We know that class participation can accomplish many goals as an instructional strategy. In addition to engaging students, participation promotes speaking and listening skills, and can be utilized as a quick formative assessment tool.
The challenge with class participation is to get ALL kids to participate; even the shy and anxious ones. As one articulate 10-year-old said to me, “If I speak up and say the wrong thing, they won’t let me forget it for the REST of my life. It’s a jungle out there.”
It is indeed. So I’m going to share some “fresh ideas” for eliciting participation without kids having to worry about “the jungle.”
I’m also linking with some awesome bloggers who are contributing their own “fresh ideas,” along with a chance for you win a cool prize!
1. Create a Positive Classroom Environment
The starting point is to create a positive classroom environment. We know that kids have to feel safe and respected in order to learn. A little mindfulness in regard to relationship building can lead to a classroom in which it is okay to take risks. I wrote more about creating a postitive enviroment here.
We can also employ a number of other creative techniques and teacher response strategies that can allow kids to save face and avoid embarrassment.
2. Brainwrite & Share
It’s low-risk sharing because no one knows who wrote which ideas. It’s also equitable because it frees us from focusing on one person’s idea. This is a great way to ensure strong class participation from everyone and there’s no worry about “the jungle.”
3. Phone a Friend
Ask a student who answers incorrectly to “phone” a friend to answer. This gives a student an extra chance to be correct, albeit indirectly. Then be sure to…
- Choose Wisely
Ask an easy question of someone who previously answered incorrectly. Pair this with “phone a friend,” and you’ve given a student who could be feeling like a failure TWO chances to be correct. Bingo. He’s got self-esteem for all the right reasons and is more like to participate in class again.
4. Mad Scientist Writing
My kids gave this idea the name Mad Scientist Writing because that’s what they feel like when they do it.
It works this way:
- Ask a question and have students answer fast and furiously on scrap paper.
- Quickly scan the answers as you go around the room. Sometimes I’ll just go to one table or down one row and I’ll choose one of the kids who got the answer right to share aloud.
If I notice a struggling or shy student got the question right, I’ll give them a subtle thumbs-up or a wink before calling on them. This little vote of confidence really bolsters their confidence before venturing into the jungle and sharing it aloud.
5. Call Answers “Ideas”
This is a great place for the classic class participation technique Think, Pair, Share and all of its variations!
6. Think, Pair, Re-pair, Share
7. Think, Pair, Write, Share
This variation has students thinking and pairing with another student. Then each one will spend a couple of minutes summarizing the other student’s idea in writing. Students can then do a check-in with the other person to see if their partner has the gist of their idea down. When sharing, students will share their partner’s idea, not their own.
8. The BEST Face-Saving Response Ever…
This response validates the person sharing by making them see that they are in good company in not knowing the answer. It can also lead to a whole new set of discoveries that can be made by the class.
If you have any great ideas, (and I’m sure you do!) please share! I’m always looking for more ways to get kids to participate!