“I cannot teach anyone anything. I can only make them think” –Socrates

My students impress me in so many ways, and one is in their verbal abilities. While working with students in a testing situation, I offer the opportunity to verbally explain answers to test questions. I am amazed at what how well my struggling students, in particular, explain the information. I am able to immediately grade the question, writing the score on the exam and gain a more accurate sense of the students’ confidence and understanding. Additionally, I don’t have to struggle through often unclear pen and paper writing. The student gets instant feedback, is empowered to make a choice about the communication of the information, and I quickly grade the section.

I see that this method is particularly helpful for students who have test-taking anxiety. In explaining how I run the exam period, with verbal responses as an option, I see the students with test-taking anxiety quite literally breathe a sigh of relief.

In addition to this test offering, my tests include a “phone a friend” section in which they are required to work with one other individual-perhaps I group them, or they may get to choose a partner. Building on the value of the “think, pair, share” model, it allows students to think and talk through what they know, encourages them to justify their answer and they can either choose to write down what the pair decides, or perhaps their own version. It really helps their confidence in that they feel “Well, at least one other person in the room does not think my answer is wrong.”

I find that students balk at this opportunity at first. As the semester progresses, they appreciate and expect it, and feel it more accurately prepares them for the real-world in which they need to discuss, justify and verbally communicate their thoughts.