TOPIC 5: Support for Learner Participation

Try this!

NEAR…“PAR”…WHERE (WHO) EVER YOU ARE: As far as your participation in class

discussions and activities is concerned (either elementary or high school days), how well did
you do? (NOTE: Focus on one). What’s the reason behind it? Check ( ) the box that
corresponds to your previous experience and answer the succeeding questions.

YES NO
Teacher tells us his or her expectations after every activity.
Teacher recognizes the effort we made to participate.
Our classroom was arranged in a way that we can see and
communicate with each other.
Teacher moves around the room as he or she discusses the
lesson.
Teacher makes us use of various teaching strategies to elicit
class participation.
We were given the opportunity to discuss our thoughts, ideas,
and opinions with the whole class or some classmates.
Source: Field Study 1 – A Guide for 21st Century Student Teachers (Pawilen, et.al.,2019)

Think ahead!

1. How did your previous teacher encourage you and your classmates to participate
actively in class?
During my Senior high school, I got a math teacher whose enthusiasm and energy level are high
every class discussions and seat work, this personality radiates and might as well gets our attention. Also,
she sees to it that, every participation is a chance to learn, and guiding us while during and after
participation by giving insights, tips and things to improve as well as, praises with our name on it like
“Very good alwyn”, “Job well done alwyn”. And the thing that excites us as a high school student,
Incentives. This, rewards and treats really motivates us to participates especially during hard to tackle
lessons.

2. From your personal view point, what is the best classroom setup to encourage students
to engage in the activity?
Personally, I think that the best classroom setup that will encourage students to be engage in
various activities is, to cultivate or make your classroom as a place where opportunity, fairness, and
student and teacher interaction is observe. Making sure that the arrangement of seats makes them feel
included and comfortable during discussion and activities. Also, the organization of classroom furniture
and decorative materials play a big role in stimulating a learning environment. This setup with the
teacher’s ability will make students comfortable, open and engage during discussion and various
activities.

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 3. What strategies should the teacher use to make you and other students participate in
class?

There are many strategies that a teacher can incorporate during discussion and activities, it
depends on what is the appropriate and effective strategy for the given topic or lesson discuss. Various
games and incentives are essential, this encourage student to participate in activities with a goal to
achieve. Also, as a teacher, we must give equal opportunities to boost the student’s confidence in
participation during discussion and activities.

Read and Ponder

One of the challenges that most of the teacher’s encounter is inspiring learners to be
involved in class discussions and class activities. Thus, one must be guided with the various
ways of improving student participation in both class discussions and activities.

Hollander (2002) discussed the significance for a teacher to educate learners that
participation is a collective undertaking of the class and that their contribution can help in the
learning process. For instance, when learners are given the opportunity to share what they
know and show what they can do, as well as recognized for their efforts, then they will realize
that their contributions matter.

Teachers must also look into the condition of the learning environment if this is conducive
to participation. Make sure that the physical set up bring about easy communication between
the learners and the teacher and with their classmates as well. A teacher should explore
varied ways of arranging the classroom layout which allow learners to face also their
classmates and not only the teacher. Also, in order for learners to have more opportunities to
interact with the teacher and with one another, the teacher should move around the room.
This will provide learners the opportunity to ask and even converse with each other instead of
constantly addressing their questions and answers to the teacher because he or she is located
in front of the room (Hollander, 2002).

The teacher should also explore different teaching strategies that encourage active
involvement of learners. Make sure that learners can respond or discuss when the concept is
introduced. Engage the learners in other non-threatening activities involving small groups,
pairs, or triads so that those with less confidence to talk in front of the class are encouraged to
participate (Hollander, 2002).

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 See if you can do this!

TEACHER’S PARTI-SEE-PATION: As a would-be teacher in the field, what are the things that you
should look into as support for your would-be learners’ participation? Suggest the best thing
that you can do (try to be more specific as possible) by filling-out the table below.

As a would-be teacher, I will… Like… So that…

for me to… (How is this done?) (Cite an example.) (How will this help?)
➢ Make sure that ➢ Organizing students ➢ The students will
… have a learning discipline, in various task in be enthusiastic
environment fairness, maintaining the and feel more
conducive for opportunity classroom comfortable
participation and interaction cleanliness to foster during discussion
is observe as disciple, giving and activities.
well as equal opportunity This will also
addressing the and incentive encourage
needs of the during activities, them to
students conversing with participate
holistically. students about more often and
various concerns boost their
and insights about confidence.
and likes. Also,
arranging
classrooms
furniture,
decorative
materials and class
seats. Also,
emphasizing the
holistic growth using
the various
approach and
strategies during
discussion and
activities.
➢ Make use of ➢ Incorporating ➢ students will be
… encourage active various strategies like pair- encouraged to
involvement of learners strategies and share, games and actively
approach to etc. during participate and
make the activities and be involve in
discussion and discussion. Also, class activities
activities more providing incentives which later
engaging. Also, during builds their
building participation. confidence,
connection sense of
with the collaboration
students. and the ability
to openly share
and accept
opinions, ideas
and
constructive
criticism.
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 ➢ Motivate ➢ Giving them ➢ Students will
… motivate students students by opportunity to know that their
with little or no recognition speak or share their efforts and
confidence to talk to their efforts and ideas and insights, growth is being
participate ideas. and praise them for recognize and
Engaging them their efforts and making them
in collaborative continually guide feel that they
task and them to further belong. This will
activities. Also, build their continue to
involving them confidence to improve their
during speak their ideas. self esteem and
discussions and Also, engaging later builds their
constantly them to confidence to
monitor their collaborate during share and
growth for activities to communicate
further improve their social properly with
improvement skill and ability to their peer. In
of their communicate as a addition,
confidence group. Lastly, giving students will be
them recognition more motivated
by praising their in learning and
ideas, growth and to grow as
development like person.
small certificates,
incentives and likes.

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