Hi Christopher, Thanks for sharing some great ideas to faciltate participation! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Hi Sandra, Thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, even my adult students really enjoy playing some games as they are learning! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Hi Junella, Thanks for sharing a great idea! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Often there are students bursting to answer all the questions, and others who would fall asleep instead (or fade under the desk) if you allowed them to. I like to walk around the class to make the instructor less intimidating a figure up at the front of the classroom. Always acknowledging any question and finding or working through the answer helps - as does allowing students to ask questions via email or aftwer class. These can be later be shared in the class room by mentioning the student's name - especially if you have asked the student permission as this elevates their sense of empowerment.
I like to play games and give the student extra credit bonus points if they are the first one with the answer. I do three rounds of 5 questions each round. Each round increases the level of difficulty. The students love to compete and it's surprising who has the correct answers. It also gets the students interacting with me and each other.
This is a great idea. I forgot that this method was used during one of my college Bio classes and I should definitely incorporate this in my own classroom as well. I am also starting a twitter account for students to communicate with me outside the classroom on didactic content that may have seemed unclear to them during the week and I will be posting questions for them to answer regarding clinical situations they may or may not encounter.
Hi Karyn, I agree - when students have a frame of reference they are better able to understand the material we are teaching.
Susan Polick
I feel that, sometimes, the topics are a bit to broad, and that is why some students do not respond. They simply don't have the personal connection to the material or the question atthat time. This is why I like to introduce the stories on how the topic will effect them (or has effected me) in real-world applications.If they can personalize it, they may have a stronger connection and me more inclined to participate in the discussion.
Hi Jamie, Thanks for some great suggestions for gaining student participation in questioning! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
You could hand out questions beforehand or put them on the board. This offers the students time to formulate their responses. Preparation bolsters confidences. The students may be more likely to engage in the discussion if they have time to think about the question and prepare an answer.
Breaking up the class into small groups could get non-responsive students involved. Brainstorming with others is helpful. You could then designate representatives from each group or a spokesperson to share the group's response to the question.
I guess I am fortunate since I rarely have a non-responsive student. For the few who are, I look at their face to see if they are struggling with the current question and if I see that I will then ask for what they think. By "struggling" I mean that they are concentrating and thinking about the question but hesitant to speak up.
Hi Maggie, Thanks for your post to the forum. As you state, we need to have numerous versions of questions on hand. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Students need to feel reinforced. If encouraged, students will be more likely to responde to questions. Those students who do not respond may need to hear the question rephrased in another way.
To engage the non-responsive students to answer questions, I ensure them that they may use a life line, and that is to call on another student for help with the question.
Hi Tony, Thanks for your post to the forum. Being able to carefully observe students and process what you see to use in your teaching is excellent! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
as i am going over the material for that class i watch the the body language of my students so that when i ask a question i know who to ask certain questions troughout the class so that they can get a better understanding of the material
Hi Kate, I would prepare some questions that you are positive they know the answer to. ( Have a conversation with them on the topic in advance)
Susan Polick
How do I get shy students with English as second language to participate comfortably in a discussion?
Hi Elizabeth, That is an excellent strategy! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
To get a non-responsive student involved, I will ask them a question directly about something they are interested in, or ask a question I know they know the answer to. This way, they don't feel like they are put on the spot without knowing. They feel more comfortable answering questions once you get the ball rolling for them.
