A teacher notes that a student from Brazil is at the beginning level in speaking and does not participate in class discussions. What should the teacher do?

A teacher notes that a student from Brazil is at the beginning level in speaking and does not participate in class discussions. What should the teacher do?

• A. Respect the student’s silent period
• B. Call on the student repeatedly
• C. Ignore the situation
• D. Remove the student from discussions

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that beginners learning a new language often go through a silent period where they focus on listening and understanding before they feel ready to speak, and the classroom should support that process rather than push for instant participation. Respecting the student’s silent period gives time to build listening skills, vocabulary, and confidence without pressure, which is essential for meaningful language development. In this situation, a teacher can provide low-pressure opportunities to participate later—modeling language, using visuals, pairing the student with a supportive partner, giving think time, or offering sentence frames—so the student can engage when ready. Forcing the student to speak repeatedly or removing them from discussions or ignoring the situation would heighten anxiety or isolate them, hindering learning.

The main idea is that beginners learning a new language often go through a silent period where they focus on listening and understanding before they feel ready to speak, and the classroom should support that process rather than push for instant participation. Respecting the student’s silent period gives time to build listening skills, vocabulary, and confidence without pressure, which is essential for meaningful language development. In this situation, a teacher can provide low-pressure opportunities to participate later—modeling language, using visuals, pairing the student with a supportive partner, giving think time, or offering sentence frames—so the student can engage when ready. Forcing the student to speak repeatedly or removing them from discussions or ignoring the situation would heighten anxiety or isolate them, hindering learning.