This practice enables students to build their knowledge and understanding of subjects together.
The usual way to get students involved is to ask a precise, closed question (a correct answer is expected, any other answer being wrong).
Example: ask what is the capital of a country?
This form of practice is neither particularly active nor inclusive. A few students will have activated their memory, but there will have been no dialogue between students, nor any interactive, enriching reflection.
In active participation, the question is: why was this city chosen as the capital?
If students are invited to reflect actively by engaging in dialogue, exchanging suggestions and building their answers on each other’s responses, then participation will have been both active and inclusive of all students.
This practice develops key peace skills: listening, expressing oneself, dialoguing, including everyone in the exchange, collaborating, respecting differences of opinion, considering and appreciating everyone’s suggestions, showing kindness to those who need encouragement to express themselves, not mocking or picking fights, and so on.