In schools, we find great diversity among students. Little by little, there is increasing awareness of this diversity, and we seek to provide effective inclusive responses. Among this diversity, it is quite common to find students in class who do not participate and speak very little. What happens with these students? Sometimes not enough importance is given to these boys and girls because they may not show significant learning difficulties or cause behavioral problems in the classroom. However, they are students who must also be attended to.
It would be a mistake to think that a quiet, unparticipative child simply “has that kind of personality” and should be left alone so as not to “pressure” them. These quieter students may have very diverse reasons behind their silence, and each case requires careful analysis. However, in this article, we will highlight some common factors for intervention: the importance of expectations, context, and interactions.
Regardless of the specific case, one thing is clear: every student, without exception, needs to interact and communicate. Social interaction and communication are the foundation of learning, individual growth, and progress toward academic and social success. Therefore, without a doubt, we must promote communication. The main goal is to create an environment that encourages speaking and dialogue.
Various studies, such as this one, raise a general concern: in most classrooms, the person who speaks the most is the teacher. This is not, in fact, the type of communication model that yields the best results. Influential authors — from early thinkers like Vygotsky to contemporary researchers such as Neil Mercer and Linda Hargreaves — stress the need to create classroom interactions where students talk more.
We must prioritize dialogic activities and propose open-ended topics and questions that invite discussion. However, to achieve this, it is essential to ensure that these activities and topics take place in a safe environment, completely free from violence or coercion. Sometimes, some children do not participate because they fear making mistakes, or because of comments or looks from peers (social pressure). In other cases, limited participation or speech may be due to particular conditions such as selective mutism, an autism spectrum diagnosis (ASD), or lack of knowledge of the language of instruction, among others. Sometimes, it may simply result from a combination of various factors.
Over the years as a teacher, I have seen how students with these characteristics — those who often go unnoticed because of their low participation — have greatly improved aspects such as vocabulary, confidence, participation, and the length and depth of their reflections and responses:
- Students with selective mutism, about whom peers (and even teachers) used to say, “She doesn’t talk,” have ended up speaking — and more and more.
- Students with ASD diagnoses, whom others thought “couldn’t talk” or “couldn’t do certain tasks,” have become increasingly communicative and participative.
- Students with dyslexia who avoided participating out of embarrassment about their oral or written expression have gone on to participate actively in class, improving both vocabulary and fluency.
- Recently arrived foreign students, who initially had no knowledge of the classroom language, have participated in dialogic literary gatherings and learned to communicate effectively.
Not only that — they became visibly happier, more confident, and more content. Following the principles of dialogic learning, with high expectations and the implementation of successful educational actions, these improvements truly happen. By incorporating into the classroom practices such as interactive groups, dialogic literary gatherings, and zero-violence brave clubs, and by fostering a classroom context of high expectations, support, respect, companionship, and friendship among peers, these quieter students can greatly increase their participation — and we can ensure their right to the best possible education.
In assemblies or dialogic gatherings, for instance, I have witnessed deeply moving transformations such as this one:
A six-year-old boy, acting as moderator with my help, notices that a girl with selective mutism raises her hand. The boy gives her priority (because we give turns first to those who have spoken less). She remains silent. The boy patiently waits, not wanting to pressure her, and gently says:
“Do you want to think about it a little more and raise your hand again when you’re ready?”
The girl nods calmly, happily, and with relief. After a while, her classmates next to her signal that she now wants to speak; she raises her hand, encouraged by her friends, and manages to express herself. The whole class celebrates and congratulates her.
Behind this act lies a foundation of high expectations toward that girl from her entire class — support, safety, friendship, absence of pressure, prioritizing help for those who need it most, and, above all, beauty, kindness, and scientific evidence with social impact.
Article translated from Periódico Educación
Primary Education Teacher and English Specialist