Silence in the Classroom: One Student's Experience

[slideshare id=13622450&doc=onestudentsexperienceof-120712192640-phpapp02]

Here’s the slides (above) and the text (download pdf) that I had the pleasure of presenting in support of one of my students, Merilee Hamelock.

In many classrooms, evaluation of learning relies on easily observable, easily measurable student actions and behaviors. Open any teaching strategies book today and you will find numerous recommendations for engaging the “active learner.” Activities such as “large group discussion,” “small group discussion,” and “think-pair-share” have become commonplace within the classroom.

In any classroom there will be students who spend much of their classroom time in silence. For learners who remain silent during such activities, do these methods of evaluation accurately reflect their level of learning or involvement within the classroom? What does silence have to do with learning? How do students experience silence in the classroom?

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