I consider myself a velocireader, so I\u2019m always happy to take on new book recommendations. I immediately borrowed a copy from a co-worker and started reading.<\/p>\n Quiet<\/a> really has me asking myself what speaking fluidly means and has shifted my perspective. Speaking slowly doesn\u2019t mean that a student is not speaking fluidly. Additionally, the medium is not always the message. If the message is thoughtful, there is room in second-language education to acknowledge this, even if it is \u201ceasier\u201d to evaluate errors that are right and wrong. And my students who are fluent and don\u2019t speak extensively in class are still fluent. As I enter report card season, this is something I am keeping in my mind much more than I ever have before.<\/p>\n Another interesting point is that the rise of social media and the Internet has given introverts a \u201cvoice\u201d, especially with writing. My question is, \u201cHow can I transfer this to oral communication?\u201d Flipgrid<\/a> is a start.<\/p>\n Being mindful of seating was something else that I had never thought of before. Don\u2019t seat quiet students in \u201chigh-traffic or high-interaction\u201d areas. It will increase anxiety, decrease concentration, and they won\u2019t actually speak more.<\/p>\n And finally, never underestimate the power of empathy. I\u2019d like to find more opportunities to check in with my introverted students before presentations. To encourage them. To tell them that I also get nervous, but it does get easier with time. I loved reading how we should teach our students the importance of rehearsal and practice. This is a concept I\u2019ve been hammering home with my students more recently, and it\u2019s validating to read that I\u2019m on the right track with this one.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferbairos\/files\/2018\/12\/Quiet.jpg\")
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