, one wanted flowers, and one wanted both. Which conclusion best pulls together all their viewpoints?
- The garden should grow whatever the last speaker suggested
- The garden should only grow vegetables since most students wanted that
- The garden could grow a mix of vegetables and flowers, since most support vegetables but everyone can be included
After a group discussion about homework, Finn wrote this conclusion: 'Homework should be shorter, because that's what I already thought before we started talking.' What is the mistake in Finn's conclusion?
- He forgot to write his own opinion
- He used a conclusion that ignores what his classmates said in the discussion
- He should not have spoken during the discussion

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Drawing Conclusions from Discussion W1-mt_Cc-QHVo747-s1

True · A strong conclusion combines the whole group's ideas, not one person's view.
Think back over what each speaker said · You need to remember each speaker's points before you can pull them together.
'Maya wants more time, Leo wants more games, and Zoe wants a quiet corner.' · A summary names what each speaker said, not just a favorite or a single opinion.
It changed, because new information showed her first idea was incomplete · Layla's understanding changed because the discussion gave her new facts she didn't know before.
A fish could work well since it's easy to care for, even though it's less exciting to watch · This answer weighs Ben's and Omar's points about ease of care along with Tara's concern, instead of picking just one speaker's view.
True · A conclusion can acknowledge disagreement while still showing how the ideas relate to each other.
The garden could grow a mix of vegetables and flowers, since most support vegetables but everyone can be included · This conclusion weighs the majority view while still including the flower supporter's idea, showing real synthesis of viewpoints.
He used a conclusion that ignores what his classmates said in the discussion · A real conclusion should reflect what was learned or confirmed during the discussion, not just repeat an original opinion untouched.