Before diving into various means of participation, we need to address an issue I see in many of the classrooms I visit.
Diagnosis
- Think back to the last time a student called out the answer to a question when you didn’t want them to
- How did you want students to respond, and how did you communicate that?
Evidence
Here are two interactions I saw during recent classroom visits:
Example 1
- Teacher: What is the first step in solving this equation?… Emma
- Ben: Take-away 5
- Teacher: Is your name Emma?
Example 2
- Teacher: What is the formula to work out the area of a triangle?… write your answer on your mini-whiteboards
- Lucy: You do base multiplied by the height
- Teacher: I said write your answer on your mini-whiteboards
Students call out the answers when the teacher does not want them to happens all the time. Calling out is an issue for four reasons:
- Calling out is the world’s worst check for understanding. You are hearing from one student who is very confident about the answer. Hence, you have a single, unrepresentative data point.
- Calling out destroys any subsequent check for understanding. Even if you subsequently ask another student, or ask everyone to put their answers on mini-whiteboards, it is too late. Studetns will be influenced, for better or worse by the answer they have just heard.
- Calling out is a ratio killer. Classes where calling out happens regularly mean some students never get heard. These quieter students, who are following the rules, retreat into their shells and may become disillusioned. What is the point of them even bothering to contribute or even think?
- Noise begets noise. As soon as one student calls out, you can be sure others will, too, or choose to have a quick chat with their neighbour. Before long, the noise level creeps up and is difficult to rein in.
Why does calling out happen?
See if you can spot both teachers’ mistakes in the examples above.
Here are two instances of calling out from my lesson visits. Can you spot the teacher’s mistake in each case?
Solution steps
1. Front-load the means of participation
In the examples above, the teacher asked the question first and then told the students how to participate (Cold Call and on mini-whiteboards).
The problem with asking the question first is that it becomes what students think about. Many probably do not even hear the instructions that follow. As a result, students choose how to participate, which often involves calling out.
The solution is to front-load the means of participation. In other words, tell students exactly how you wish them to participate first, and then ask the question.
This ensures students have the best opportunity to pay attention to how you wish them to participate and then switch attention to thinking hard about the question you have asked them.
Here are some examples of front-loading the means of participation, including improving the examples above:
- Cold Call: Without calling out or putting up your hands, all of you think about this question… What is the first step in solving this equation? Emma
- Mini-whiteboards: I want you all to answer this next question on your mini-whiteboards, with no talking… What is the formula to work out the area of a triangle?
- Voting systems: I am going to show you a multiple-choice question. I don’t want anyone shouting out. I just want you to get your choice of ABCD card ready….
- Turn and Talk: I am going to ask you a question that I want you to think hard about and then – only when I tell you – discuss with your partner.
- Self-assessment: I am going to put the answers on the board in a moment. Without speaking or turning to your partner, mark your work
With each of these, checking that students have listened to your instructions is a good idea. So, something like this:
- In a moment, I am going to ask you a question.
- I don’t want anyone to shout out, or raise their hands.
- I want you to think hard about the answer in silence.
- What two things don’t I want you to do?… Sean?
- What do I want you to do?… Sarah?
Front-loading the means of participation should lead to less calling out, more reliable checks for understanding, and a calmer, more inclusive classroom culture.
2. Hold students to account if they do call out
Of course, students may still call out. Listen to this example from a lesson I watched:
Fraser called out but was congratulated for doing so. What happened 4 minutes later?
Riley calls out.
If students do call out, they must be held to account. I know how tempting it is to excuse calling out from either a well-behaved, enthusiastic child or a child who rarely engages but decides to get involved this one time, but letting it go once conveys the message that this behaviour is fine and sets yourself up for more problems going forward.
Want to know more?
- Adam Boxer describes the importance of front-loading the means of participation here and addresses calling out here.
Implementation planning
How are you going to build the habit of front-loading the means of participation in all your lessons?
