<p>Idk what the problem is, but I just CANT contribute to the discussions in my AP English class. They're very philosophical and stuff, and my teacher is really nice and all, but I just cant seem to think of anything to add to the discussions as a whole. I guess its just shyness, so does anyone else have the same problem? How do you deal with it?</p>
<p>just start saying things. eventually you'll stumble on something real. you gotta just blurt out things before you can eventually get the right flow.</p>
<p>Don't be afraid to sound stupid. Don't worry about what others think. Just devise your opinion, find 3 ways to support it, and talk your little heart out :)</p>
<p>Perhaps another option would be to just keep your mouth shut and speak only when spoken to, since, you know, you say that you have nothing to say.</p>
<p>If you couldn't find anything to say during class, prepare a few questions from your previous night's of reading or homework and ask them in class. It shows that you are curious and that you have done your work and is interested in understanding the materials. What's more, you have your voice up in discussion. Also, prepare one or two topics to raise in class, something interesting and important to whatever you are to talk in class. </p>
<p>I have problems with talking in class too. If I speak up, I know that I need to make very important and profound points so I'd rather not speak at all if I don't have any. But my grade suffers a little (though I still get one of the highest grades because of my writings) because of lack of participation. I've been since trying to prepare questions or raise important topics instead.
And besides, it also depends on the class itself. I take two English classes. I find very hard to speak up in one while it is so easy and fluent for me to do in the other. It depends, I think, on the teacher and his/her encouragement for discussion, on the activeness and eloquence of other students, and on the materials-whether you are interested or not.
But there is no excuse for not saying anything because for most teachers, it is very important for your grade!</p>
<p>Story of my life:</p>
<p>Physiology class: Not to stereotype, but our class is full of the ignorant+rowdy football players, the pot-smokers, the annoying sexually-active people, and the others. It's so annoying. Whenever I ask some substantive question, the teacher gets mad at me for questioning her methods and calls it 'disrespect'. Hence, I dislike speaking up in class.</p>
<p>AP Government: The questions never come up until after I get my test back. -__-.</p>
<p>I had trouble speaking up in my English classes all throughout high school. While I was a quiet person and didn't speak up much in other classes either, I actually had a really deep-seated fear of raising my hand in English. </p>
<p>Like dragonreborn, I did well in English by doing well on the writing portions.</p>
<p>What often happened in class discussions was that while I was trying to formulate an articulate argument, the class would move on to a different topic, so my comment became irrelevant. My teacher put a lot of emphasis on backing opinions up with evidence and making connections to what other people were saying.</p>
<p>I like to think I've improved. My teacher was pretty lenient when it came to participation grades, but in my current classes, that's not the case. So I've been pushing myself to participate.</p>
<p>One way is to set a quota for yourself (like, speak up in class at least once a class). Once you've become used to it, it's much easier to participate. </p>
<p>Good luck! I realized too late that I would've enjoyed English even more in high school had I been more active in discussions.</p>
<p>I definitely agree with whoever said to write down questions/answers to possible questions in your notebook before class. It's helped me a lot.</p>
<p>It's kinda weird. In the beginning I was very talkative in classes, but since I found out that in certain classes I get participation grades, I've become a lot more self-conscious of when I speak and whether I speak or not. It actually works against me. =/</p>
<p>i have trouble talking in english
today i got picked on badly by my teacher because i hardly talked in the class and whenever i articulate something, its usually irrelevant or wrong</p>
<p>Yes - it's rather an issue in a class of 10 people.</p>
<p>I simply can't identify with people who doze off in class though, especially with a science teacher who throw things.</p>
<p>Or blurt something out randomly. It got to a point where my AP Euro teacher in high school told me he'd throw something at me if I spoke out of turn again.</p>
<p>I'm the only person who talks during English - in fact, they put me in "time out" in English, Gov't and Latin.</p>