The "Socratic-plus" Approach: Increasing Peer Interaction in the LL.M. Classroom to Maximize the "American" Experience

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-22-2026

ISSN

0020-7810

Publisher

American Bar Association

Language

en-US

Abstract

In law school classrooms throughout the United States, individuals from many nations, almost all already certified as lawyers in their home countries, converge to become students once again and have an “American” educational experience through an LL.M. program. Rather than replicating the legal education these students have already experienced or clinging to the traditional Socratic approach these students likely expect, we espouse making the American law classroom an interactive “Socratic-plus” environment. In a “Socratic-plus” classroom, traditional Socratic exchange is complemented by modern references and interactive peer discussion groups to breathe life into the material. This approach allows international LL.M. students to maximize their American experience by stretching beyond their comfort zones. Though this Article describes an example of this approach within a doctrinal classroom, the method we explain can, and should, generally be tried in any LL.M. course, including legal writing. Adding interaction, small group discussion, modern references, and debate is always possible and can universally enhance the LL.M. experience.

Part I of this Article discusses traditional teaching methods used in legal classrooms around the world to provide a broad picture of what LL.M. students have experienced and come to know as “law school,” before arriving in the United States. It also highlights how LL.M. students integrate into the typical American law classroom during their one-year U.S. programs and some of the issues they experience when transitioning from a lecture-based to a Socratic-based classroom. Part II explores the pedagogical importance of creating an interactive classroom beyond the traditional Socratic method, especially for international students. Finally, Part III provides a snapshot of how the “Socratic-plus” approach was utilized in our Introduction to American Law LL.M. classroom at Boston University School of Law to offer a blueprint for others who choose to employ this approach.

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