Congratulations and thank you for taking on the vital role of leading an NCTE Convention session. In doing so, you are assuming essential responsibility for ensuring that the session is conducive to professional learning and the growth of all—both presenters and attendees.
NCTE holds an environment of mutual respect as a high value, and your leadership in the session ensures that everyone may learn together in a productive manner. Our longstanding practices also call for the affirmation of the authors, characters, and literature—and the avoidance of deficit models. We also suggest that the presenters incorporate NCTE’s values regarding diversity and inclusivity. This guide outlines the basic responsibilities of the session chair role and offers suggestions on managing situations that may arise in panel sessions.
SESSION CHAIR RESPONSIBILITIES
Arrive early and connect with all panelists:
- Confirm speaker order.
- Double-check pronunciation of names and introduction information.
- Review how the session will run, especially reviewing time limits for speakers and how time signals will be given and enforced.
Introduce the session:
- Provide the overall session title and, if needed, a brief overview of the session (e.g., the presentation order or the common topic or theme connecting all presentations).
- Name all presenters at the beginning of the session; wait until it’s the presenter’s turn to speak before giving a full individual introduction.
- Remind audience members to hold their questions until the end to ensure that all presenters get the full speaking time they were allotted and prepared for.
- Introduce each speaker.
- Share affiliation/title and the title of the individual presentation/talk.
- Assist with distribution of presenters’ print materials during the session as needed/practical.
Moderate the discussion:
- Repeat information if there’s an issue with the whole room hearing.
- Keep the discussion flowing.
- Make an effort to balance participation among presenters and audience members (see information about Q&A provisions).
Provide summary remarks or invite the formal respondent for the session to do so if this role is listed on the program:
Ideally, be prepared with a question or observation
If relevant, pose summary or closing remarks to help initiate discussion during the Q&A period.