One student is dominating the discussion. Are you equipped to ensure all voices are heard in your teaching?

As a lecturer, it's important to promote active student participation in class. However, it's equally important to prevent any one student from dominating the discussion. Some students are naturally assertive and eager to answer all questions, while others are more reserved and prefer to keep to themselves even if they know the answers. Some students may not know the answers and are content to stay silent during class. To ensure balanced participation, a simple way to encourage participation is to ask students to raise their hands before answering questions. Additionally, the lecturer can randomly call on students irrespective of whether they raise their hands or not to ensure everyone has a chance to contribute to the discussion.

When asking a question, there are the students who raise their hands immediatley but have no answer and those who never raise their hands. I have a count 5 rule. You have to count to 5 and think before your raise your hand. This gives everybody think time to process the question. Another method is to turn and talk to a neighbor and have each partner give an answer to the question. Then have the students share. It is important as a teacher to engage all students and give everybody opportunties. It is exciting for some to answer quickly, but is also intimidating for others. Think time and turn and talk set the tone for more student involvement.

To ensure all voices are heard in your teaching, it's important to create a structured environment where every student feels comfortable contributing. Use strategies like rotating speaking turns, setting clear expectations for participation, and encouraging quieter students by asking open-ended questions. Additionally, incorporating various discussion formats can help balance participation and give everyone a chance to share their perspectives.

I love open eneded questions that require thinking. One method is to have a jar of sticks. When a question is asked, I pull a name from the jar. This gives everyone time to think but also lets everyone know they have to listen and engage if it is their turn. If a student is called upon who can't answer the question, they can then ask another child to help them. I set the tone for respect and success.

I set a classroom culture of Mistakes Help Our Brains Grow. I set clear rules and expectations about behavior and how we treat eachother. The classroom is a "Yes I Can" classroom with high expectations for everybody. Students are encouraged to ask questons, make mistakes, and ask classmates for help. When doing assignments, kids who finish with my approval, become the classroom teachers. They walk around and help others. We even have discussions about what mistakes you made and how your brain grew. Set the tone and watch engaged students learning and helping eachother with respect.