Innovative+ELT+techniques+and+applications+-+6+Tips+to+Boost+Student+Participation+in+Class+-+By+Volkan+Esen

**6 Tips to Boost Student Participation in Class**
 Sometimes language teachers feel frustrated when students aren’t participating in class decision. Yet, looking at it from their point of view, many students may not be used to the style of foreign teachers or have had much opportunity to actually use English before so it’s natural to feel intimidated in an unfamiliar situation. Part of a teacher’s job is to figure out how we can put our more students at ease and build their confidence. The following are 6 suggestions for English teachers to facilitate class discussion and boost student participation. 1) Begin the class with some kind of icebreaker or activity that allows students to get to know each other can help them feel more comfortable having discussions together later on. 2) Arrange the chairs in small groups or a semi-circle while having discussion time to foster conversation between students. 3) Pay careful attention to how students interact with each other and intervene when necessary to create a more harmonious or interactive environment in the classroom. For example, assigning groups of students with different skills to work together on a project or making sure that there are mixed genders in the groups during a discussion of the changing role of women in society will be more beneficial to students than allowing them to always work with their friends. 4) Limit teacher talk time during classes so that students can have enough time to practice what they’re learning and to help them feel more involved in what’s taking place in the classroom. 5) Give as much positive reinforcement as possible to build up their confidence using the language. Comments to students should not only pertain to the accuracy of their English but the content of their discussion in order to assure them that their ideas are being listened to and to help foster their creativity. This will encourage students to share more than they might otherwise. 6) Learn and use students’ individual names on a regular basis (making sure that you pronounce them properly). A little bit of time and attention to classroom management can have a significant impact on your students’ confidence and motivation.  I think the writer has a point in writing this to give advice on how to enhance student participation in classroom and I will definitelly give them a try in my classes. The first one is the thing most of us already do but there are times we skip it. However, it is very beneficial for us to ice-break sometimes before going on with the topic. Warm-up is an important step tp begin the class. Actully, for the second one, we have a whole term class. Classroom management and we all know it is important to have an appropriate classroom arrangement. These are all the things a language teacher should do in a beneficial and effective learning environment.

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 * Comments:**

First of all, the ice braker idea is really useful and fun for students. As they get to know you and each other, you gtaher some valuable information abou them to use it in the couse of time while planning you activities and lessons. While interacting each other especially during discussions eye contact is an important issue. As the seating arrangment idea above will present such an opportunity to foster interaction between students. As it is stated in the fourth advice that teachet should be sometimes facilitator because students' one of the aims coming in to class is to socialize to support this aim teacher should be facilitator of the interaction among students. In order to develop positive relationsships with students and teach them mutual respect, the sixth advice is really helpful. Since you call on them by their names you give them the message that i care each one of you individually and value you.
 * Hülya Ergün**

By Fatih Gün, Preperation part is as important as the process part of an activity and the time students get to know each other is also a preperation part.If teacher do not ice break and just start doing activity, it does not make any sense for students and they do not want to work with his/her friends and do not want to involve in the activity. Because of this, ice braker part helps students to get the most benefit from the activity. This tecnique is also a student centered technique as it limits teacher's part during the course and gives students more time to interact with each other and this is also another positive way of this technique. It also says that teacher knows students' names and this also helps students to motivate to participate during the lesson.

by Fatih KIZILKAYA

I think that the tips for increasing the participation in the class are organized well and explained clearly. The order of the tips are related. In order to have participation in the class, first of all the students have to know each other and then have the interactive seat plan. First 3 elements are a must for iniating a proper participation. The other elements are also important, however a teacher should pay attention to the first 3 elements carefully because they are the very basic elements. I think the tips are very helpful for every teacher in terms of having efficient participation in the class especially in Fle classrooms.

Yun Ding As an foreign teacher, i strongly agree with some of the facts mentioned in the first paragraph. I have done my practice teaching this semester, still remember the first lesson with my students. Of course they did realize that i was a foreigner, i could sense their curiosity about me because it was obvious from their naive pretty eyes. But they were hesitate to ask me any question, maybe it was due to their language proficiency level, instead i asked them if they had any questions to ask me. I think this can be a way to ice-break the awkward moment and get to know each other better, what's more, they have a chance to practice speaking. Group work, a tough one. For some reasons, students do not like group work, at least the school i went to had taught me that. But this is a good suggestion though, it may work out in other context, however, the size of the class should be take into consideration before doing group work. The rest of the tips are all very useful and will eventually build a intimate bond between both parties. :)