I. General Information
School Name: Brooklyn Elementary School
School District: SD#71 Comox Valley
Inquiry Team Members: Naomi Radawiec: naomi.radawiec@sd71.bc.ca, Deborah Koehn: deborahkoehn@gmail.com, Kimberly Macneil: kimberley.macneil@ubc.ca
Inquiry Team Contact Email: naomi.radawiec@sd71.bc.ca
II. Inquiry Project Information
Type of Inquiry: SRL Case Study
Grade Levels Addressed Through Inquiry: Intermediate (4-7)
Curricular Areas Addressed: Other: Core Competency: Communication
Focus Addressed: Self-regulation
In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? Self Regulation – Communication (and meeting the needs of introverted learners).
III. Spirals of Inquiry Details
Scanning: We noticed that students were struggling with communication. They were very hesitant to share in class discussions, speak quietly during circle, and did not show evidence of critical thinking when they were asked deep thinking questions. They were very quiet and not comfortable with public speaking. They seem worried about saying the “wrong thing” or having others judge them. When asked to turn and talk to a peer, their discussions were superficial and ended quickly. They struggled to engage in collaborative tasks at the stand up whiteboards and work in small groups.
We also asked the four key questions. Most students said they can name two adults who believe they will be a success, however two students said they could not. For their “Weekly Question” students wrote about how it’s going with their learning and what their next steps are. They had a hard time communicating how it’s going, and struggled to describe examples of how they demonstrate the core competencies.
As we got to know the students, we reflected on the First Peoples Principle of Learning: Learning requires exploration of one’s identity. The students in our class and their unique identities really impacted this inquiry and our learning together.
Focus: Our focus originally was to develop their ability to share ideas and communicate through public speaking. Later in the year we shifted our focus to developing communication skills by giving them the opportunity to share in a variety of ways (not just speaking).
Hunch: We began to really reflect on the learners and who they are as individuals. Our hunch was…maybe we were trying too hard to change who they are, rather than adapting to meet their needs? We had a hunch that the majority of learners in our class are introverts. We created a survey with 24 questions for students to individually answer, and we found that 14/25 of them are most likely introverts. The survey was super helpful because it gave us insights into their experience as learners. We live in an extroverted, busy, fast pace world. Days at school and the learning environment often meet the needs of extroverts, and leave introverts feeling overwhelmed, confused, frustrated, misunderstood and perhaps like they are not very smart because they process things differently.
New Professional Learning: We did research into what life is like for introverts, how their brains process things, how they learn and interact with others. We read real stories written by introverts about their life experiences.
Naomi: Many of their stories resonated with me as a learner, and I discovered that I’m more introverted than I thought I was. I actually believe I’ve always been an introvert, but my love for performing arts and connecting with people made me think I was more of an extrovert. But as I age and discover more about myself, I’ve realized that I need more time alone to recharge and that busy, social environments can drain me. In school, I was always the last to finish tests, I needed extra time to process, and I’ve always preferred writing out what I want to say for presentations, rather than winging it or relying on memory.
Taking Action: In the beginning of the year when I was focused on the talking and public speaking aspect of communication, I gave them opportunities to develop their speaking skills in class. I involved our school’s performing arts teacher who focused on skill building around public speaking and risk taking through drama activities like improv, and structured debate. Despite our focus on communication and public speaking, they did not show great improvement.
As I got to know my students and learned more about meeting the needs of introverts, I tried out various strategies, shifted my teaching and expectations. These are some things that have really helped our class this year, thanks to the students being open, the connections we’ve built, and all the reflecting we’ve done together.
Provide extra time to think: Allow students to think before asking them to share with the class or contribute to a group. Introverts tend to rely more on long-term memory so retrieving information can take longer, especially under pressure, which can make speaking feel more difficult. On the survey 80% said they feel more comfortable sharing their ideas after they’ve had time to prepare and they like to think about what they want to say before speaking. Introverts’ brains often process stimuli more deeply.
Balance group work with individual tasks: Introverts gain energy from solitude. Time alone is essential for recharging, creativity, and deep thinking. Being alone allows introverts to engage their prefrontal cortex without being distracted or overstimulated.
Recognize the role of anxiety: Anxiety affects verbal expression. Stress can impair memory and concentration, adding another challenge when introverts are expected to speak. Allowing students to prepare, and giving them a heads up that they are going to share, alleviates anxiety.
Understand the influence of age and developmental stage: David Yeager explains that between the ages of 10 and 25, young people care deeply about status and respect, which means they are very sensitive to how others perceive them. This heightened concern for social evaluation can affect their motivation, behaviour, and willingness to engage in learning. This sensitivity may be heightened for introverted learners. Students this age are wondering, am I good enough? Where do I fit in? What will they think of me? This is why being asked to speak in front of their peers can seem so daunting. Many of my 11 and 12 year old students said they feel uncomfortable sharing in class because they are afraid of what their peers might think of them, that they might be laughed at, or say something “stupid.”
Value Listening: Introverts often prefer listening over speaking. They often feel more comfortable taking in information than responding quickly in conversations. 84% said they prefer listening to others’ ideas before sharing their own
Encourage students to communicate and participate in a variety of ways: Set up the learning environment so that introverts have a chance to show their thinking in different ways, not just by speaking. Examples: Written reflections, sticky notes, drawing, exit slips, vertical whiteboards, graffiti walls, mind maps, gallery walks. Thinking quietly or sharing differently is just as valid as being outspoken. For some people, writing is easier than speaking. At the same time, It’s important to continue to provide opportunities for students to build public speaking skills…
Create a Calm Environment, Quiet Times, and avoid overstimulation: Design the day so there are quiet times for introverts to process, decompress, and connect with their inner world. With careful planning and thought, you can avoid overstimulation. (I’m a highly sensitive person so I need a calm environment as well). Introverts are more sensitive to dopamine – too much stimulation can feel overwhelming, while acetylcholine (released during focus and calm) suits them better. 76% said they like having quiet times to recharge after busy activities. Be mindful of noise and sensory overload. Some people are sensitive to classroom noise, visual clutter, and lighting. They may need calm transitions.
Meeting the Needs of Introverted Learners handout – by Naomi Radawiec
Checking: I believe this inquiry made the biggest difference in the way that I teach and the way I see my students, which impacted the way that my students view themselves. I believe that they felt more understood, respected and empowered as I was open with them about communication, their strengths, and what I was discovering as a teacher (that we often value speaking more than other forms of communication).
One key thing that I learned is that I shouldn’t always assume that it’s my job to encourage students to speak up more. It’s not always a matter of self confidence like I may assume it to be. It may be a matter of personality, temperament, and their preferences for ways of communicating. I need to recognize that, rather than just seek to encourage them to be more outgoing and speak up.
There is a boy with autism in our class who is very quiet and hesitant to engage in activities, especially when there is speaking and collaborating involved. When I ask him a question (even if it’s how are you doing?), he is very slow to respond, and may just nod or use body language to reply instead of speaking. So we often communicate through hand signals or nodding. He struggles to fit into the flow of a regular classroom and demonstrate his learning in conventional ways. However, when given the opportunity to do a “Passion Project” and choose how to show his learning, he created a fantastic Stop Motion Lego video that was incredibly creative, funny, and informative, all about photography…with a voice over, and an accent that made us laugh out loud. We really got to see his brilliance shine through when we changed our expectations and allowed him to communicate in his own way.
Reflections/Advice: Instead of a student thinking “What’s wrong with me” students can instead understand that their brain just works differently. Designing learning experiences with introverts in mind enables all learners to feel seen and heard, understood, and valued for who they are. It’s important to still provide opportunities for growth in public speaking, and taking risks sharing their ideas with the class, while at the same time allowing them many opportunities to reflect deeply, process their thoughts, recharge after social activities, and communicate in different ways.
I discovered a book at the end of June that would have been perfect to read to my class this year, and I plan on reading it next school year in September! The Book is called “More than Words: So many ways to say what we mean” by Roz Maclean. Check it out!