I was often called soft-spoken as a child, and realising that most courses in NTU have part of the grades allotted to class participation had me too stunned to speak (and not just in class). At the start, I avoided making eye contact with my professors to elude from being called onto answer a question. I even considered ignoring the 10% participation point and focusing on scoring points on the other grading rubrics. However, class participation takes a lot less effort to master than say, finals or a quiz. I imagined myself transforming into an eloquent and confident public speaker in a matter of time but with almost four semesters in, it has yet to happen. Here’s my 6 tips to acing class participation as an introvert which have helped me call myself a work-in-process class participant:
1. Read the course outline
If class participation accounts for 10-15% of the grade for the course, then it’s definitely manageable. Read every line of the outline in detail as some professors tend to disguise the assignment’s deadline or an individual’s attendance under ‘class participation’. Catching on to these nuances will make it way easier for you if you’re an academic validation-hungry introvert like me.
2. Set a simple goal
Promise yourself that you’ll participate in class every other week. Create a tally to keep track of your own goal in an excel sheet. In my experience, participating between 7-10 times in a semester should keep your grades well afloat.
3. Take the bait
Some professors ask the simplest questions to encourage students to answer in front of the class or to check if they are listening. It doesn’t matter if you answer an easy or a difficult question. One of my professors often asks us for examples of a concept that he is teaching. In my opinion, they are some of the easiest questions to answer and there can’t be a wrong answer as long as you explain your thought process.
4. A simple nod goes a long way
Wearing masks has made it harder for professors to remember your face. Especially so when they are telling their dad jokes and all they could see a sea of eyes looking back at them without reactions. But they can see you nodding vigorously in agreement or making eye contact with them. It shows that you’re tuned into the class and not daydreaming about what you had for lunch or what your upcoming weekend plans are.
5. Sometimes it’s all about making the professor remember your name or face
Even if you do not have the most insightful comment to add on to the topic being discussed, you can turn to asking a question instead. Clarifying these doubts are encouraged by professors.
If you’re not comfortable with raising your hand during class, approach your professor after class, and start off by saying your name: “Hi Prof, I’m Vedika and I have a question about yesterday’s lecture.” This will help the professor to remember your name and to recall it while they’re entering class participation scores.
6. No, it’s not stupid
It’s normal to second guess yourself before asking a question or adding on to the discussion. It will feel even worse when the question that you were considering ends up being raised by another student. While you might think that it is a silly question, your classmates might have similar doubts and could be silently thanking you for clearing up their doubts.
While class participation may be intimidating, it is definitely not worth ignoring and foregoing a fraction of your grade. These tips may not help to slow down your quickening heartbeat from thought of participating in class or propel you to raise your hand every 5 minutes but it will allow you to reassess class participation as an opportunity to grow rather than an exhausting exercise to fake your extrovertedness. Once you realise that no one will be judging you for clarifying a doubt, the journey will become a lot easier and smoother.