[originaltext]Today I’d like to talk to you about group discussions which, in a

Today I’d like to talk to you about group discussions which, in an academic context, are usually known as "seminars" and "tutorials". I want first of all to deal with the meanings of these terms; then I want to cover the aims of the group discussions; next I’ll go on to look at some problems that learners of English are likely to experience in work of this kind; and finally I’d like to offer a few pieces of advice.
    First, then let’s look at the meanings of the terms "seminar" and "tutorial". Nowadays it’s becoming more and more difficult to draw a precise distinction between the meanings of the two words that all lecturers would be willing to accept. The traditional differences which are still accepted by many lecturers are firstly the size of the group and secondly, and perhaps more importantly, their purpose.
    A tutorial was usually for a small number of students, say, between two and five, whereas a seminar was attended by a large group, say, between ten and fifteen. In a tutorial, a lecturer or tutor adopted the role of the expert and asked and answered questions related to his most recent lecture. In short, the tutor took the lead; he in fact "tutored".
    The purpose of the seminar, on the other hand, was to provide an opportunity to discuss a previously arranged topic. Often one student presented a paper; that is, gave a short talk which served as an introduction to a more general discussion. The other students may have been asked to read a number of chapters of a book, related to the talk, so as to be in a better position to participate in the discussion.