Hi Regina, I was a night student so totally can relate! Good strategy!
Susan Polick
My students are used to ansering questions in order. Their class participation points depend on being able to participate, work done and ready to discuss. However, many times if the student doesn't have the work done I have to ask, "You don't have that because you didn't get to it, or because the question was difficult to answer?" If they say they didn't get to it, I ask them to get it a try anyway. That way, they aren't left out of the discussion entirely. If they say it was difficult, I'll ask them to rephrase the questions in a different way, or help them rephrase in a different way. Then I can open up the new question to the entire class, as well.
It can be frustrating to ask questions and get little or no response. I teach an evening class, so my students are often just plain tired and wishing class was over. To compensate, I try to make my open discussions the early part of class and quiz or study-time sessions at the end of the class session.
one of the simplest would be to establish a system of going through the room and each person provides an answer in turn.
Everybody KNOWS they're going to have a turn
I call on students randomly, but I also encourage "wild guess" answers if the student is lost.
Hi Lillian, Thanks for your post to the forum. You seem to have a good handle on questioning! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
I get students involved by starting out slow, and asking something that I fel like they know. Sometimes i will try to use some humor to break the ice. I always allow them to pass the question on if they are not sure. Sometimes if time permits, I try to make a game out of it.
Lillian
Hi Thomas, Thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, students of all ages like to learn through games. (teachers like them also!) Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
I have several different games we play in class, to include Jeopardy, that encourage student participation.
Hi Harrison, Good suggestions for getting students involved in questioning!
Susan Polick
By simply personalizing the question and asking if they would elaborate or if they would do it differently or have another opinion.
I have had experience several times with classes full of students that refused to ask any questions. One thing that I found that works well in those cases is to assign as their homework they must think of one question. At the start of the next class I pass out note cards and have everyone write down their question anonymously and put them in a box. Then I go through and we discuss every question. You will get some questions in there that may be completely irrelevant to the course content or are just a student trying to be funny. Often answering those questions as well can be a good ice breaker as long as it doesn't lead the discussion too far from the course content. I have found that after doing this, students will often begin to feel more comfortable with asking questions outright as they now have a better feel for your knowledge and how you respond to their questions.
Hi Adrienne, Thanks for your post to the forum. Students do really enjoy playing games in their classes!
It does take creativity on our part though. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Hi Michael, Thanks for sharing some really excellent advice! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Hi Marshall, Thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, regardless of their age, students do love game formats! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Hi Charles, Thanks for your post to the forum. That's a great idea - I may borrow it! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
To enhance student participation during questioning sessions I like to use a variety of games to review relevant material. This allows each student to have a chance at answering a review question. Students are eager to answer questions as the winning team is rewarded for a job well done.
I get uninvolved students involved by having a personal conversation with them. I ask where they are from, what their goals are and what they want from this school. Typically I gain enough information and make a strong enough personal contact that they are willing to get into our question and answers session particularly if I have pitched a question to the non-responsive student based on what I now know about him.
Sometimes breaking the ice by incorporating a game show format can be conducive to participation among more students. It takes some preparation but it is another way to get students excited about what the instructor has in store today.
Have all student write down one question and pass it to someone else for an answer.
Hi Brian, That is an excellent strategy to get students to do the reading and to participate!
Susan Polick
