Introverted students are particularly inclined to focus on quality over quantity in friendship, and will typically gravitate towards having a few good friends in the classroom.(36, Pantaleon/ Cain, Chapter 2) In order to facilitate their social well-being at school, allowing introverted students to work closely with their friends would provide them with a positive experience. Giving students the autonomy to work with their preferred group of classmates, provided there are no behavourial disturbances, would benefit the introverted student as research shows this provides a more relaxed atmosphere for the introvert, allowing them more creative stimulation.(22, pantaleon) Too much social interaction throughout the day can be draining for an introvert. Typically, social engagement throughout the day is encouraged in a classroom environment, especially in the primary grades. In order to properly support both introverts and extroverts, an educator must be able to provide balance in; group and individual work, busy space and quiet space, high stimulation and low stimulation.(25, pantaleon) A typical day should provide an equal amount of time between each end of the spectrum, providing introverted students time to decompress throughout the day so they aren’t completely exhausted when it’s time to go home. An example of a balanced day plan for social interaction:
The key to facilitating an introvert-friendly social environment amongst peers will be including your class in this process. By teaching your students that different people learn differently, and sometimes you might feel better learning alone and sometimes you might feel better learning with your friends, we are showing our students that it is important to respect our own boundaries, and the boundaries of our peers. Having a constant expectation that this respectful attitude is maintained in your classroom will help immensely in creating an introvert-friendly atmosphere. Ensuring introverted students feel heard in group work will also be an important task in facilitating a balanced environment. Knowing not to place overly extroverted students in the same group as overly introverted students, for example, shows a respect towards an introvert’s inclination to cooperation within discussion. This isn’t to say that extroverted students aren’t cooperative; studies show that extroverted people tend to cling to their ideas more in group debate, whereas introverts tend to prefer working with one another to come to a compromise.(Nussbaum, 188) A solution around having introvert and extroverts in the same group can be a talking stick, and a buzzer. This ensures everyone has time to speak their opinion and acts as leader of the group for a set amount of time, until the buzzer goes. Takeaways:
Allowing for student autonomy in group selection can empower introverts in a social atmosphere.
Intentionally planning for balance between high and low stimulated lessons and activities can reduce stress and create a more relaxing atmosphere for introverts.
Include your class in the discussion of what different people need in social relationships, and how you can facilitate this notion for everyone as a group.
Introverts are less argumentative in group discussions, according to research, and are therefore less likely to insert their opinions when placed with more extroverts. Creating balance in personalities within group arrangements can facilitate an introvert to feel more comfortable in sharing their voice.
Talking feathers can be helpful in providing leadership opportunities for both introverts and extroverts.
References:
How Introverts versus Extroverts Approach Small-Group Argumentative Discussions Author(s): E. Michael Nussbaum Source: The Elementary School Journal, Vol. 102, No. 3 (Jan., 2002), pp. 183-197 Published by: The University of Chicago Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1002215 Accessed: 23-02-2018 04:04 UTC
Inna Fishman, Rowena Ng & Ursula Bellugi (2010) Do extraverts process social stimuli differently from introverts?, Cognitive Neuroscience, 2:2, 67-73, DOI: 10.1080/17588928.2010.527434