Getting students to ask questions
I often times have a VERY hard time getting students to ask questions while lecturing. Kinda like pulling teeth sometimes. I wonder if anyone has any advice to help me get them to speak up.
Hi Mark, Thanks for your post to the forum. You show great persistance in getting your students to ask questions - well done! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
This happens to me A LOT before finals. I ask if there are any questions, there's dead silence, and I don't know what the class doesn't know.
First, I exorcise the "peer approval" demon. "It's been my vast and lengthy experience in teaching this course over the centuries that if you're not sure about something, a third of the class isn't sure either." That works the majority of the time.
If it doesn't, I write on the board a topic we spent a lot of time on and I say, "I don't know for sure what's on the final, but I know we spent a lot of time on this and it keeps coming up again and again in the lectures. Are you all pretty confident about this, because I bet this is on the exam." The hands go up.
Hi Juan, Thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, patience and tenacity are the rule when we are working to get student participation. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
Thumbs up. I have a similar method but I also call on them to answer. If they do not know the answer I repeat the question to another student....and another until it is answered. Usually after this moment, I have no problems with the participation
To get my students to participate by asking questions, I pose questions to them first. That usually starts a dialog and sparks more curiosity.
Hi Amy, Thanks for your post to the forum. Students are hesitant to ask questions mostly because they don't want to be embarassed. I require students to come to class each day with a question based on the previous class and written on a piece of paper. Then I read the questions and we answer them as a class.
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
I really dont have any advice but usually I let the students know I grade off participation as well. If they dont answer questions on their own. I call on each student by name.
