Teachers in the UK are being encouraged to engage in more group discussions with students in the classroom.

Neil Mercer, professor of education at the University of Cambridge, called on educators to engage students in reflective discussions of what they are studying.

At the University of Cambridge International Examinations annual Teacher’s Conference, Prof. Mercer said teachers need to be aware that pupils do not always know how to talk together constructively, or how to set rules for discussion.

During the conference he argued that it is important to ensure children are versed in soft skills such as social interaction and the classroom is the ideal place to help them to develop these.

Prof. Mercer said: “Teachers need to be trained appropriately and educational policy needs to reflect the importance that group discussion has on learning. And, as educators, we cannot assume that pupils will automatically know how to hold a group discussion.”