Better Serving Introverts in the Classroom

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Originally published in TEACH Magazine, November/December 2017 Issue

Communication exercises and assignments have traditionally put introverts at a disadvantage by design. The regular contributor to discussions in history, the first student to explain or write out the solution in math, and the student that offers to explain their experiment to the rest of the class in science will always be showered with positive reinforcement and generally rewarded with high achievement.

But what about the students that know the answer but prefer one-on-one conversations? Or the ones that are comfortable speaking to the class but prefer time to process their thoughts before answering a question? Or the ones that do their best critical thinking when it’s not spontaneous?

Presentations in geography, class discussions in careers, and pick-up games in gym are not just the wrong format for introverts to display their skills, they can be counterproductive to their education. As curriculums move away from an emphasis on content to skills, the time is right to use that move as an opportunity to better serve introverts in school.

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Scott Carver has been teaching English with the Toronto District School Board for 18 years where he has been a member of many literacy committees. He is also the author of the novels Blind Luck and Barrett Fuller’s Secret (Dundurn Press).

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Scott Carver
Scott Carver
Scott Carver has been teaching English with the Toronto District School Board for 18 years where he has been a member of many literacy committees. He is also the author of the novels Blind Luck and Barrett Fuller’s Secret (Dundurn Press).

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