One of the biggest challenges in implementing student-led discussion rests in engaging students who would prefer to observe from the sidelines. There are a number of different reasons why a student would prefer to stay quiet - they haven't done the reading, they would prefer to listen, they have social anxiety, they fear saying the wrong thing, they are naturally introverted - all of which are legitimate and require different responses. That said, I do not believe that any of the above merits exemption from class participation. Discussion and interpersonal dialogue are skills - much like writing a paper or solving a math problem - that can be cultivated with careful feedback and consistent practice. We do not allow exemptions from writing papers or solving math problems; class discussion is no different. I often point out to my students that one of the benefits of having 10-15 students in the same space is that we get to take advantage of the plurality of viewpoints and perspectives around us. In other words, if more students participate, then we have a wider range of perspectives from which to draw and thus a richer understanding of the subject matter under consideration. To that end, I make it a point to note that each student bears a responsibility to the larger class when it comes to bringing their own unique perspective to the table. If this were not the case, then there would be little point in having everyone meet together in the same physical space. Yet, ignoring the above challenges would also be irresponsible on the part of the teacher. Student-led discussion requires careful attention, particularly if the goal is to incorporate the voice of each an every student, and we cannot assume that every students knows how to do this before they enter the classroom. With that in mind, I've developed a few strategies for engaging quieter students that I have found to be effective in the past, which are outlined below.
2. Small Group WorkI often find that students who are quieter in the larger group are often more comfortable expressing their ideas in smaller groups of 2-3. With that in mind, I often begin classes by having the students do a bit of writing before breaking them up into smaller groups in order to discuss their ideas. I use this time as a chance to move between the groups and engage with students in the smaller setting, which can offer me insight into the ideas of quieter students. Once we return to discussion, I can use this exchange as a gateway to engagement, jumping into the conversation myself when an observation or idea reminds me of the quieter student's point. I invite the quieter student to elaborate on this point, which offers them a window to share ideas that they have already explored, to some degree. 3. Offer "First Say"If a student is really struggling to gain a foothold in discussion, I usually meet with them one-on-one to discuss potential strategies, one of which is to give the student the first crack at the discussion topic. As noted above, I often begin class with some targeted writing, which means each student has produced some sort of record of their thinking prior to the discussion itself. With that in mind, I usually start conversation with the question posed in these mini-prompts, so for students that struggle to find their voice, I'll offer to call on them first, thus providing them a window to share some ideas that have been prepared ahead of time. 4. Develop a Communication SystemQuiet students will often cite the pace of discussion as a major challenge: the conversation moves too fast for them to interject. With that in mind, I've had good success in developing an informal communication with quieter students, where they can raise their hand if they have a point to say, which I'll usually acknowledge by making eye contact or nodding. I can then step in and halt the discussion, thus carving out a space for the quieter student to step in and share their views. 5. Engage the ClassIt's important that students know that the entire class bears a responsibility for the discussion that transpires in any given meeting. I like to do regular check-ins with the class regarding what is and isn't working, where balance is often identified as an area for improvement. With that in mind, I ask the class how they might carve out space for quieter students, as well as hold each other accountable for sharing their ideas/perspectives (their own suggestions are often quite insightful). There are also implicit ways of leveraging the more vocal students to engage their quieter peers, which can often be done through writing. While small groups is one way to foster such engagement, I occasionally use the short prompts from the start of class to accomplish the same task. Once students have finished writing, I have them pass their response to their right and then read and annotate their neighbor's response. We do this two or three more times, whereupon I then begin discussion by asking the students to share a point from someone else's reflection that they found compelling. This often provides a window for quieter students to enter discussion, for once their point is referenced, I'll then ask them to elaborate on their ideas. 6. Reading Writing AloudContinuing the above theme of leveraging in-class writing to engage quiet students, I'll sometimes have students read their written work aloud. While this is sometimes voluntarily, I'll occasionally ask everyone to share, quieter students included.
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AuthorKurt Prescott is a Humanities Instructor at Maret School in Washington, D.C. Archives
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