This FAQ on discussions is also required reading for the class I am taking.
I’m not sure that my “lectures” are always lectures. Certainly when we’re introducing new information, it is. But sometimes we have discussions. I’m not sure how well I plan those. (The FAQ says you must.) But I generally can keep it going. Maybe I need to think more on this.
The FAQ discusses grading/not grading discussions. I do both. I expect the students to participate and call on those who aren’t. When we are discussing most topics, I call on every student in the class. Maybe those aren’t really discussions, but the students have to be involved. I give participation grades for discussions. And I give them whenever I think I should. Sometimes that is when someone has refused to participate multiple times in a row. Then I remind the whole class that the participation is part of their grade. That usually will get the unmotivated involved.
I won’t go into the whole “give group grades” thing, because I hate that and I’ve been railing against it in class. (I need to tone that down a bit.)