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DEALING WITH PASSIVE STUDENT IN THE CLASSROOM
Sharipova Halima Azamat kizi
Graduator of The Faculty of Foreign Language , English
language and literature department, Bukhara State University
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15074191
Abstract:
Engaging passive students in the classroom presents a significant challenge
for educators at all levels of the education system. This article explores the
underlying causes of student passivity and offers a range of active strategies that
educators can employ to foster greater engagement and participation among
passive students. The article discusses the importance of understanding
individual student needs and motivations, as well as creating an inclusive and
interactive learning environment. It also highlights the role of technology,
collaborative learning activities, and differentiated instruction in promoting
active student participation. By applying these strategies, educators can create a
more dynamic and inclusive classroom environment that empowers passive
students to become more actively involved in their own learning process.
Keywords:
Intellectual curiosity, epistemic curiosity, English students101.
Introduction:
In today's classrooms, one common challenge educators face is the
presence of passive students. These passive learners tend to exhibit limited
engagement, minimal participation, and a lack of initiative in the learning
process. This article aims to shed light on the problems associated with passivity
in the classroom and explore strategies to foster active learning environments.
In teaching and learning process at schools in Uzbekistan, students tend to be
passive in communication, very few of them ask questions in class. This
phenomenon generally happens in the classroom from the secondary level up to
college. This issue has attracted the interest of some researchers such as
Cholifah, Hendri & Deswati (2013), Widodo (2012), Khairunisa (2017), Sriyati,
Rukmana and Wahyu (2019), all of them have researched about students'
questioning skills.Curiosity encourages students to question everything and dig
deeper. Therefore, teachers are in the perfect position to act as the whetstone to
help students to realize their potential. Thus, one of the capacities that a great
teacher should have in the future is closely correlated with curiosity. Thus,
intellectual 101101curiosity is an essensial elements of the process of learning
especially for the prospective teacher students who will become the future
teachers.101
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Methods:
Through this qualitative research, the experiences of the subjects examined
in their real contexts, that was in the classroom setting.
Subject:
the subjects in this study are limited to the English Education
students of the University of Cokroaminoto Palopo (the sixth semester
students).
Instruments:
In collecting data, the researcher applied participant
observation by using field notes observations and unstructured interview was
applied to get 102details and students confirmations of observations data.
Data Collection:
In collecting primary data, the researcher conducted
observations in the classroom. The researcher conducted the observations in
class. Researcher observed the student’s intellectual curiosity based on
Berlyne’s theory on epistemic curiosity class responses included observation,
thinking and consultation. Participant observations implemented for a
meeting.While unstructured observation as supporting data is given to clarify
what was happen during classroom meetings. Data is collected by involving 17
students at tenth class at English class.
Procedure:
Procedure in collecting data from observations were done in a
natural setting. Subjects were free from any control. Learning and teaching
process proceed as usual for a meeting. Subjects were taught by using various
methods such as Total Physical Response, Think Pair Share, Interactive Guessing
Games, Case Study & Group Discussion. After observations, the researcher
conducted questionnaire to confirm issues found in observations. Observations
and questionnaire were based on the Berlyne’s theory on epistemic
(intellectual) curiosity class responses included observation, thinking and
consultation. 102
Results and discussion:
The goal of the present research was to figure out the students’ intellectual
curiosity in the classroom. Data were collected through observations and
quetionnaire. Observations and questionnaire were based on the Berlyne’s
theory on epistemic (intellectual) curiosity class responses included
observation, thinking and consultation102.To figure out the students’
intellectual curiosity in the classroom, observations were conducted for a
meeting and in a natural setting. As guided in observations, the researcher
elaborated Berlyne’s components into several item statements. The following
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table shows the indicators and items statements which observed in the
classroom.
Table 1. Observation Guide
Observation
Thinking
Conclusion
a. Focus on the
explanation
Remember the point of
teacher's explanation
Ask question before
teacher asks
b. Not paying attention
Analyse the information Ask questions after
teacher ask
c. Increase attention
during explanation.
Creatively merge
information
Ask question if teacher
gives reward
d. Take some notes
Imaginative / thinking
new ideas
No one asking questions
e. Actively participating
in class activities
Exploring new idea
Aak new
things,experiences
f. Showing learning
interest
Think about whai is
contradicting idea
Ask for further
explanation
g. Try to seek as much
information
Think about what might
happen
Discovering new
solutions
At the beginning of class activities, when teacher explained the lesson
majority of students gave attention to the teacher’s explanations. Unfortunately,
only some of them increased attention during explanation and showed learning
interest.103These students were the ones who have good academic
performances in all classes. The following was the description of what happened
in the class.“Teacher explained the lesson and all students sat quietly and pay
attention. Some of them wrote and took notes during explanations. Then,
teacher asked question to all students “Have you ever been to a foreign country”
and student RP and DM gave a response “No, Ma’am, I never”. And then, teacher
asked the class again “What country would you like to visit and Why?”, again
only student RP and DM gave a response. Teacher tried to make other students
talked “How about you NY?”, and she said “South Korea”, teacher asked “Why”
but NY just smiled. Then, DM replied “because she loves K-pop
Ma’am”.103Further interesting finding to discuss related to observation of
students in the class was the habits of taking picture of the teacher’s note on
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whiteboard or Power Point slides. The researcher think that this method was
not effective to remember the lesson since they did not learn it at home.
Therefore, taking notes on teacher’s explanation was better because it forces
students to pay attention, focus in class and help them learn.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, addressing passive student behavior requires a multifaceted
approach that takes into account individual student needs, motivations, and
learning styles. Educators can empower passive students by employing
interactive teaching methods, leveraging technology, and creating a supportive
and inclusive classroom environment. By using these strategies, educators can
create an atmosphere where passive students feel motivated and encouraged to
participate actively in their learning, ultimately leading to greater academic
success and personal development. Overall, proactive and adaptive teaching
techniques can play a significant role in engaging passive students and fostering
a more dynamic and participatory learning experience for all.Intellectual
curiosity is vital for keeping our mind sharp and agile. As Ram (2016) says
“Someone who curious has motivation and invest time to and energy into search
of knowledge”. Thus, it is important to teach and train our students to ignite
their curiosity, in this case intellectual curiosity in classroom. To our
104knowledge, these results can be a window for us to see and aware about the
importance of being curious, not only for students but also for teachers. As
Einstein said “The important thing is not to stop questioning, curiosity has its
reason for existence”. 104
Apendix:
Questionnaire: Dealing with Passive Students
Instructions: This questionnaire is designed to help identify the issues
surrounding passive students in your classroom and guide you in implementing
effective strategies to engage them. Please answer the following questions:
1. How would you describe the level of passive behavior in your classroom?
(On a scale of 1-5, with 1 being minimal and 5 being significant)
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
2. What are some common signs of passive behavior you have observed
among these students? (Select all that apply)
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- Lack of participation in class discussions
- Minimal engagement with learning materials
- Limited interaction with peers
- Reluctance to ask questions or seek assistance
- Other:
3. How do you currently address the issue of passive students in your
classroom? (Select all that apply)
- [ ] Encouraging active participation during class discussions
- [ ] Providing opportunities for group work and collaboration
- [ ] Incorporating multimedia resources and technology
- [ ] Offering individualized support and feedback
- [ ] Implementing differentiated instruction
- [ ] Other:
4. Are there any specific challenges or obstacles you face when trying to
engage passive students? Please describe.
5. How do you assess the impact of passive behavior on the overall learning
environment and the academic progress of these students?
6. Are there any specific areas of the curriculum or subject matter that seem
to evoke more passive behavior from students? Please specify.
7. What strategies or techniques have you found effective in engaging
passive students in the past? Please describe.
8. Are there any professional development opportunities or resources
related to studentengagement that you would be interested in exploring?
References:
1.
Ayşegul, Ogr & Takkaç Tulgar, Aysegul. (2018). The effects of curiosity on
second language learning in terms of linguistic. Journal of Social-Cultural and
Pragmatic Development, pp. 59-72.
2.
Budiharto, R., & Amalia, L. Motivation behind Indonesian Undergraduates
Learning English as a Target Language. IDEAS: Journal on English Language
Teaching
and
Learning,
Linguistics
and
Literature
doi:https://doi.org/10.24256/ideas.v7i1.714.
3.
Clark,S. (2017). Cultivating classroom curiosity: a quasi-experimental,
longitudinal study investigating the impact of the question formulation
technique on adolescents intellectual curiosity. (Unpublished Doctoral
Dissertation) Boston University. Chin, C. & Osborne, J. (2008). Students’
question: a potential resource for teaching and learning sciences. Studies in
Science Education. 44(1). Pp. 1-39 Cholifah, S., Hendri, W., & Deswati, L. (2013).
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ACADEMIC RESEARCH IN MODERN SCIENCE
International scientific-online conference
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