“A class with high levels of participation becomes a powerful learning machine.” – Vicki Davis.
From effective classroom teaching and learning, having active student participation holds importance. A successful teacher makes sure that students in the class are understanding well and applying their knowledge by being participative and engaged in discussions and other learning activities.
Class participation helps students in many ways, by boosting their communication skills, making them confident in contributing to their professional development, and much more. It also helps to analyse the current teaching and learning patterns, and take essential steps for improvement. With active speakers, some students are not able to participate that well in the classroom. Let us discuss a complete set of tips that learners can follow in this regard.
6 ways for students to improve their class participation
- Maintaining regularity and punctuality to the classes
For being an active participant, maintaining regularity and punctuality to the classes holds significance. By being irregular in the classes, students not only miss the topics being taught on that particular day but also the understanding of further lessons is also affected. On the other hand, by attending classes regularly, students relate to the curriculum and class discussions well. Students feel more confident in the learning environment, and make healthy bonds with teachers, and students respectively. This promotes student engagement in the classes largely.
- Listen to the teachers actively
For participating in the classroom, another learning skill that is required is active listening. Many students get distracted and lose attention. Such students relate and connect less to what is being discussed in the classes. To overcome this problem, staying focused and actively listening to the teachers is very important. Listen to what the teacher is speaking, and how your batchmates are responding. This will help you to have a proper understanding of the lessons and participate well. By using school management software, teachers keep a digital track of students’ class performance, and participation, therefore keep trying to be more involved in speaking and answering in class discussions, quizzes, and more.
- Overcome your fear, stay confident
Many students are not able to participate in classes because of fear. They feel that they might be judged, scolded, or joked off. However, these are wrong assumptions. The classroom is a learning environment that allows students to learn, improve and grow. Don’t let your inner fears stop you from speaking. Feel safe, secure, and comfortable with your batchmates and teachers. Stay confident, speak up and share your ideas, opinions, and knowledge in the class activities.
- Go to the classes prepared
Only being dependent on teachers in classes is not sufficient. The learners who don’t study at home, go for the classes with a lack of proper understanding of the curriculum. For improving student participation, not only classroom learning but also self-studies play a significant role. Along with listening to the teachers, students must take learning efforts after the classes too.
Revise the class notes, read the lessons and memorize them in smaller portions every day. Along with this, students can have a quick read or gist of the new lesson that will be started in the next class. This will help all to respond well and stay active. By using an LMS, teachers keep digital records of students’ class performance so make sure that you self-study every day and attain high scores and grades.
- Use multimedia
Understanding the theoretical and applicative subjects from textbooks is difficult as well as boring for many students. Lack of academic understanding affects the class participation of the learners. To overcome this problem, using technology is helpful. By using online teaching apps and sites, students can access several multimedia tools like educational videos, modules, demonstrations, picture cards, PowerPoint presentations, infographics, and animations. With the help of visualization, students tend to understand the concepts better and more quickly. This will help them to be more interested in learning, have clarity of the lessons, and participate well too.
- Have a constructive mindset
Many students avoid participating in the class, as they can’t take criticism healthily. If they speak something incorrectly or when there are clashes of ideas or perspectives in group discussions many students feel offended or demotivated. This stops them from being active and engaged in the classroom. All students should stop having this mindset and must adopt a constructive approach. This means, taking the feedback, and remarks positively. Teachers are there to help you out and contribute to your progress, so take the suggestions and advice into light and work for your learning improvement.
Conclusion
For quality teaching and learning, having active student participation in the classroom must be taken care of. By following the above-mentioned tips, all students can work on their class participation and performance. This will help all learners to enhance their learning skills and ensure proper academic, social and professional development.