I break my students into small groups and have them present material from the Chapter we are covering. In essence, they are the teacher for the night.
Participation in small group activities or "ice breaker" games. I also find after I have established a rapport with a student that is silent in class they tend to open up more in class.
I am a new Instructor but I have experienced silence even from employees. One of the keys is to not jump to the comclusion that the student is silent because of the course or material. Take the time to observe and if necessary speak to the student seperately. I have found that making eye contact regularly and using subtle gestures or suggestions during discussions will start to draw them out and then strong public positive reinforcement when you do get them talking.
Hi Kent,
Great! I like it. This is certainly a smart way to get silent students involved.
Patricia
Hi Clifton,
It is important to involve silent students. I like giving them responsibility so that they can take an active role.
Patricia
Patricia,
I will give the silent students mini projects such as have them look up Xenophon on Google as we discuss team building then give him 10 minutes to write down some highlights on Xenophon and read them to the class. The more mini projects the silent student does, the better off they become. I also use humor to help break up the pressure the silent student will be feeling. I'll say something like "Paul since you love to speak up in class so much, will you look up the creator of this quote and brief his life to the class."
Just my strategy,
Kent
I have found that breaking class done in to smaller groupings esuring that we time to give a report each member of the group have reporting responsibility of their findings, etc
I always have a few, and I have always found that the small discussion groups work the best. I limit the groups to three students and follow through with a short group discussion EVERY class. They base the discussion on the material that was delivered that particular day. It works great, gives every student an opportunity to express their oppinions, makes it easier to get to know each other in a less intimidating atmophere and allows them to start to make friends within their class / school.
Cindy R.
This term I have been fortunate enough to have a small group of students (since it's my 1st class). When I talk to the students I address them by name and this involves them in my discussion...soon enough, the other chime in.
I'm finding out that group games, as well as challenging group writing tasks, provide a scenario where the shy student feels a bit more peer pressure to be involved, and gives them the extra push to join in the efforts of their classmates.
Hi Bruce,
We need to give our silent students active roles. These type people come out of their shell the more involved they are. I make it a point to make small talk with my silent students daily.
Patricia
Many times I will actually have the quieter student help me prep for class, or sometimes work with another student. I may also talk directly with the student and reassure them that if they are shy that they have nothing to be afraid of, and that by "opening up" that they can make friends and it will allow me to better asses what they know.
Yes this is exactly what I attempt to do also. It helps to pull them in when it is smaller groups. By participating in or eavesdropping on the groups you gain some insite into that silent student.
I assign them to be the leader/captain of a small discussion groupe - I closely monitor their reactions and control ofthe group
Students in their first term are sometimes silent until they feel comfortable with their classmates. I set ground rules on the first day of class that all students will be respectful of one another. Small groups help to alleviate this issue. When using small groups I often join in the group to initiate conversation and gain a better understand of the silent student: is the student shy or is the student not comprehending the subject material.
Hi Ruth,
Great points! Silent students must be dealt with in a very cautious manner. It is important to develop a rapport with the silent student and build from that point. I have learned silent students do better in an atmosphere they are comfortable in.
Patricia
In order to involve the silent student you need to first come to some understanding of the student and their silence. What is the reason behind it? Are they feeling unsure, so they not feel part of the group or not want to be part of the group?
Observe how and who they react with on break and try to set up scenarios with that combination that they may feel comfortable with reacting. Have small group workings and silently eavesdrop to look for ways to expand their willingness to participate. Praise their interactions when it occurs and encourage the students to give each other praise also.
That's a very interesting approach Scott! I can see how this can provide the insecure type of students with some needed confidence! I like to ask these students if they would prefer me "egging" them on in class. By this, I mean to joke them into an answer because this loosens some shy students up. Some students don't like this approach though so you have to know them!
John
Ways to help silent students become involved in classroom discussions is near and dear to me because I've considered myself very shy my entire life!
This forum discussed several ways to involve shy students - perhaps the best was to break the class into small groups for an assignment. That way the silent student(s) are put in small groups that will collectively present their findings, their report, their project to the class! Assuming the presentation is to be 10 minutes or so, each person in the group is apportioned a small part of that total time which takes some of the pressure of shy students.
There was also talk of creating student panels which serves the same practical purpose. Additionally, they mentioned sharing their experiences. The intent of this approach is to ask the student to discuss something about them that you know relates to their experiences or their background.
Thanks!
John
Hi Todd,
Whenever the silent student can see that the instructor is calling on all students, the silent student takes their turn without hesitation. We have to strategically and tactfully invovle the silent student.
Patricia
