Calling On Students Who May Not Want To Answer a Question

Jeane

Jeane

Legacy Member
In order for teachers to find out whether students have understood what they have been taught, you'll either give a quiz or ask questions which have to be answered verbally in class. Except there is one problem. Some kids are shy.

Speaking in public makes them uncomfortable.

This is why teachers shouldn't - I believe - choose a student whose hand isn't raised to answer a question. The fact that their hand isn't raised could mean they didn't understand what you taught (and this could end up embarrassing them) or they aren't comfortable answering the question because they are shy.

Shyness can be debilitating and trying to force someone to beat their it by exposing them to what they fear could simply aggravate the problem. It's better I believe to use quizzes regularly to find out whether what you taught has been understood by most of your students. Just don't try to change shy students. You'll only succeed in making them hate school.

Your thoughts?
 
This is one issue that I had experienced. I was shy to stand up and even if I knew the answer to the teacher's question I wouldn't dare raise my hand. But in fairness to me I would give a clear answer when I was called. Maybe the teacher just need to be persuasive so that more students would be raising their hands. It is not unusual for a student to have the fear of reciting but that can be overcome with the help of the teacher. If there is enough harmony in the class then the shy students will not be too shy anymore.
 
I agree with you. Teachers should not call out introvert and shy student. I was in such a situation while I was in high school and I do not want anyone to feel like I did back in the day. Nervous, anxious, desperate, uncomfortable. That is a big problem with teachers nowadays. They think that each student could be a good public speaker. And that is no true.
 
I'm iffy on this. I don't want students to feel uncomfortable or embarrassed. As someone who suffers from anxiety disorders, I can emphasize with kids who may have social anxiety. However, I feel like not calling on the shy kids might only continue to make them shy. If you avoid what you are afraid of, then you will keep being afraid of it. If a child speaks in public more often, they will start to realize that it's not really a scary thing at all. That is sort of how cognitive behavioral therapy works, you tackle the anxiety slowly over time instead of avoiding it. What I would do is ask the shy kids if they would like to answer the question and if they say no, move on to the next kid. That way if they don't know they aren't embarrassed and if they do know maybe they will speak up.
 
You have a point. It is not easy for a shy person to answer the question of the teacher in public. I think that the teacher should not force those who are shy to answer hi or her questions.
 
I, think it depends on how to call the student's attention regarding recitation. I understand that there are children that are shy and sometimes shyness are used as defense mechanism for not interacting in the class discussion. Literally, they don't know the answer or doesn't have idea. I, think this should not be tolerated but instead to encourage the student to participate in a nice and polite way. I remember my classmate who is a clef palate and was always ignored during recitation because of her condition. Until one professor called her for recitation. She was never hesitant to answer it and she was given impressive remarks on our professor. She said she wants to be called but no one gave her the chance because of her condition. I, think a teacher should know when and how to encourage a student to cope up with inferiority.
 
I agree with you part way as regards calling unwilling students to participate. It's possible that they really have no idea as to the answer, and it would simply embarrass them to be called suddenly. It would greatly affect the student's nerves and confidence, especially for the younger ones.

Nevertheless, recitation should still be a part of class, and even if there are students who are rather introverted, they still need to participate in order for the teacher to gauge their understanding of the subject matter, as well as for the purpose of grading their recitations. The teacher should set a number of questions from the previous day's lecture or homework, so almost everyone should have had the chance to tackle the material. Foster an environment where mistakes aren't viewed as embarrassing moments, but as opportunities to learn and be corrected.
 
Rathiel said:
I agree with you part way as regards calling unwilling students to participate. It's possible that they really have no idea as to the answer, and it would simply embarrass them to be called suddenly. It would greatly affect the student's nerves and confidence, especially for the younger ones.

Nevertheless, recitation should still be a part of class, and even if there are students who are rather introverted, they still need to participate in order for the teacher to gauge their understanding of the subject matter, as well as for the purpose of grading their recitations. The teacher should set a number of questions from the previous day's lecture or homework, so almost everyone should have had the chance to tackle the material. Foster an environment where mistakes aren't viewed as embarrassing moments, but as opportunities to learn and be corrected.
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Embarrassment is one issue that the teacher should take into consideration. In our class during high school our teachers were called "terror" because they rarely call a student with a raised hand. The target was always the student who looked shy or does not know the answer. When the student would say she didn't know the answer then a reprimand is in order. For a shy student that reprimand to study harder is painful. But we had to endure it for the sake of our aspiration to pass the subject.
 
I also agree. I think that of course it's important to encourage students to contribute to class discussions, but calling on students who don't have their hands raised can be anxiety provoking! Create an environment where students want to raise their hands to answer!
 
I think that giving the students quizzes is better than calling out names for them to answer questions. I agree that there are shy students and students that don't really study their lessons.
 
I was very shy when I was a student and I can relate to the predicaments of this type of students. But I believe that it is the responsibility of the teachers to build their confidence by involving them in the class discussion . If the teacher already gauged the level of intelligence of the students , he / she can ask the right questions in which the student can answer easily . A little encouragement and understanding could help these shy students to be comfortable in the school setting .
 
As far as I can remember, I think that the use of class participation through recitation is mostly used during elementary years. It is so good that almost hands of my classmates are raised to answer the questions. Nobody is shy because the questions are also very easy to be answered.
 
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