With First Responders, you can efficiently introduce an oral component into your courses while also sparking class discussion. The low-stakes nature of the activity means minimal grading for you and minimal risk for the students, while still enhancing course content.

Each class period, one student (pairs work too) serves as First Responder, and he/she will start the class by asking an initial discussion question (or questions), based on the homework, reading assignment, an important concept you identify, the content of the last class, and so on. The First Responder is "responsible" for getting the class discussion started, and I've found others in class are quick to help. (The value of open-ended questions quickly becomes apparent if discussion falters early in the semester.)

First Responders can also be asked to summarize what happened in the class, presenting this verbally at the end of the class or at the beginning of the next one.

As an alternative, First Responders can distribute questions via email, before class, thereby engaging classmates in the reading process as well as classroom discussion.