Hi Debra,
It sounds like you have really come a long way with your shyness, just look at you, you are now teaching. You talk every day in front of groups. I am sure you know best how to deal with shy students because you were once shy.
Patricia
Hi Albert,
I use a lot of small talk with silent students to build a rapport and to try to break the ice.
Patricia
Patricia,
When I was in high school, if standing up and participating in class would give me a better grade; I would have not done it. I was very shy then, and would not even give a book report to the class. Being placed in small groups for discussion or projects would have worked better for me. Now, I do have my students giving presentations to the class, and they are in small groups; I believe this helps with their participation. They also grade each other with a rubric.
I have found that small groups work out best. with a healthy dose of complements. the class assignment must start with easy ice-breaker type solutions to gain a understanding with the process. The difficulty and dynamic interaction grows with each situation.
Hi Leslie,
I concur! Most silent students have great potential. I like to give them leadership roles to carrry out.
Patricia
Hi Cory,
Quiet students really tend to open up way more when there is a smaller setting. I also like to give quiet students major roles in the group.
Patricia
Offer different ways to participate in class. They can participate in small group assignments/projects, participate in group or class discussions, call on them in class (making sure you give plenty of time to respond), or you can give them a specific job or responsibility during the class. I think different situations call for different methods.
I believe that getting to know a 'silent' student better is an effective way to better the situation. In doing so you can get to know how it is that they perceive themselves as well as the class. In doing so you also find out possible facets of their personalities that you can find ways to incorporate into getting them involved with the class by way of relating their personal experience in some way that may motivate them to open up.
This methodology gives that personal touch that also encourages students to come to class a little early simultaneously enabling them to be ready when the class starts.
I HAVE FOUND BY PUTTING STUDENTS IN SMALL GROUPS OF 6 WORKS WELL, 2 OUTGOING ST.& 2 AVG.ST & 2 SHY STUDENT REALLY WORKS TO BRING A BALANCE TO THE GROUP. THE STUDENTS ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN CONTROL OF GETTING THE MATERIAL AND LOOKING UP INFORMATION THEY NEED TO DO THEIR PROJECT AND THE SHY ARE NOT SO SHY.
Breaking the class into smaller groups often helps silent students feel more comfortable because this breaks their group they are responding to from say 30 people down to 5 or 6.
Hi David,
Sometimes we never know the real reason why students aren't participating. I am so glad the cause was discovered as to why these two students were not participating. Sometimes it really is more than what appears on the surface, and we as educators have to dig a little deeper.
Patricia
I ask them questions as I go through my lectures as I do every student. If they still do not answer, then I divide the class into small discussion groups with specific questions. When it is their time to respond to the class as a whole, every member of the group has to give a short answer to the question.
This works well for most students, but I had two who would not talk no matter what. It turned out that one of them has Asberger's(sp?) Syndrome and he was not taking his medications correctly. Once his parents got into the picture, they helped him with the medications and he is now a fully participating student.
The other is borderline ADHD and nothing that we did could get him to participte either with classroom discussion or homework. His mother, however, had some influence over him. Once she found out what was happening, she managed to get him to actually participate. He still did not talk much, but he did do his assignments very well.
If only we had known this sooner...
Silent students are often shy, introverted or insecure as was pointed out. Is it possible that some students would prefer to listen and observe, rather than speak out, and that it is not due to shyness or insecurity?
Hi Douglas,
What a great personal touch! Students have a different (positive) impression of you when you can call them by their name.
Patricia
I greet each student by name as they come in and I ask them how they have been. I try and have a minute or two of talking on a personal level and I typically go to where they are when doing it, so I don't give the impression that I am untouchable. Remembering names, which I am terrible at, is really important. When I hand back things, I go to them, have them sign-in and then use their name at least three times while talking with them. That seems to also help me. For those students that don't talk a lot, I won't force a discussion out of them.
I agree group activities or knowledge games may get them to open up a little
Hi Cari,
You really know how to reel shy students in because you were one. I make it a point to try to establish a great teacher/student relationship with shy students so that they feel comfortable around me, and perhaps they become more open in class.
Patricia
As a former shy student, small groups are definately less intimidating. Also, I think it is important to find the shy student's strengths and develop those as well. Confidence building goes a long way to helping combat classroom shyness. Structured presentations on a topic they feel confident with are sometimes helpful at easing the shy student into participation and opening the door to discussion participation.
Hi Travis,
I make it a point to get to know my students as well. Students tend to want to participate if they feel they have a rapport with you.
Patricia
