Spark
a guide to redefining classroom participation
Embrace the Silence
Description
“Silence may manifest simply, but it is a complex phenomenon,” writes education professor Katherine Schultz (2009, p. 3). In her book Rethinking Classroom Participation: Listening to Silent Voices, Schultz makes a compelling argument that there is in many cases a legitimate reason behind a student’s silence. As educators, our role should be to recognize and understand the meaning behind this silence, rather than immediately work to overcome it. We channel Schultz in this module, hoping to provide you with insights as to why, for some of your students, silence may be the best - or only - option for them.
Rationale & Educator Strategies: The Meanings of Silence
A means of resistance
The reluctance to speak or participate is often not a case of laziness or boredom, though these are what it’s typically attributed to. Silence can sometimes be used as a means of resistance - that is, a visible display of disagreement or dissatisfaction with an activity.
Does a student have a right to refuse what his or her teacher is teaching them? We argue yes. Kevin Meyer - now a university professor - wrote in his dissertation on this topic that silence may be a form of defying “oppressive” knowledge transmission (Meyer, p. 28). We don’t expect that you have any intention of oppressing your students, but for students who disagree with the curricular choices made, silence is arguably the most civilized way to do that. Meyer recounts the anecdote of one student who refused to talk at the precise moments of class when oral participation were graded. She had nothing against talking in class, but she felt strongly against the fairness of grading oral participation and used her silence as her strategy to defend against that. “In the end, student engagement cannot be forced,” Meyer writes. “An overbearing teacher who attempts to force a student to participate may end up causing the opposite result.” (p. 31-32).
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Educator coping strategy: We understand that a student’s refusal to partake in an activity is not an acceptable option for most classes. But rather than attempt to force verbal contributions, dig deeper. Your student is telling you something by his or her silence. Have a one-on-one conversation with the student and probe the meaning behind their refusal. Explain that you are seeking a way to understand their position - not undermine it. If and when they open up, you’ll have a foundation to modify the assignment to better meet their needs and preferred method of engagement.
A vehicle for thinking and learning
The presence of silence does not mean the absence of thinking. In fact, for some students, engagement must happen in silence, or close to silence. If a student takes notes, is he engaged? If a student maintains eye contact as you speak to the class, is she engaged? Regardless of whether you hear their contribution, it is important to recognize the thinking that happens behind silence.
For some students, the highest and most effective form of participation is active listening. “For these students,” Meyer writes, participation “means being prepared to respond, but not necessarily participating orally or volunteering to do without being called upon." This doesn’t mean you need to excel in identifying when a student’s mental wheels are churning and when they’re stopped. Instead, it simply requires a recognition of and practice in the idea that your students’ learning and engagement styles are variable.
Where oral engagement may reflect learning from some, silence is a means of learning for others.
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Educator coping strategy: How do we make room for students who take more time to respond? One coping strategy here requires understanding the way your students work, and this can only come with time. “It may be necessary for teachers to learn to read students’ nods and facial expressions...to understand that students who are silent may be as engaged in learning as the student who speaks frequently,” Shultz writes.
Another coping strategy is to encourage this reflective period, even among students who might not naturally be inclined to embrace it. You can do this by increasing the wait-time between when you pose a question and when you solicit responses from your students. One study showed evidence that these few extra seconds of teacher-initiated silence increased the length, quality, and number of student responses (Jaworski, 1993). In short, slowing down and encouraging silent thought ultimately improved class-wide engagement.
A cultural choice; a refuge from language barriers
Western culture places a large emphasis on speaking and, as such, our teaching practices have been focused to value verbalization and de-value silence (Jaworski). Yet our classrooms are filled with students who hail from around the world and from many cultures where silence is just as valued, if not more, than speaking. In this case, silence is “culture specific” - that is, not only accepted but encouraged (Jaworski p. 22).
In other cases, international students may literally have trouble speaking in class because they don’t feel confident in their English. Schultz describes these students as “caught between two languages,” explaining how silence is their only option without a means to access the language used in the classroom (p. 53). But language barriers are not unique to international students. Verbalization is just one means of expression, and it isn’t one that all students are able to manage. Some cognitive and emotional disabilities disable verbalization. Silence for these students may be the only option.
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Educator coping strategy: Make accommodations for these students. When there are language barriers among your students, for reasons stemming from physical ability, cultural inclinations, or otherwise, offer different opportunities for expression. Perhaps they would be more comfortable writing or drawing instead of verbalizing their ideas. For English language learners, you may also want to share resources for translation services. As the teacher, recognize that you don’t need to work with them solely in English. If your goal isn’t language acquisition but comprehension related to something else, the language you use need not be the barrier. Take advantage of Google Translate if you find yourself struggling to communicate with your students.
Given the nature of this topic, which focuses more on internal motivations, we structure this module differently from our others. Rather than implementation options, we offer rationale as to the possible meanings and uses of silence, followed by ways that instructors have worked within this mindset.
References:
- Jaworski, A. (1993). The power of silence: Social and pragmatic perspectives. Newbury Park: SAGE Publications.
- Meyer, K. (2009). Student classroom engagement: Rethinking participation grades and student silence. (Doctoral, Ohio University). ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
- Schultz, K. (2009). Rethinking classroom participation: Listening to silent voices. New York: Teachers College.