Motivating Adult Students to Participate in Class 




Have you ever been in a class where you felt like there was a situation where you wanted to share your insights but just felt like they weren’t important enough to be shared in class? Well you are not the only one. Sometimes, there are some students who are quiet or just simply do not feel comfortable sharing their ideas in class out of fear their classmates or teacher will make fun of them or call them out. Sometimes, students are also afraid of being the only one with the wrong answer. Teachers need to let students know that participation is not necessarily about having the right answer. For example, you have probably heard the famous line from your professor in college: “there is no such thing as a stupid question”. So, do not be afraid to ask questions because it is very likely that you have the same helpful question that your classmates wanted an answer to as well. Once one person asks a question, it usually produces a chain reaction of other students stepping up to ask questions next as well. Teachers can make it clear to their adult students that they are also human and just like everyone else, it is possible for them to sometimes make mistakes or be corrected. By reinforcing this rule, or showing students that their teacher can also make mistakes as well, this will cause students to be more relieved and comfortable to ask questions in class. In order to motivate adult students to participate in class, there are five steps to encourage participation in the classroom: 


  1. Find out why students don’t participate

  2. Show students their fears are unfounded

  3. Create an atmosphere that encourages participation

  4. Give students another outlet

  5. Provide fun incentives


It is also important for teachers to make sure they have a policy for maintaining a safe, collaborative space and make sure that conversations become more respectful, supportive, and in-depth. It is encouraged to speak loud enough so everyone can hear, listen to classmates, don’t interrupt who is speaking, and build on your classmate’s comments with your comments. Finally, use participation to not only answer questions but to seek help or ask for clarification. It cannot be stressed enough how good it can feel for adult students to both create and coexist in a judgment free zone.If students are scared to speak up in front of the class, provide another platform such as allowing them to submit anonymous questions on papers, a google doc, or website. By following the guidelines provided above, perhaps your adult students will be more willing and eager to participate on their own, rather than being called on and volunteered by the teacher.