I have found when splitting my students into groups I have assigned the group usually with one of my more silent students and one of my more academic student and two others who are middle of the road in between. I also do try to split the friends and clicks so they stay more focused to the task on hand.
Hi DONNA,
I concur! Students seem to be very receptive to small groups.
Patricia Scales
I like to find something they are really good at, for example maybe they did particularly well on a particular paper or section of a quiz. Then I will ask them if they can help me explain the topic to the class. By giving them the confidence that their commentary is not only correct but is appreciated, it can help some students to feel more comfortable in coming out of their silent "shell".
I do agree. Small groups are effective in helping students to particapte in class on a different level.
I start my classes with the statement that everyone will participate in class. In the duration though, I call for volunteers still reiterating that everyone will participate. When I ask a particular question and ask for that volunteer, then before I take the answer, I tell the class that they are the answering student's lifeline. This gets them all involved as I now step off of center stage.
I make sure that I make particular eye contact with those students, and make comments directly to them. Some of my brightest students have just been quiet, and don't care to participate, but I like to acknowledge that they are here and make them feel that anything they say will be accepted.
I have actually used your approach with my more "withdrawn" students. It does work beautifully. Giving the class an opportunity to learn that everyone has something significant to contribute is also a great lesson!
I try involving silence students by playing games and getting them interactive.
Students who are silent are easy to involve. Group discussions, pair share activities, and other social interaction techniques help them to lower their level of anxiety and feel more comfortable in taking risks.
The real trick is to pay attention to who are the silent students and then designing learning activities to give them opportunities to interact with the class and their peers.
One way to do this is to alternate heterogeneous or random grouping with homogenous or assigned grouping by skill. I have witnessed interesting leadership and engagement skills develop in students that I assumed were silent, when the more vocal students were removed from their groups.
I've mentioned to quieter students on a class break that their input and questions are welcome. Especially in classes that have more overbearing students, it may be hard for some students to have a voice. In turn, I make an effort to call on them in situations where they seem ready to respond.
Small cooperative group activities alternating Group spokesperson because the "silent" student will eventually have to become the Group spokesperson. Cooperative learning process guidelines are very well defined in my classroom.
You need to involved silent students in small classroom groups this will help them to be socialable and to open up to express their feeling or to explore their feelings.
I will assign the class some work to do. Then, I will go sit next to the silent student and speak with them to find out if there is a learning issue. If there is, I will work with the student during that period by first showing them how to solve a problem, then by having them work with me on problems, with them taking more and more control and responsibility for the problems until they can do them on their own.
Engaging students in study groups - and making them feel they belong etc
Hi Jeannette,
When silent students feel comfortable, they will interact more with others.
Patricia Scales
I believe group activities halps silent students be more involved and also gain more confidence in themselves. BY doing small group work it allows them to get to know other students, making them more comfortable in their classroom. Which can lead to more participation outside of group work.
Hi Tracy,
A smaller setting is definitely better for most quiet students. They tend to open up more around less people.
Patricia Scales
I do create small groups and she still doesn't interact with the other students. She is still the silent student.
I try to get quiet students involved more by doing small study groups, or doing labs in stations. Always making different groups. This helps them to get to know everyone in class, and seems to help them have more confidence.
I break students into small groups and then assign a student advocate (silent student) to voice the groups opinion.
