Teachers notice everything and everyone in class during their lectures and sessions. It is important to observe who is taking interest in class and who seems uninterested. There are multiple reasons a student is quiet. For example, a student is maybe shy or quiet because other students are loud and noisy. This creates an unhealthy environment for shy students who cannot speak loudly. Teachers focus on these quiet students because they might lack confidence and hesitate to speak in class. Let us discuss, Do Teachers Notice Quiet Students?
Teachers are aware of all students in the classroom, yet they do not dislike quiet students. Teachers sometimes wish they could make it easier for students who are quiet and less engaged in class. Teachers hope they could encourage the noisy and enthusiastic students to calm down more regularly, while the quiet, timid students would speak up more. Teachers want each and every student to participate in class and ask questions related to the topic/subject. It helps teachers to think that the students are able to understand the way a teacher is explaining. There are some steps a teacher could help the quiet students to participate more in class and engage with the other students.
Steps to Engage Quiet Students
- Observe every student in class
- Try to engage them in your session
- Engage them with you along with the other students
- Ask questions regarding the topic and help students with the answers
- Increase their confidence by making them sit in the front row of the class
Communication
Many elementary school students enjoy communicating. However, shy students who are hesitant to speak up should begin by communicating with you in nonverbal ways so that you can begin to form that crucial teacher-student bond.
Allow students to put a sticky note or another silent signal on their desks to indicate when they seek to support.
Encourage everyone in the class to reply to questions in nonverbal ways, such as by posting replies on cards or doing something else with their bodies.
Don’t Hurry
Advice taking clues from your student and following their lead in terms of how quickly they can progress along the social skill path of development.
Use Positive Force
Punishment does not work to change behavior. For a shy student, even the tiniest change in behavior, like using that sticky note or approaching the teacher to ask a question, might help them gain confidence. Show the student that you are paying attention to what they are doing, that you value their work, and that you want them to keep doing it.
Learn their Strength
Is there anything in particular that makes your shy students hide and become more introverted? Speak with the student, their parents, the counseling department, or former teachers to learn more about their issues. Talk to the student and come up with a solution together.
Avoid Mentioning Them Too Much
‘How come you’re so shy?’ ‘Don’t be shy’ or similar phrases are not helpful. The student is almost certain to have heard them from others, further embarrassing them. Assess that all students see the classroom as a place where they can push boundaries and be supported as they strive to achieve all of their academic objectives.
Create Safe Environment for them
Is there a friend that shy students can trust? Assigning the two students to work together or seating them next to one another in their assigned seats will help the quiet student feel more at ease.
Assign them some work
When assigning duties in the classroom, make assignments rather than allowing students to volunteer. In this manner, even quiet students can find a job, so you can choose something that suits them.
Don’t Force them
It is not okay to force students to participate in class and speak loudly and forcefully. Every student develops differently, and every student interacts differently! Create methods that ensure that every student’s voice is heard during class to further increase student participation. This may resemble a participation tracker in which students receive a reward for speaking up or actively responding in class.
Conclusion
It is important for teachers to not underestimate the shyness of students who are quiet. If the student is quiet in class it does not mean that he/she lacks knowledge or is not giving enough attention to the teacher in class. Sometimes quiet and shy students have a lot of knowledge and possess good information about the topic. Teachers should build the confidence of those students by giving them extra attention. A little effort is needed for those students who are quiet in class and do not participate frequently. Many students hesitate to speak up for fear of what others would think of them or say to them. Shout out to students who are trying their hardest, even if they aren’t flawless, to encourage a culture of academic risk-takers. When a student makes a mistake, emphasize the importance of the entire class hearing the error and learning from it, rather than simply telling the student they were wrong.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can you engage all students in class at a time?
Ans. Yes, you can engage all students in a class. It is better to engage all students at once so that those students who are quiet and lack confidence will give answers collectively.
- What is the importance of noticing quiet students?
Ans. It is important to notice quiet students in class so that the teacher knows to focus more on which students.
- Is it okay to help a specific student in class?
Ans. Yes, it is okay to help a specific student in class to increase his or her confidence among other students.
- What are the barriers teachers face from students?
Ans. Teachers face barriers from students in the class to those students who are loud and noisy. This creates an unhealthy environment in class for those students who are quiet and lack the confidence of speaking In front of a class.
