One student is being overshadowed in class discussions. How can you empower them to shine?

Proven techniques: To help a student who's being overshadowed in class discussions, start by making the classroom a safe and welcoming space. Give them positive feedback when they share their ideas, so they feel more confident. Spend a bit of one-on-one time to understand their perspective and what might be holding them back. Try asking them open-ended questions directly during discussions to encourage their participation. Pair them with supportive classmates for group work, making it easier for them to speak up.

Active listening is a powerful tool in teaching. I always encourage students to listen to their peers with the same attention they’d expect when they’re speaking. This promotes respect and helps quieter students feel valued. I remind my class that every voice matters and that active participation means both speaking and listening. By doing this, we can create a supportive environment where everyone, even those who usually feel overshadowed, feels comfortable sharing their thoughts. It’s all about making sure everyone feels heard and respected, which leads to more engaging and productive discussions.

I make it a point to give each student my full attention and acknowledge their contributions, even if they’re brief. This not only encourages them to participate more but also helps build their confidence.

Questioning techniques are critical for stirring engagement. To encourage whole class participation, you could try diverse question stems. Some common choices could be Bloom’s Taxonomy, or Socratic Circle. Experiment with types of questioning techniques such as funnel questions, probing questions, recall questions, and leading question among others. Employ these strategies to address specific groups or students to ensure that all learners are engaged. Think your last lesson, learning walk or observation, what questioning methods were employed, how effective was the lesson? How are you planning to use questioning for engagement in your teaching and learning space? What questions would you ask as a school leader to drive reflection & growth?

Using different question techniques is a great way to get all students involved. Open-ended questions that need more than a yes or no answer can be especially effective. I like to ask these questions directly to students who might be getting overshadowed, giving them a chance to express their ideas. Another technique I use is "think-pair-share," where students first discuss their thoughts with a partner before sharing with the whole group. This method helps less confident students build up their ideas and courage. By using these techniques, I can create an inclusive classroom where everyone has a chance to participate and feel valued.

Small group work can be a game changer for quieter students. In these smaller settings, they might feel less intimidated and more willing to contribute. I like to rotate group members regularly so everyone gets a chance to interact with different classmates. This helps build a sense of community within the class and gives quieter students multiple opportunities to connect with peers and share ideas in a less daunting environment. It's all about creating a space where everyone feels comfortable and confident enough to participate.

After baseline assessments and 21 days of embedding routines and procedures, I normally divide students into collaborative groups. Students normally research inspirational names of their choice for their groups-memorable ones over from years gone by are below: Positioning to win Sheikh Zayed Future leaders When Harry Met Megan Maya Angelou’s Mega Minds The Burj’s Big Visionaries Each group takes turn leading out during the student sections of the lesson; this proven strategy has been quite rewarding to see the length that students have grown in terms of their confidence, communication skills as well as writing. Teachers, empower students and you will raise up a group of learners who will be equipped to take up their place in society.

This is only one example. What are the chances that the student is able to thrive if the environment allows them to give written responses? In the context of online learning, I've repeatedly encountered students opting for textual participation because they don't want to use their audio. They would use their audio only when forced.

Pay attention to non-verbal cues because students who aren’t talking much might still be engaged with the material in other ways. Look for signs like nodding or taking notes, which can show they’re interested or understand what's going on. Use these cues as an opportunity to invite them into the conversation. This acknowledges their engagement and can help them feel more comfortable speaking up. Also, non-verbal encouragement like smiling or nodding can reassure them when they do decide to contribute. It's a great way to let them know their participation is valued, even if it’s not always verbal.

Too often students are labelled negatively, terms used are: aggressive, talkative, lazy, unmotivated among other labels that demean and discourage engagement in the classroom. To harness students strength do a survey of strength and utilise for their growth and development. Students are phenomenal, when you harvest their skills. Hence, if Sam likes to participate, why not let him lead the discussions and teach the class discussion skills. Find a role that allows him to grow that skill. As a leader in the teaching and learning space, I am constantly privy to learning conversations that is kids centered, one of the challenges that I have for teachers is to use positive labels. “Tony is adventurous, Ibrahim enjoys participating in lessons.”