A brief study of reticence in ESL class

Abstract

It is a common phenomenon that students in China, either English or Non-English majors, are resistant to participating in individual or group-based speaking activities. This paper claims that students who refuse to actively participate in their own learning are reticent. Reticence in class impedes student learning, teacher effectiveness and classmate benefits of learning from silent students' insights, observations, and experiences. This paper takes a brief analysis of causes, effects of reticence problem and then proposes possible resolution of it. © 2011 ACADEMY PUBLISHER Manufactured in Finland.