After my recent article on the magicality of pop-up debates, some colleagues wrote in with a common question regarding students who can't participate in pop-up debate.
I do sometimes receive documentation—a 504 plan, an IEP, or a note from a doctor or counselor—that excuses a student from public speaking situations in the classroom. At the workshops I lead for teachers, they’ll sometimes ask, “Do you require those students to speak, too?” And the answer is that I don’t. Whenever there’s official documentation, I always follow it.
On the other hand, if a student comes up to me and says, “I have severe anxiety and get panic attacks when I’m asked to speak,” then I respond to the student that I appreciate them telling me this and that I will take it into consideration in the things I ask them to do throughout the year. And I do—I ask myself how I might best promote this child's long-term flourishing in the area of speaking and listening, given his acute difficulty. How would I want to be treated if I were him? And so I seek to communicate care and appreciation to him all year long, while at the same time communicating that he needs to take a swing at our whole-class speaking opportunities. “Hey, today we’re going to have a pop-up debate, and what I want you to do is to speak first. You’ll get it over with, and it'll feel so much better than sitting there the whole time waiting to be called on like you did last time.”
I have found no magical solution to individual situations like these, but there is an instructional sequence I use each year that has solved 99% of problems like these. You can read about that here or on pp. 218-221 of These 6 Things.
Best,
DSJR
P.S. I'm currently taking inquiries for PD visits to schools for the spring, summer, and fall. To get an idea of the topics I cover, head here. If you're a PD decision-maker or on a team that decides PD, use this form to be in touch. I'd love to explore coming to your school.
P.P.S. For a playlist of videos in which I talk about and share footage from each pop-up debate I've facilitated with my students this year, click here.
Lori Wike says
Wow. Just wow. I am a school counselor who has worked in all levels of public education and have never seen an accommodation from a doctor or listed formerly on an IEP or 504 that prohibits a student from public speaking. We do have an occasional child with anxiety in which we assist with providing some alternate assignments. As a counselor, its sad for me to hear when students go online due to anxiety because its really tough learning those coping skills in isolation in their bedrooms. Its the same when students are shielded from practicing those life skills such as public speaking. By the way, much of this in middle and high school is a developmental issue! Most kids don’t want to be standing in front of their peers! If I had the choice in high school I would sit out too. Its called adolescence! Thank goodness for my public speaking class which gave me the confidence to speak. In addition, I have found over the years in my presentations to others that experience and practice is very helpful and that’s the way we learn. We are really doing a disservice to these kiddos when we don’t have higher expectations for them or support them in the ways to foster their confidence rather than diminish their confidence.