Class Discussion Methods

A vertext (I think I came up with the name) is a way to discuss a Literary Text using direct quotes from the work in a  Power Point Presentation.  The quotes should be invoke discussion and should evolve - often coming from students' own findings as they do the readings.  Each quote is given its own slide in the presentation - I start at one end of the room and the student reads the quote (which is projected in the front of the room).  At that point - as the teacher - you have a choice and I have done it both ways - you can ask that the student who just read the quote say something (anything really) about the quote OR you after the student reads the quote, any student in the class can comment on it.  And really the comment can be anything - an observation, a question, a connection.  As long as it is directly related to the quote.  It puts the critical thinking in the students' hands (minds) rather than having the teacher direct the conversation (though of course you have a little by choosing the quotes - and by directing the questions and conversations that erupt from the quote.   The term Vertext comes from Verbatum Text.