Quiet, but only in class: reviewing the in-class participation of Asian students

This paper presents a teaching innovation that has proved successful in stimulating the in-class participation of Asian students. The innovation consists of using written communication as an additional tool to clarify material and to promote discussions. Although this innovation has been introduced in too few classes to draw a general conclusion, its results suggest that Asian students are willing to actively participate to discussions. Teachers can therefore unlock their Asian students’ potential to speak up. These observations are in line with the literature, suggesting that the quiet behaviour of Asian students is related to cultural elements (including language skills) rather than a specific approach to learning. They are also consistent with the insights arising from a large student survey carried out at the National University of Singapore.