Not all children are comfortable speaking in front of a class. Although they can understand the lessons, their shyness might hinder their participation in discussions and group activities. For parents, it is better not to suddenly force their children to change their personalities. It is because some people are naturally born introverts while others are extroverts. And yes, there’s nothing wrong with being quiet in this loud and noisy world. When your child attends the top preschool in Singapore, there are ways to encourage them to be more open and communicative.
Through this, they will be able to feel comfortable talking in front of many people. Remember, you don’t have to force them to change just to fit in with their classmates. There are more effective ways to encourage children to participate in class activities and discussions. Your children have to offer something unique, and they can share their valuable insights about different things.
How to Encourage Children to Participate in Class Activities
Some people are naturally shy, and you can’t do anything about it but accept their personalities. However, there are times when shyness can stop you from achieving the things you want. For instance, shyness may make you scared about leaving your comfort zone and settling for less. Therefore, teaching children how to make them confident in participating in class activities and discussions is essential.
Before enrolling your child in a childcare centre in Singapore, here are some strategies to encourage your child to be vocal and a good team player.
1) Know the Reason What’s Stopping them from Participating
There are many reasons a student doesn’t feel confident participating in class discussions and activities. Perhaps, some are afraid to make mistakes, while others are scared to look uninformed or silly. So, you can tell your children that it’s okay to ask questions when you want to ask for clarification because there is nothing wrong with now knowing a particular subject. For sure, the teachers in the childcare centre are accommodating and understanding of students’ needs.
Some children also feel shy about asking things because other students might laugh at them. That will not happen because asking questions will help them learn more about the subjects. Also, find a teacher who will make students comfortable opening up about their thoughts and opinions.
2) Give Everyone a Chance to Speak
Have you experienced a class discussion where no one wants to raise their hand, or perhaps everyone gets shy to speak first? If this happens, better encourage everyone to speak during class activities. You can make it fun by asking who goes first? You can use their birthdays so they can start based on the month and date. Or you can do a round table so everyone can have a turn to speak. This way, your children can learn how to speak for themselves in the best childcare in Singapore.
By giving everyone a chance to speak, students will feel that their opinions and thoughts are valid. Teachers acknowledge their ideas to feel comfortable sharing more in future activities.
3) Do Group Activities
Individual activities may seem daunting at first, so you can start with group activities so children can work together and get to know each other. In group activities, you can assign each member to speak so they can feel comfortable performing in front of the class. After getting comfortable with group activities, you can now start encouraging them to make them perform or speak individually.
For instance, if you’re teaching in a bilingual programme, you can encourage students to create a dialogue and read them in front of the class. It will practise their confidence and speaking skills in front of many people.
4) Don’t Criticise Students
As a teacher, it’s your responsibility to make students feel confident about themselves. Avoid commenting negatively on their looks, voice, clothes, etc. Also, don’t show favouritism as it can affect other students’ self-esteem. Giving criticism is okay as long as it’s constructive and helpful. But don’t worry, teachers in the best childcare in Singapore have proper training and know how to handle children in a class.
But, if you need to give a student criticism, better give it privately so other children won’t hear it. As such, you’ll be able to encourage them to do better and improve what they need to change.
5) Provide Other Outlets like Online Activities
Since the pandemic’s start, some schools have preferred online learning because it’s much safer than face-to-face classes. So, during online courses, you can be encouraged to use the chat box so they can also participate in class discussions. This way, they can maximise other methods of participation and increase their confidence. It would be helpful for a bilingual programme because students can ask questions in different ways to clarify the lessons. You can also encourage students to turn on the camera so you can see them during class activities.
6) Nonverbal Communication
It’s better to consider children who can’t speak because they are deaf or have medical conditions. You can also encourage the class to practise non-verbal communication so everyone can feel included and accepted. In the top preschool in Singapore, teachers know how to communicate with all types of people, so they are trained to handle such citations and make everyone feel welcome in the class. To do nonverbal communication, you can try sign language for essential words like yes, no, thank you, and you’re welcome.
Also, tell the students to respect their classmates if they can’t speak properly. Bullying is not tolerated, and it should be reported immediately.
7) Don’t Interrupt When Someone is Speaking
Also, teach students to interrupt someone when speaking in front of the class. Respect those reciting because it will make them feel more comfortable about their voice. But, don’t worry because teachers in a childcare centre know how to facilitate class discussion and activities. Also, when speaking in front, advise the class to stay quiet and attentive.
Provide a good education for your children with Little Skool House, a childcare centre in Singapore. Visit their website to know more about their education services, including the bilingual programme.
