Do you receive an awkward silence on asking even a very simple question in your class? Do many of your students never answer any question at all and very few students remain provocative? Do you rather not prefer singling out on any student and make them feel even more awkward? Here is how you can make more number of students participate in your class.

1.      Ask more of Yes/No, Agree/Disagree, True/False questions

Ask the students to raise their hands if, for example, they agree to a particular statement you have made. Or you can make a left and right side and ask the students to stand according to their opinion on the particular statement you have given them. For the students that shy away from speaking, it will be easier for them to just raise their hand or to go and stand on the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ side of the class. In this case, students feel they have to choose between one of the two options instead of keeping a neutral opinion and not taking any side. It also boosts their cognitive and analytical skill as they’ll feel obliged to make their mind start thinking on the terms of the discussion going on in the class.

2.      Once you ask the question, give your students time to think.

Sometimes children or even adults, they take time to process the answer. Don’t expect an immediate answer from your students every time. Don’t tell them the correct answer instantly either. If you single out on a student and they come up with an answer, don’t tell them if the answer was correct or wrong. Instead ask another student for their opinion on the answer given by the previous student. Soon you can even involve all the class or most of the class into this.

3.      Praise their participation

Don’t only praise the students who have given a correct answer. Praise the students for their participation, for answering, for thinking. If you find their perspective interesting even though their answer is incorrect, praise them for thinking with a different perspective or addressing the problem from a different angle.

4.      Help them derive the correct answer

When they give an incorrect answer, use more questions to help them figure out where they are getting the question or the answer wrong. Help them see why their incorrect answer is incorrect. If possible, make them come to the conclusion where they’ll be able to see the correct answer. And then appreciate them for thinking it through.

5.      Give a second chance

If a student wants a second chance on the answer after giving an incorrect answer, give them the chance. You can also give the students who have answered the previous question incorrectly a second chance on the next question being asked. When a student, even after giving a couple of wrong answers, gets even a single answer right, he/she feels good about it and it boosts their confidence and increases their further participation. Sometimes it even becomes a hit and trial error for them but it nonetheless increases the overall participation in the class which leads to improved learning and thinking among the students.