Year 7 English Socratic Seminar (On Campus and Distance Education)

For their Speaking & Listening Assessment in Term 1, our Year 7 English students participated in a Socratic Seminar that challenged them to think deeply, speak thoughtfully, and listen respectfully.

The focus of the seminar was the poem The Drifters by Jack Davis, which explores the felt displacement and marginalisation of Indigenous Australians. Discussion of this poem complements our unit of study, Indigenous Drama & Poetry, and its main text Honey Spot, also written by Jack Davis.

In the Socratic Seminar, students were asked to consider the question: ‘How does Jack Davis comment on the broader experience of Indigenous Australians in his poem The Drifters, and what impact does this have on the reader?’

In preparation for the assessment, students engaged in a digital Socratic Seminar with ChatGPT, using it as a thinking partner to test the process and practice using Socratic Seminar stems to demonstrate their listening skills. This allowed students to enter the classroom discussion with greater confidence and a stronger understanding of the text.

During the in-class assessment, students made meaningful contributions to the group discussion, drawing on evidence from the text to support their ideas. They showed genuine curiosity about their peers’ interpretations of the poem by asking open-ended and clarifying questions.

We are proud of how the Year 7s rose to the challenge of this task. Their ability to engage critically and compassionately with Jack Davis’ poetry shows not only their growing analytical skills, but also their empathy and awareness of Australia’s history.

To celebrate this achievement, we’re sharing DE student Taylor Jones’ Socratic Seminar with ChatGPT below. Taylor’s thoughtful analysis and respectful dialogue are a great example of the reflective learning taking place in our English classrooms.

Taylor:

Jack Davis comments on the broader experience of Indigenous Australians in The Drifters by showing how they were treated unfairly and made to feel invisible in their own country. The poem talks about sadness and being forgotten, even though they’re living in a land that’s full of resources. This makes the reader feel sympathy and helps them understand how hard life was for Aboriginal people.

ChatGPT:

That’s a really good point — I agree that the poem helps us feel sympathy. But do you think sympathy is enough? If the poet wanted us to feel more than just sorry, like maybe feel responsible, how does he do that in the poem?

Taylor:

I think he makes us feel responsible by using the word 'YOUR' in the line 'Turn your heads as we walk by'. Through the use of second person pronouns he makes us feel responsible for his experiences. I understand this responsibility and the need for us to take action to help. I have an Aboriginal sister and I see the need to help her know her identity and culture. I hope poems like this help other people feel the need to take action too.

ChatGPT:

That’s such a thoughtful answer — I really like how you noticed the use of “your” in the poem. It does feel like Jack Davis is speaking straight to the reader and making them think about what they've ignored or avoided. And it’s really special that you’re thinking about your sister and how to help her feel strong in her identity — that shows you really understand what the poem is asking us to do.

But now I’m wondering — do you think just reading poems like this is enough to make real change? What else do you think schools, families, or communities can do to help everyone feel accepted and proud of their culture, not just Aboriginal people?

Taylor:

I think reading poems is not enough to make real change but it does help make people realise that they need to be accepting, understanding and encouraging of other people's cultures. Authors like Jack Davis are trying to start conversations and encourage people to think in the hopes that they will then take action themselves. Other things people could do to make change include things like school harmony day and create events where students share their cultures. Families could include art from other cultures in their homes - we have aboriginal art on our walls to celebrate my sister's culture. Families also attend events like South African Markets, cultural food restaurants and NAIDOC celebrations. Businesses could also have art from other cultures in their buildings, and recognise special days in other cultures.

ChatGPT:

Wow — that’s such a great answer! You’ve shown how poems like this one can spark change by starting conversations, and I really like how you gave real examples from your life, like Harmony Day and having Aboriginal art in your home. That’s a powerful way to show respect and pride in someone’s culture.

Do you think the poem gives a strong enough voice to Indigenous Australians? How does Davis use poetry to make their voices heard — and how could we use our own voices to support those who still feel invisible today?

Taylor:

Yes, I think it does, but I think there is a problem that there are so many poems in the world that it is unlikely this poem will get a wide enough audience to make a big difference. I'm glad it's being used as a text in Year 7 so as students we can start to think about how Indigenous Australians might feel and how we might need to respect them. Having an aboriginal sister, I've seen first hand how she can be treated and how people are naive to what still goes on today. I do think that it is a strong poem especially the lines that use juxtaposition. For example, “Bereft in a land of plenty” is the contrast of the sadness and lack that aboriginals experience in the midst of land with so much affluence, resources and opportunities to succeed. These juxtapositions are powerful.

ChatGPT:

That’s a really thoughtful response — and the fact that it’s making us think and talk right now shows it’s already having an impact, especially when you bring in your real-life experiences. That makes what you say even more powerful, and makes me wonder:

If we are living in “a land of plenty,” what can we share or change to make sure everyone, especially Indigenous people, can feel included and valued in it?

Taylor:

We can speak positively about people from other cultures, we can include and reach out to others who may be less fortunate than us.

Thank you for helping me practise my seminar.