Getting Quiet Students To Talk In Class

Dear Dr. Kirk:

I teach a Masters level class at X University with 23 students.  I cannot get them to speak, answer questions, or participate in any way.  What can I do to engage them?

Dear Professor of Quiet Students:

As a former manager and someone who teaches management, I can tell you that you get what you reward.  Are you rewarding for participation?  You could build in points for this in the course or even give extra credit points.  First of all, be sure to tell them your expectations that they will speak up in class.  Perhaps explain WHY you want them to talk (because will have to in their careers?  So that you can see if they understand the material?  So they can learn from each other?)  Also make it easy for them to begin.  Put the students into small groups (3-4) and assign them a task where they have to write down answers.  Then tell them to pick a spokesperson to report back to the class.  You will need to build a “new culture” for your classroom where students talk.  (another hint:  don’t ask IF they have questions, ask WHAT questions they have).  Good luck.  Let me know how it works out.

Comments

[Chuck Stull]

I've had success with different techniques, depending on the level of participation I'm aiming for.

If it's simply to have students respond more in class, I find that calling on individual students by name is much more effective than just asking a general question and waiting for someone to volunteer an answer. In a class of 23 students you can call on every student every session.

For group discussions, I've found 3 crucial elements: 1) students prepare for the discussion first (typically by writing a couple of paragraphs on the topic) 2) spend a few minutes teaching discussion skills early in the term.
3) That I be quiet and let them discuss, even if it means having a few uncomfortable silences at times. (This was the hardest part for me to implement.)

Chuck Stull
Kalamazoo College

[Delaney Kirk]

Thanks for the suggestions Chuck. I especially like the last one..."be quiet and let them discuss." I do think there is a tendency for us to jump in with an "answer" too soon.

[s.Dolly]

I love music, I play and write music, have a huge collection of songs and albums(LP, Cassette and CD) but I can, in no way, bring myself to listen to the radio. Perhaps it is different where you live, but here in the SF area, the radio stations are terrible. I can listen to jurassic rock if I want to hear the same songs over and over, i can listen to the chick rock if I want to hear the same songs over and over, i can listen to the R n B if I want.........you get the picture.

Since my ipod broke(washing machine) i find that I listen almost exclusively to talk radio when i am in the truck. What happened to the radio, i remember it playing such good music a few years back and now, garbage.