For several weeks in my 5th grade reading blog I love to have my students participate in socratic seminars. They each participate both a “coach” and “player” role and have meaningful, authentic, academic conversations about a passage, book, or story we have read. In these seminars, they discuss vocabulary and use academic language to form their opinions and discuss higher level questions (they create) with one another while I sit back and listen. It is by far one of my favorite things we did this past year.
I also have seen my ESL students love and feel engaged in these seminars.
Here are two articles that discuss using socratic seminars with ESL students and its benefits.
Engaging ELLs in Academic Conversations
Socratic circles and the Common Core:Activity Ideas for ELLs
Forming a Culturally Responsive Classroom 
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