Some students are just shy.
Discuss with a silent student some of their motivations for attending class and get them to talk about themselves. I find it gets them used to talking to the teacher and maybe the class.
Hi Jonathan,
Simply reading is an easy task for most students. What a smart tactic to get shy students involved. I have even made shy students leaders of group projects. They do a fantastic job.
Patricia
Sometimes I envolve the students in the course material. I ask them to read importent sections of the text, then I ask another student a simple question. Next time I reverse the process and the shy student is encouraged to participate. Just by actually reading out loud the shy student realizes they can be active in class.
I will go up and start asking them questions I know they can ansewr and that will help them feel more relax and comfortable in the class and start opening up.
break students up into groups of 4-6.
I have a student who sits in the back of the class and I have tried to get her to move up but she says she likes it back there so I move towards the back and make sure I include her in the lesson. I don't necessarily single her out, but I do call on her and get her to open up.
Yes currently I have a quiet student who does participate in class but will only ask questions in a one on one situation. I continually encourage her and she has done quite well. There is that saying "its the quiet ones you should worry about", but in some cases I don't think that true.
Hi Ellen,
Smart tactic. Quiet students really tend to open up more in a smaller setting.
Patricia
By putting them in small groups can be helpful. They may feel a little bit more comfortable opening up in a smaller group.
I have found a way to get a quiet student involved with other students and more active in the class, I have them play a review game. I break the class into teams. The teams work together to come up with questions. Then each team member asks another team one of the questions. Since everyone is doing the same thing, I find the quiet students feel comfortable participating and subsequently are less quite in future classes.
I try to let the shy student know that we are all learners and benefit from each other's experiences. I then encourage him or her to share because their presence and experience is vital to the class as well and we can definitely learn from what they can share. I also schedule time to speak with them alone so that they may feel more comfortable with a one on one format instead of sharing among the entire class. I also may assign group projects and require that each participant tell what they contributed so that the shy student has the chance to have an active participation on a smaller scale.
I have two silent students in class. I call on them to read or answer a question. I often to speak to them after class to make sure they are on track.
I have a few in one of my classes and I try to get them to interact by engaging them in conversation and addressing them whenever I see them around school. When I do skills practice, I change up the way I assign students so the same ones don't get assigned to the same group, it makes them meet everyone in class and get to know them. You can draw people out of their shell, it takes some doing and caring.
Hi Michael,
Super way to build confidence as well.
Patricia
I'll ask the student a simple question that I know the student will be able to answer correctly and then build on that response.
Hi Michael,
I am that kind of teacher. You get 100% participation this way.
Patricia
Hi Amy,
Silent students having a rapport with their instructor certainly makes it easier for the sudent to interact. I use small talk all the time with the silent student in order to establish a relationship.
Patricia
I always try to make silent students feel comfortable around me. This give them a sense of security when interacting in my class. Also, I encourage them to participate in activities.
I tend to relate with the silent student because I was one of them when I was in school. The only classes I would really get involved in were classes that the teacher would get everyone involved. The type of teacher who would ask lots of questions and ask certain people for the answer. I try to do this in my classes to get everyone involved. Always throwing questions out to the class, always keeping them on their toes. This will get everyone involved as well as raise the level of energy in the class.
Wonderfully put! It is amazing what happens when that bond of respect forms: There becomes unspoken trust.
Letisha
