ARTICLES
The value of Silence in Lower-level Classes
By David McLennan
the class to calm, and to move towards a state of silence with
minimal teacher intervention, if any.
A writing task, focused on literacy, followed. It was be a spelling
task, a backward writing task (where all the words were written
backwards and the students rewrote the words correctly), or
some other literacy task, although silence was again the key
aspect here. The writing had to be done in silence.
What happened if a student finished the work early? The rule in this
science class is that students must always be doing something.
The room has 30-40 books appropriate for a variety of readers.
When a student has finished they must then read silently, and
record what they have read in a diary. The ADHD students, our
most fidgety, chatty children, all greatly benefited from the silence
and the quiet work attitude. Since even the slightest distraction
can pull these students away from work, it has been inspiring that
all of these have improved their application.
In the implementation of the ‘five E’ model for teaching science,
there is a natural thought from many teachers that this may work
well with the best students, but how would it really work with
lower-ability students, some of whom also exhibit behavioural
difficulties?
One interesting effect of this is that when visitors come into the
room they believe a test is on. Even conversations between
students in practical work have become far more subdued than
previously.
The natural question is to ask whether this is merely compliance
or engagement. It is very difficult indeed to utilise focus questions
and engaging activities without developing high levels of
compliance and self-discipline. Perhaps this is best answered
through their above-expected valid results, and their much greater
preparedness to answer questions in class. For this there is also
a rule where students are not permitted to answer “I don’t know”.
Perhaps the success of what we have trialled is most clearly seen
in the practical activities, because now, after completing the m,
the students stay in their group without disrupting others.
How can we incorporate as much literacy and numeracy as
possible to the students who are struggling in this area?
While it may seem counter-intuitive it may be that the answer
rests in a classroom where rigid structures and silence are the
key elements of success.
In an experiment run with a Year 8, low literacy, behaviour
classroom, there have been some interesting observations, with
most of the students showing a significant improvement in their
work as well as their behaviour.
In an era of over-stimulation of the brain, where technology
items such as phones provide dopamine surges, the first aspect
looked at was the slowing down of the active brain. This required
a settling task of around three to five minutes. Enter the speed
sheet: a repetitious task where students needed to answer 32
questions in three minutes. They were furnished with the answers
at the start of a sheet (e.g. an energy speed sheet); then every
day for a week they repeated the same speed sheet, and the
only requirement was that they increase this mark. This allowed
the teacher at the start of the lesson to minimise any conversation
with students. The habituality of the sheet allowed students to
get ready quickly as they knew they had to improve their mark.
These three to five minutes (by the time it was marked) allowed
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SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 67 NO 1