The Fishbowl strategy is a way for teachers to organize medium to large group discussions. This strategy allows some students to participate in a discussion while other students observe.

Organizing students in a fishbowl design is helpful when you want participation from all students and when you need more structure while discussing controversial topics.  It is a particularly successful strategy when you have a large class or when you have a few students who typically dominate discussions or do not share at all. 

First, you must select a topic for discussion. Almost any topic works, but the best ones allow for multiple opinions and interpretations.

After selecting the topic, you need to set up the room. Create a circle of about 6 to 12 chairs; this is the fishbowl. Make sure you have enough room for students to sit or stand around the fishbowl, so they can observe. The 6 to 12 students inside the fishbowl will discuss the topic while the students in the outer circle observe the discussion.

Before beginning, allow students time to prepare for the discussion. You can give the topic to students as homework, or a few minutes before the discussion begins.  Either method gives students the opportunity to gather ideas and reflect on the topic. When students have time to think about the topic, the discussion is usually more lively and productive.

Before beginning the discussion, establish expectations. Emphasize the need for students in the outer circle to remain quiet and to only observe. You will want the outer circle to look for certain aspects of the discussion. You may want them to write down their observations and listen for respectful or disrespectful language, exceptional arguments, interruptions, or the number of times students share their opinions. 

The students in the fishbowl must also adhere to expectations. They should be encouraged to participate one at a time. While some controversial topics can become emotional, emphasize to students to remain calm and respectful because everyone will have an opportunity to speak. Students in the fishbowl must listen to others’ opinions and respond respectfully.

After the discussion, give students an opportunity to reflect on what was said. All students from both circles can write down their opinions about how well the discussion progressed or about the ideas that were shared. After listening to the discussion and reflecting on the opinions, students may be able to add more arguments, examples, or interpretations to their reflections.

The Fishbowl strategy has many variations. One structure has the two circles switch places after 10 or 15 minutes of discussion. This structure gives all students the opportunity to speak.

The teacher could choose a topic with two opposing sides. One side can begin in the fishbowl and then after a specific amount of time, the circles change places. This method allows students to hear both sides of an argument.

Another idea is to have students from the outer circle “tap-in” to the inner circle. The student can tap on the shoulder of someone who just shared an opinion, then they switch places. This variation allows students from the outer circle to get involved in the discussion as soon as they are ready with an idea. 

No matter what version is used for the Fishbowl strategy, students will explore different perspectives, engage in active learning, and concentrate on strong communication skills.

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