Page 5 - 수영만64_7A3_8B1_8C8_9D6
P. 5
Unit 1 The Socratic Method of Teaching
Reading Comprehension
The Socratic Method of Teaching
Most students are used to a classroom where they ask questions and the
teacher answers them. But what would you do if you found yourself in a
classroom where the teacher asked all the questions, and you were expected
to answer them? If this were the case, your teacher would be using the
Socratic method of teaching. The Socratic method was developed by the great
Greek philosopher Socrates in the 4th century B.C. The Socratic method is
most often used to teach moral concepts like the meaning of justice. In the
Socratic method, the teacher asks the student to answer a series of questions
about a topic. The purpose of the questions is to reveal the weaknesses in the
student's way of thinking, and lead the student to stronger, better ideas.
The Socratic method has been used by teachers for nearly 2,500 years, and
it is still used today. It has both advantages and disadvantages. The major
advantage is that if forces the student to think for himself or herself. Students
must examine their own beliefs and often change them when their teacher's
questions reveal problems in their way of thinking. This leads to much
stronger beliefs than if the teacher simply told the student what is right and
what is wrong. The disadvantage is that it takes a highly skilled teacher to
properly use the Socratic method. The teacher must be able to ask questions
that will show students the weaknesses in their reasoning. This is not always
an easy thing to do. Furthermore, the Socratic method is not useful for
teaching some kinds of concepts, especially scientific concepts. Scientific
knowledge generally comes from careful experimentation and observation of
the natural world. Simply asking questions of a student who has not done
such experiments would do the student little good.
-5-
Reading Comprehension
The Socratic Method of Teaching
Most students are used to a classroom where they ask questions and the
teacher answers them. But what would you do if you found yourself in a
classroom where the teacher asked all the questions, and you were expected
to answer them? If this were the case, your teacher would be using the
Socratic method of teaching. The Socratic method was developed by the great
Greek philosopher Socrates in the 4th century B.C. The Socratic method is
most often used to teach moral concepts like the meaning of justice. In the
Socratic method, the teacher asks the student to answer a series of questions
about a topic. The purpose of the questions is to reveal the weaknesses in the
student's way of thinking, and lead the student to stronger, better ideas.
The Socratic method has been used by teachers for nearly 2,500 years, and
it is still used today. It has both advantages and disadvantages. The major
advantage is that if forces the student to think for himself or herself. Students
must examine their own beliefs and often change them when their teacher's
questions reveal problems in their way of thinking. This leads to much
stronger beliefs than if the teacher simply told the student what is right and
what is wrong. The disadvantage is that it takes a highly skilled teacher to
properly use the Socratic method. The teacher must be able to ask questions
that will show students the weaknesses in their reasoning. This is not always
an easy thing to do. Furthermore, the Socratic method is not useful for
teaching some kinds of concepts, especially scientific concepts. Scientific
knowledge generally comes from careful experimentation and observation of
the natural world. Simply asking questions of a student who has not done
such experiments would do the student little good.
-5-
