BRINGING STUDENTS INTO DISCUSSIONS

There are students who are active in class, while there are others who opt to stay quiet and just listen. There are certain techniques we can use to foster meaningful class discussions, by getting even these reluctant students to participate.

Our students should be able to ask penetrating questions and explore ideas with curiosity.

Another school year is set to start on Monday, and there will be students who would eagerly raise their hands and share their ideas. Of course, there will be those who just sit back and listen.

We should strive to bring more of our students into the conversation. This will become one of the most important ways to help our students develop essential communication and thinking skills.

You may wonder why some students don’t voluntarily join class discussions. This is because some are introverts while others may feel discomfort with a particular subject area. They may also have difficulty processing information, or may be experiencing problems unrelated to class.

Let’s work on how they can be much more engaged voice in class, so that their contributions benefit everyone. Try to give students around five minutes to write down their ideas about a question or topic. You’d be surprised how willing they are participate and you can have a much richer discussion.

We can also have them talk to a partner before bringing the discussion to the whole class, which gives them time to articulate their ideas.

When we give students voice in the classroom, they would have more opportunities to think, talk, and listen to each other. They will be more empowered to join the conversation.