Strategies for Helping Students with Social Anxiety
by
Tracy Pouncie
Embedded Files
Learning Targets
Learning Targets
Teachers will be able to define Social Anxiety.
Teachers will be able to explain how students develop social anxiety,
Teachers will be able to describe school interventions to help students with social anxiety.
“How do students develop Social Anxiety?”
“How do students develop Social Anxiety?”
Genetics
Observing others
Early Trauma
Parenting Style
Isolating Upbringing
Brain Structure
Societal Expectation
According to Beidel (1998) and Chiu, A. et al (2016) social anxiety also known as a social phobia can have environmental, inherited, and family causes.
Signs of Student Social Anxiety
Signs of Student Social Anxiety
Teacher may think student: Student Actually:
> Is disrespectful >Avoids eye contact
>Doesn't care >Doesn't raise hand
>Not paying attention >Quiet/Withdrawn
>Has an attitude >Avoids initiating Coversation
>Isn't trying hard enough
Chiu, A., Falk, A., & Walkup, J. T. (2016).
“What school interventions can be used to help students with social anxiety?”
“What school interventions can be used to help students with social anxiety?”
Group Work with same gender or playful group
Prepare student with questions the day before
Allow nonverbal communication to increase confidence
Simple 1–2-word presentations with "pep" talk laying down positive ground rules
Learning pairs that can work together
Teacher/student check in (verbal/nonverbal gestures)
Nyborg et al (2022)
Reflection and Conclusion
Reflection and Conclusion
Social Anxiety is becoming increasingly prevalent in school aged children. Thus, it is important for teachers to be able to identify signs of a student possibly experiencing social anxiety. In doing this, teachers will be able to implement strategies to help the student combat this disorder and become more at ease in the classroom/school environment. However, more research on specific classroom teacher intervention needs to be performed because strategies are very limited.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. John does not raise his hand, avoids eye contact, and seems withdrawn. He might
A. Be anxious
B. Does not care
C. Is not paying attention
D. Spoiled
2. One strategy for Socially Anxious students is
A. Call the parent to take student home
B. Group work with same gender
C. Long presentations
D. Verbal communication
Answers: 1. A 2. B
References
References
Beidel, D. C. (1998). Social anxiety disorder: Etiology and early clinical presentation. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 59(17), 27-32.
Chiu, A., Falk, A., & Walkup, J. T. (2016). Anxiety Disorders Among Children and Adolescents. Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing), 14(1), 26–33. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.focus.20150029
Cordier, R., Speyer, R., Mahoney, N., Arnesen, A., Mjelve, L. H., & Nyborg, G. (2021). Effects of interventions for social anxiety and shyness in school-aged children: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS one, 16(7), e0254117. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254117
Geir Nyborg, L. Heidi Mjelve, Anne Arnesen, W. Ray Crozier, Gunnar Bjørnebekk, Robert J. Coplan. (2022) Teachers’ strategies for managing shy students’ anxiety at school. Nordic Psychology 0:0, pages 1-25.
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