Teaching and Developing Deliberative Capacities: An Integrated Approach to Peer-to-Peer, Playful, and Authentic Discussion-Based Learning

Drawing on theories of deliberative democracy, this article analyzes initiatives in educational settings to develop deliberative capabilities--defined here as a person's motivation and abilities to explain their views based on thoughtful considerations, reciprocal engagement, and more inclusive and respectful communication. Building and expanding on previous education experiences and citizen assemblies, we propose an integrated approach that includes: (a) peer learning, (b) playful and performative activities, and (c) authentic discussions about controversial political issues in small groups. Our field experiment involving more than 500 public school students in Brazil is used to illustrate combinations of methods to develop conceptual understandings and promote practice and self-reflection. We claim that these methods should not be conducted separately, but different combinations can complement each other to achieve better results in different contexts. This article has theoretical and practical implications for programs that seek to promote democratic communication, in particular through improving deliberative skills.