Diversity & Inclusive Practice

Focus Points: Strategies for Encouraging NESB Students to Participate – Interview with Richard Comerford

• Richard comments that sometimes students from non-English speaking backgrounds are reticent about participating.
• He uses group – and pair work to encourage participation.
• Students discuss their answers with a student partner before giving feedback to the whole group.
• This gives them confidence and an opportunity to “try out” their responses in a less threatening small group context.
• This significantly enhances participation of the more reticent students.