Do you have students who struggle with confidence, or maybe they are still developing expressive language skills? For these students, sharing aloud can feel overwhelming and be a source of stress. Check out this fantastic idea from an educator in New York to address this!
When she noticed that some students were excited about the question but never wanted to answer aloud, she built a First Five response sheet that lived in the classroom folder, where students could write down their response to the activity that day. As teachers, we know students want to be heard. This strategy helped students participate in connecting and allowed them to begin building self-confidence and the assurance that their answers were valued and important!
Try using this strategy if you have students who are still finding their voice and follow up with them on what they write down. The more we validate that their voice has a place in our classrooms, the more likely they are to use it when they are ready!
-Mr. Brian & The Edtomorrow Team