By: Tamara Blair and Maisy Seale

Every class seems to go the same way for the quiet student. By the second day, we know who will be talking the whole semester and answering every question. We are engaged in the material and look forward to going to class, but are hesitant to participate. The same people dominate conversations, so it becomes routine for them to speak up and for us to stay quiet. The professor encourages us to speak up after reading our assignments, but we still feel like it is a battle to get a word in. We know the answers and have input; we just can’t get the courage to raise our hands before the professor quickly calls on the same person and moves on. At times, their hands are raised before we can formulate a thought. We like to sit and let the material soak in before taking the risk of raising our hands and being wrong. Especially as women, we feel overpowered by the men who sit in the front and talk to the professor the whole class period.

When a student rarely speaks, especially in classes that are heavily discussion-based, some professors might assume that the cause of this is a lack of interest and disengagement. However, there are several reasons why a student may not have as loud of a voice as their peers. There is an obvious difference in communication styles between those labeled as extraverts and those labeled as introverts. The former are characterized as outgoing and loud, while the latter are often seen as reserved. One might be inclined to believe that a person’s quietness comes down to the natural temperament of a person. While this can sometimes be the case, there can also be a large range of underlying factors that go beyond personality. These factors include upbringing, cultural values, neurotype, and gender norms, and these factors may often intersect.

Let’s take a moment to dissect these by imagining a typical classroom scenario. The professor is having the students engage in a large group discussion. People may jump in to speak their thoughts at any moment they wish. The professor serves as a director of sorts, choosing the topic and guiding the conversation along. In this scenario, the professor may believe that everyone has an equal opportunity to engage in the dialogue; as such, those that do not speak up may be labeled as passive or disengaged. 

However, this form of discussion favors the students who are used to speaking freely and are able to respond instantaneously to a prompt. The student who feels as though they need permission in order to speak is at a disadvantage. This feeling may stem from the student’s upbringing or environmental conditioning. A student who was raised with a “don’t speak unless spoken to” mindset, or a student who comes from a culture that places emphasis on listening over speaking, might have a hard time recognizing when it is their “turn” to speak in this type of scenario. This can also sometimes intersect with how women are socialized; gender norms may dictate that she draw little attention to herself. 

Furthermore, neurotype and abledness can have a significant impact in how one communicates. Those with anxiety disorders often struggle with the additional barrier of feeling overwhelmed. Some may struggle with feelings of inadequacy, and some might simply need more time to process the conversation before jumping in. In addition, a neurodiverse student may need to contend with recognizing social cues. Often, the effects of these factors are magnified when they intersect.

So, what can professors do to help? Take a minute to breathe during lectures and let everyone soak in the material. We know you have a lot to fit in, but we all process information at different rates. If you wait a few more seconds after asking a question before calling on the student waving their hand in the air, you give everyone else time to digest the information and formulate a thought. You allow us to listen to the voice in our own heads before letting someone else think for us. A professor once counted ten seconds in his head to give time for students to ask questions, and that allowed students like us to think, build up confidence, and raise our hands. Ten seconds will not put you far behind on material, and those ten seconds are much appreciated. 

Another helpful thing to do is ask a question and have students write down their answer. That way when you go around and call on people, everyone has an answer ready and they are not sitting there nervously trying to remember what they said instead of listening to the conversation. Providing another outlet for asking and answering questions can be helpful as well. If there is a form we can fill out after class where we can provide our input, we can have an easier time contributing to the class. Some of us quiet students take a lot of time and reflection to understand what happened in a lecture. It would be helpful to allow us to share our thoughts from after class ended. Sometimes we think best in a quiet environment which a lecture and class discussion does not allow for. Finally, pay attention to the type of student you keep calling on. Are they all men? Are they all from the same culture? Try to bring in the students who may have been socialized differently.

The good news is, there might be more students engaged in your class than you think. We aren’t trying to be rude. We are as prepared as the loud students are (we promise we did the reading!). We just need a little help to come out of our shells.