3.6 Group Discussion 

ICE BREAKERS:
 You must have discussed many things with your friends, classmates in a group. It might be about going on a picnic or selecting a gift for your teacher.
 
(i) What do you think are the benefits of a group discussion?

 

 Ans:
(a) Provides a platform to explore our inherent skills.

(b) Provides a good base for academic knowledge.

(c) Increases the understanding of the subject.

(ii) Do you think some people are right and some are wrong in a group discussion? Why?
Ans: No One is right or wrong. Each one has a different opinion. Group discussion just helps in the following. 

* It helps evaluate whether a candidate is a right choice for the organization

* It helps estimate how a participant operates under different situations in a group.

* It helps to judge how one imagines and manoeuvres his ideas through the discussion.

* It helps in analyzing the candidate's perspective towards fellow members through one's communication and interpersonal skills, listening ability, humility and tolerance to other ideas.

* It helps in casting light on the candidate's leadership and managerial skills, problem-solving aptitude, creative thinking and knowledge on assorted topics.

(iii) People have different views and opinions because:
Ans: 

 Complete the web highlighting the uses of 'Group Discussion'. One is done for you.
Ans: 

BRAINSTORMING:
(A1) Rama, Asif, Rachana and Aarav are participating in a group discussion. The evaluator has given them a topic ‘Teenagers are more inclined towards junk food nowadays’. Write suitable dialogues for each participant giving his/her opinion on the topic.

Evaluator: You’ve all been given a few minutes to think on your topic for
today’s group discussion, which is ‘Teenagers are more inclined towards junk
food’. You may now begin the discussion. Who would like to start?

Rama : It is no puzzle that fast food has come a long way from the support product in the outskirts of Southern California to the multi-billion dollar food manufacturing today. Since multiple studies show that cardiovascular and obesity problems of teenagers in most cases are linked with overconsumption of foods filled with fats, salts, and other chemicals, careful examination of the fast-food market is highly necessitated today.

Asif : I agree with Rama. The teenagers thrive on fast foods which have resulted in eating disorders and rising obesity among teens. Obesity is further linked to various cardiovascular diseases as Rama has rightly pointed out.

Aarav : I do agree with both Asif and Rama but I also feel that there are outlets now which offer healthy options for fast food with high nutritional and satiety value. They serve sprouts and lettuces as stuffing and also bread used is multigrain. These interesting variations in fast food have also brought the two different worlds into one. Nutrition combined with ready to grab tasty food.

Rachana : As I agree with Aarav, I also reiterate and bring in factual information. Facts about the fast food industry as Rama and Asif mentioned now are inevitable and fascinating. I want to draw your attention Arav to the fact that the highest death rates connected with junk food consumption and consequent weight-related complexities have been reported in Nairobi.which was nearly 2.8 million people each year. In more than 160,000 fast food locations in the

US. more than 50 million Americans eat burgers daily. We could continue with shocking statistics even further, but what is essential for understanding is that thankfully for students, the problem of eating too much junk meals has been largely marked by scholars from all around the world and as aarav pointed out healthy options are being investigated.

Evaluator : Please conclude.

Aarav : Taking into consideration the views of my friends here we can conclude that anything eaten in moderation is good. Nothing should be overdone. Judicious consumption and sparing usage of high-calorie fats can reduce threats while taking care of taste buds.

(A2) Read the following statements. If you agree say ‘Yes’ and if you don’t agree, say ‘No’. State the reason for your opinion.
Ans:

S   N.	Statement	Yes/No	Reason
1.	It is not possible to guess the topic for group discussion.Then there is no need to prepare.	Yes	Then there is no need to prepare. A lot depends on your communication skills and fluency in speaking but there are certain things which one can take care of, while in a GD.
2.	Always have discussion with your family and friends on different topics.	Yes	Yes. It is healthy to have a discussion with your family and friends on different topics. This helps us get a feel of how to participate in GDs. We also learn to accept different views and opinions.
3.	You must aim to get noticed by the evaluators.	No	You need not aim to get noticed by the evaluators. As you place your points skilfully you will be automatically noticed. No attempt needs to be made to make yourself noticed.
4.	Forget the evaluator and look at the participants while discussion.	No	We must address to the evaluator as we glance at the audience simultaneously.
5.	You should raise your voice to be heard by everyone and speak for a long time to show your knowledge.	No	During a group discussion one should not lose ones cool. One should speak in concise sentences and not be very elaborate Brevity is an art.
6.	You should always take the opportunity to begin the discussion.	Yes	But even if one doesn't always get an opportunity to begin one can always contribute during the discussion.
7.	Take a strong position/view and defend it till the end.	Yes	One should not waver or vacillate from one opinion to another, one must stick to one view and defend until the end of the debate.
8.	Do not keep waiting for your turn to speak. You have to be alert and quick.	Yes	One must be alert and speak as one gets an opportunity to place one's opinion.
9.	Listening to others also plays an important role in a group discussion.	Yes	One must always listen to other members as they discuss.
10.	You must interrupt a person if you do not agree to his opinion.	No	Each one has the right to voice their opinions. We must not interrupt OR intervene while others speak.
11.	Show your leadership skills by being assertive not aggressive.	Yes	Being assertive and not aggressive is the basic thumb-rule of any debate.
12.	Participating in a group discussion also means helping everyone to reach a consensus in spite of difference of opinion.	Yes	Participating in a group discussion also means helping everyone to reach a consensus despite differences of opinion.

(A3) (i) Group discussion helps to unravel the following personality traits in a person.
Ans:

(ii) Match the following.
Ans:

	Answer
Discuss	Give special importance or value to something in speaking or writing
Argue	Express opposite views in a heated or angry way
Deliberate	Engage in long and careful consideration
Reiterate	Say something again, a number of times
Emphasize	To talk about a subject with someone and tell each other your ideas and opinions

(A4) (i) Write the following sentences in reported indirect speech:
(a) He said, "If you find my answers satisfactory, will you give 
     me five rupees?"
Ans: He asked if he would be given five rupees if his answers were found satisfactory.

(b) The astrologer said, “You were left for dead. Am I right?”
Ans: The astrologer asked if he was left to die.

(c) “I should have been dead if some passerby had not chanced 
       to peep into the well,” exclaimed Guru Nayak.
Ans: Guru Nayak exclaimed that he would have been dead if some passerby had not chanced to peep into the well.

(d) He told her, “Do you know a great load is gone from me today.”
Ans: He told her that a great load had gone from him that day.

(ii) Read a part of a conversation between Neha and Nidhi.
Neha: Where are you going, Nidhi?
Nidhi: I am going for my music lessons.
The above conversation is written in exact words spoken. If this conversation
was to be reported by a third person then it would be written as:
Neha asked Nidhi where she was going. Nidhi replied that she was going for her music lessons.
Notice the changes in the reported sentence. Note the changes in pronouns, tenses, reporting and reported verbs and other changes.
(Note: You have just observe the changes)

(iii) Now find sentences from the text in the direct speech and convert them into the reported speech.

Ans:  

Evaluator: You've all been given a few minutes to think on your topic which is Do you think teenagers should be given a separate mobile the discussion. Who would like to start? for today's group discussion, phone? You may now begin

ANS: The evaluator instructed that they all had been given few minutes to think on their topic for that day's group discussion, which was Did they think teenagers should be given a separate would like to participants were asked to begin the discussion. Further he asked as to who mobile phone?the

Manisha: think are so fond of our mobile phones, and its different features that have become irresistible to us. I feel mobile phones are quite necessary, they are quite helpful for educational purpose, we can get : I think the topic of this discussion is very relevant to all of us here. As teenagers, we support for their various subjects just at the click of a button.

ANS : Manisha initiated the debate by saying that the topic of the discussion was very relevant to all of them there. As teenagers, they were so fond of their mobile phones, and its different features that had become irresistible to them. She expressed that mobile phones were quite necessary, they were quite helpful for educational purpose, they all could get support for their various subjects just at the click of a button

Anamika : I also agree with Suhasini because now-a-days people use smartphones and they can get access any information they want like travel information, recipes, courses, colleges etc 

ANS : Anamika further added that she also agreed with Suhasini because those days people used smartphones and they could get access to any information they wanted like travel information, noes, colleges etc recipes, courses,

John : Yes, I would like to add to it. I don't think students use the mobile phones only for seeking useful information. They use it for entertainment too. They listen to songs, watch movies etc. I am afraid they see unsuitable things too Moreover they spend long hours on phone. 

ANS : John agreed as he said that he would like to add to that that he didn't think students used the mobile phones only for seeking useful information. They used it for entertainment too. They listened to songs, watched movies etc. He further added that they saw unsuitable things too. Moreover they spent long hours on phone.

Anamika : Yes Dipak, you are absolutely right. But I think parents have made them aware of the abuses of the mobiles and they are mature enough to understand how to use the mobile phone productively.

ANS : Anamika added as she agreed with Dipak. But, she was also of the opinion that parents had made them aware of the abuses of the mobiles and they were mature enough to understand how to use the mobile phone productively.

Read the following sentences given in the indirect speech and convert them into the direct speech.

(a) Shirish said that he would not be able to solve the problem.
Ans: Shirish said, "I will not be able to solve the problem."

(b) Lata told me to give her a glass of water.
Ans: Lata said to me, "Give me a glass of water."

(c) Ananya exclaimed with joy that she had received the Ph.D. degree.
Ans: Ananya said, "I have received the Ph.D degree!"

(d) Shilpa asked us if there was any other document to be typed.
Ans: Shilpa said, "Is there any other document be typed?

(e) Swati said that she would not get the money.
Ans: Swati said. "I will not get the money."

(A5) (i) An economically deprived girl student in your class who has received admission in a reputed college abroad needs monetary help to pursue further studies there. Have a group discussion amongst your friends to seek solutions to help her. Write four/five views in the form of dialogues.
Ans: 

Supriya: We can arrange for a scholarship. I feel we should contact different organisations that offer scholarships to the economically deprived.

Neha: We also can help her by writing sponsorship letters seeking financial aid. Nirmala: Why don't we raise money by approaching other financially strong students?

Supriya: All the above mentioned initiatives sound good. We can crowd fund too.

Neha: Let us explore all the available options and try our level best to extend our support and assistance.

(ii) There is an inter-school cricket match and your school is losing. As you are the captain, have a group discussion with your teammates in the tea-break about the strategy to be followed to save your school from losing the match. Give at least four/five suggestions.
Ans: 

Captain: We must now maximise the teamwork/team spirit. We must realise that if we have a will to win, if we are determined nothing can stop us from winning

Player 1: We must support each other at this juncture as we always have and remember these last few overs are very crucial. We must try to put our best foot forward and let it reflect in our performance

Player 2: Let us review tactics and strategies, match situation and tactical awareness might turn it entirely on our side.

Captain: I feel we must observe to the opponents' tactics to. Let us manoeuvre slightly and win by misleading the opponent.

(iii) Form four groups in your class and have a group discussion on the following topics.

(a) Role of ICT in education 

(b) Clean India

(Note: Students have to discuss this topics own )