Productive Tensions: Student Teachers’ Handling of Sociocognitive Conflicts during the Classroom Discussion

Abstract

Student teachers often find themselves in a dilemma when leading classroom discussions about texts. These conflicts may not necessarily be a reflection of student behavior or classroom management. Instead, they may be a sign of active engagement and students taking the challenge beyond their current knowledge level. These episodes of sociocognitve conflicts can be the “intellectual high point of the lesson” and have the potential of leading to true discussion and true learning.