Hi Sonja,
I like the idea of having all to participate so that the silent student is more comfortable.
Patricia
I feel that it is good to put students in small groups and have them work on projects. The project would require each student to make a presentation. This will help the silent student to participate without feeling that you are picking on them.
I like to roam around the room when I am teaching. I call on students at random and try to encourage silent students to contribute a personal experience when I know the topic is relevant to everyone. In this way, the student can contribute without having the fear of "nor being smart enough" to offer something significant. I also make a conscious effort to build a relationship with the silent student so he/she knows that my classroom is a safe environment for participation from everyone. I make an effort to publicly validate the student's contribution so that he/she knows that I value his/her contribution.
You can help get them involved by getting to know them a little more outside of the classroom. Take a moment when they walk in to talk with them and find what areas they know and are comfortable in. If any area relates to class try and incoorporate it into some small group work to try and get the silent student to speek up a little. Work with small groups on assignments and discussions to try and make it a more comfortable enviroment for the student to express their opinions.
Normally I would ask that student a direct question that can be answered. THen continue to come back to them so that they get involved with the class.
Many times this opens up students in the rest of the class to speak. Since this student is the employee and able to let the employer know the salary offering for the business we started in class is going to be.
Normally many silent students want to know why they were not chosen. Yet many students start to become very involved with teh simulation.
Hi Matthew,
I also like to ask shy students opinionated questions because there is no right or wrong answer involved.
Patricia
I like to do what Doug has suggested here. If I know a silent student doesn't like to answer convergent questions for fear of being wrong, I'll toss him or her a divergent question where the stakes aren't as high, and where personal experience or many possible answers are sought rather than "correct" answers.
Hi Jason,
Establish a relationship with introvert students will motivate them to communicate with you. Shy students have to have a sense of comfort with you before they will open up to you.
Patricia
Usually working with silent students one on one, they tend to open up to you. They require that individual rapport. During lecture, I will try to incorporate their input by engaging them in discussion. If they are hesitant then I engage them on an indivual approach. I find that they usually don't involve themselves in class because they haven't allowed themselves to build rapport or a relationship with other students in the class. This is where I recognize that small groups can help engage them in class.
Hi Glenn,
Very smart way to reel in the quiet students. I really like how your first question is opinion based, which encourages students to respond.
Patricia
My first goal is to make sure they know their input is important to the class success. I love varying levels of diversity and this conversation would go on individually. I would ask for input on a topic at this meeting then correlate their response to material covered in class. I would then forwarn them I will call on them class for input. Consciously I would make the first questions of envolvement opinion based so a right or wrong answer is not the driving force.
Hi Debra,
I like to get my students involved in the class as much as possible. I do not allow students to pass out graded papers. Grade papers are not anyone's business other than the student the papers belong to. However, I will let students pass out handouts/any type of ungraded work.
Patricia
I am very outgoing so I engage all my students in and out of the classroom. I pay special attention to the silent ones and always compliment them for knowing an answer. I encourage them to participate by building up their confidence and ask them to help me pass out papers and get involved.
Ask questions that you know will relate to experiences or knowledge that the student possesses. They will feel more comfortable speaking about something they are more familiar with.
It seems that most of the silent students simply lack confidence. They don't feel that they are smart enough to speak out. I try to get students into groups as much as possible. I have also found that working with students one on one and encouraging them helps them to speak up during class time.
I have 2 student who don't speak.
One will participate in small groups and answer if called upon most of the time. I think she doesn't speak english well because it is hard to understand her thus I believe this results in a lack of confidence.
The second student doesn't even interact during small groups unless I put her with my best student. This is not fair to the better student to have to always be teamed up with this student. I don't feel like either of these students are interested in coming out of their shell.
I also liked this idea -- it would help our more reticent students to set up group presentations as expert panel discussions (seated at a table) instead of as a group speech where four members stand awkwardly while member #5 is talking. Plus, this is how the real world approaches such a scenario.
I've heard pairs advocated as the optimal work group, as you can't get lost in a group of two. The module seems to like sixes, and I would view that as a maximum number.
I've found it useful to use written responses to involve silent students. These can be one question "quick writes" that students turn in at the beginning or the end of class, much like the "minute paper" suggested in one of the earlier modules. Then I make sure to write personalized comments on the silent students' papers -- though I respond to each student, I write a little more on the silent students' responses.
As the module suggested, I also find it very useful to make personal contact with my more reserved students during class breaks or down time. And offering specific compliments of their work lets them know that I've been paying attention and have noticed what they've done well.
