Teachers and parents often ask me about ‘quiet children’.
My main thoughts on this are: we should strive to create the conditions where everyone feels willing and able to speak.
This takes time to develop, but there are several things you can do immediately:
Be interested, and listen carefully to what every student says.
Provide thinking time. (At least three seconds; more depending on the situation)
Ask questions with many possible answers
https://www.topsypage.com/blog/2024/8/30/many-possible-answers-getting-everyone-talking
https://www.topsypage.com/blog/2019/8/16/amazing-effect-of-more-than-one-right-answer
Photo: Topsy Page
“I’m noticing the children who don’t want to talk. I’m now learning to pause, to give them more time. They’re gaining confidence. A lot more children are now answering questions.”
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