Break the class into small groups, spreading around the silent students so they are mixed with others that aren't silent.
I leave one on one time open almost every day and tell my students if they would like to talk about something from class that day I will be happy to do so that way I often get the shy students to open up[ and ask questions about the days discussion I ask the student if I could answer the question anonamously the next day since they are probably others with the same question I find this helps the student to see it is ok to bring up questions during class since they are also helping others who are shy.
I use the work group technique when it is appropriate for what we are doing in class. Otherwise, I like to get the student to relate some aspect of his experience to what we are discussing in the class. Questions like “what have you experienced in this regard…” or “you’ve seen this before on the job, right, how did you handle the situation…” and so on. With some basis of experience or understanding, the student may be willing to be more open in the classroom setting.
I do as you suggest, but I also work with our Learning Assistance Center to determine if some accommodation is required.
I sometimes give students "ownership" of a question. When an apparently shy student gets it right, I return to that student again for that same info when it comes up.
Creating activities that help silent students develop confidence and become part of a group. Motivating silents students and addressing them without putting them on the spot light.
Hi Michael,
I would honor their request, but I would let them know that it would have a negative impact on their participation grade. In the same breath, I would encourage them to respond in class.
Patricia
Hi Homer,
Never shoot a student's answer down. Try to encourage/guide the student as much as possible.
Patricia
I have had students who ask me outside of class if I wouold NOT call on them because they have some terror of responding. I know from first hand experience that this marks some disabled students, the inability to quickly pull their thoughts together and express them. How do you make something like this work for the student?
I find that shy students are shy in small discussions, too, or, perhaps, they are dominated by more vocal students. But, the problem remains.
Asking lots of questions helps. Always be as positive as possible in your reaction to student responses.
Hi Andrea,
Shy students do a lot better in smaller groups. They shut down in large groups.
Patricia
Students are silent for different reasons. I try to find out why. What do you do with a student that is quiet in the class, but in lab she shines? Do I attempt to make her participate more in classs? Based on her labs, I know she will be very successful in the field.
Hi Homer,
We should focus on activities for our students to help boost their confidence.
Patricia
Try to challenge them by presenting them analytical problems. Let them display competency. This will increase theor confidence and help them open up.
By working the class into small groups, the silent student who is shy may be more comfortable in sharing with fewer students than with the whole class.
Hi Christian,
Silent students tend to do very well in a very small setting.
Patricia
What I noticed is a very small group helps. One of the things I tried to do is to encourage the student and give that student praise when they do a good job. I also noticed sometimes this may not work. The student may feel uncomfortable around you and with that situation. Putting them in group of 2 or 3 seems to work pretty well. Being around their peers seems to help. Any group size bigger than that may have an adverse effect on the situation.
Hi Paul,
You're right! You can not change a person. As educators we must continue to try to bring out the best in the student.
Patricia
Silent students are more than likely introverted folks. Their thought processes are slightly slower than there extroverted peers who are much faster at responding to impromptu questions*. They often have a silent answer with a lot of insight that was reached after the class has moved on and therefore they remain silent. I have found that if you give students specific questions that you will ask in the next class meeting, that many of the silent students will then be prepared, when called upon, to give a very good answer.
Online forums are also a great way to get responses from the silent students in the class....
Introverts, in most all situations, do not like surprises and are often perceived by their extraverted peers as slow even though this is not the case; introverts are often just more thoughtful.There is no way to change an introvert to an extravert.*
*"The Introvert Advantage" Laney, 2002.
The best one can do is realize the talents and tendencies of both introverts and extroverts.
