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It can be difficult for introverted children to be seen at school. Because they like to stay in the background, they are not likely to raise their hands. How do you ensure that these children are seen? That is what teacher Annebeth van den Dool did research on. I asked her for some tips.
How do you recognize an introverted student?
An introverted student isn't silent because he does not dare to speak out. He or she simply has no need to interact with others. You can recognize them by the fact that they come home exhausted from school, like to play alone, need space to be alone, like to sit in a corner of the class, have trouble raising their hand or ask smart and deep questions.
How can a teacher best deal with introversion?
A teacher should not view introversion as something to be cured. The key is patience, subtlety and respect. Teachers also need to become aware of their own biases and subtle messages. Furthermore, introverted children should never have to compete with extroverted children. A class is focused on interaction and that asks a lot of an introverted student.
How do you best involve introverted students in a lesson?
It can help to first ask a question or give an assignment that students can think about individually. They can then discuss this in pairs to compare their answers. Finally, the couples can share their findings with the class. In this way, an introverted student has more time to think and the opportunity to look at things from multiple perspectives.
Any other ways?
You can also use picture books to reflect on the differences between children. In the book I am me & you are you by Karl Newson, introversion and extroversion are very clearly discussed. You can easily make the step towards the differences in the class by linking to that story.
You can also arrange the classroom in such a way that there is room to withdraw and give more reflection and recovery time to introverted students.
In my book Introverted Leadership I give a number of tips on how schools and parents can best deal with introverted children. You can order it here.
