It is the weighty responsibility of the tutorial leader to generate discussion in their assigned tutorial group. Although tutorial discussion is a strategy used in almost all Arts disciplines, its importance is perhaps more pronounced in the discipline of philosophy. For, in the market place of philosophy, if the produce is a veritable cornucopia of ideas, then the currency of that market place is argument.

One hopes that discussion will arise naturally in a tutorial group and if this is indeed the happy circumstance then the following suggestions are redundant. However, in my six years as both a teaching assistant and a course director in the Philosophy Department at York, I have found all of the following approaches to the generation of dialogue useful, even in groups of students where the majority are budding Socrates.

In entering the tutorial arena I have found it efficacious to avoid posing rhetorical questions when explaining an idea or a concept. This practice helps avoid possible confusion as to when it is appropriate for students to answer a question. Also, the tried and tested method of counting (silently) to twenty after asking a question often has a positive result in terms of evincing a response, even though it is sometimes hard on one's nerves. Other useful strategies include:

• In preliminary discussions use material that students are familiar with. Useful suggestions are a recent lecture, a newspaper article, an excerpt from a film, or a section from a course article.
• Avoid penumbral issues or points of art in the first few discussions. Instead, begin with a contentious issue or event and then relate it to the principles and concepts being discussed in the course.
• Pose a question and ask the students to write down their response. This gives students time to think and less vocal students may be encouraged to speak once they have formulated their thoughts. One can also read out the responses (anonymously) and ask the students to respond to each in turn (this is a guarantee that even the most timid of students will participate in the discussion).
• In each tutorial, have three or more students bring to the tutorial the following:
   
  1. one point that they liked/agreed with in the assigned readings.
  2. one point that they disliked/disagreed with.
  3. one point that they did not understand.

This strategy has the advantage that it does not pressure the individual student in the same way a formal presentation would while at the same time ensuring that students will read and contribute on a regular basis.

Some failures in generating discussion can be attributed to the geography of the tutorial room. It is an unfortunate fact of life at York that many classrooms are unsuitable for hosting discussion. Many classrooms have the fixed seating of the traditional lecture format. These classrooms supply one central focal point (for the 'lecturer') with all other seats facing this focal point. Where possible this geography should be altered to reflect a 'round table' approach to learning as opposed to reflecting a power structure in which the student is the passive recipient of the knowledge of the lecturer. Other efficacious approaches to the generation of discussion that are directly related to the geography of the classroom are:

• Splitting the group into smaller satellite groups for the discussion of any given issue. This has the advantage of creating an intimate atmosphere for discussion that is particularly useful in helping those students who have difficulty speaking to a larger audience.
• Public debating. A tutorial leader may conclude the tutorial by posing a question that has arisen during the course of that week's discussion. At the next meeting of the tutorial, the room can be arranged to reflect the polarity of views on the issue raised, i.e. those "for" on the left, those "against" on the right, those "undecided" in the middle. It is of particular interest to note that by asking students to re-seat themselves in the appropriate place in the room and in accordance with their current views on the matter under discussion, in consecutive weeks the geography of the seating arrangements will be an index as to the changing philosophical positions that the students hold.
• Philosopher's Chair. As an alternative to formal presentations on a particular text or issue a tutorial leader may, each week, invite a student to defend a particular issue or position from the point of view of the author under discussion. In this model the student is required to both understand and defend the arguments put forward in light of objections and queries raised by the rest of the group. It must of course be stressed that "Philosopher's Chair" is not suited to all students and should be run on a voluntary basis.

Many tutorial leaders recoil at the notion that tutorials should be structured to the extent that some of the suggestions made above may require. I must stress that I am by no means advocating these approaches as a requirement, only that these approaches may be found useful. Indeed, discussion may be generated using the lecture model (indeed due to the restrictions imposed by the space within your assigned classroom this may be the only recourse available to you). In this case the following guidelines pertain:

• Silence can be intimidating and will encourage you to lecture. Try to avoid this temptation. Bear in mind that silence is useful if it helps to draw students into conversation.
• If silence persists, try addressing a question directly to a member of the group. Ask for volunteers to read a passage out loud to the group and then comment. Or, phrase the problem in a different way and offer a selection of different positions – then take a vote to see who sides with which position and follow up by asking for a justification for each position.
• If a student makes a comment that is simply factually incorrect, do not be too blunt in your response. For to be too blunt often stops any possible discussion "at the root". Instead, point out that the material is easily misunderstood and suggest other ways of looking at the material that might be more fruitful.
• Most importantly, try to seize upon what is interesting in any comment or question that is proffered. In this way participation is encouraged.

  To be a tutorial leader or a lecturer is in part a thespian's role. Be dramatic! Remember that enthusiasm (like laughter) is infectious. If you can be seen to be excited and enthusiastic about your discipline, this excitement and enthusiasm will be picked up on and shared by your students and evidenced in their increasing participation in ongoing debates in the classroom.