It's fair to say that most education systems aren't adapted to hosting introvert students. In fact, the most important institutions in our lives, such as schools and workplaces, all tend to favor extrovert personalities. Many introverts remember being forced to work with other children or urged by others to be more outgoing. As you might guess, doing something that goes against their nature induces a lot of stress in introvert students, who prefer to participate in schoolwork in their own way.

Fortunately, teachers can change the classroom environment to fit various personalities. Here are some ideas you can use if there are introverts lurking in your classroom corners and you're at loss as how to approach them or make them feel welcome in your class.

Know What 'Introvert' Means

Before taking any action, make sure you know very well what exactly makes a student an introvert and what it means for your classroom dynamics. That way you'll be able to identify real problems – for instance, a student who'd like to have friends, but has no idea how to proceed and find friendship.

Avoid Going by a Standard

Don't establish a standard of normality and measure students against it – if a person likes to have few friends, you shouldn't make comments, such as 'You should be more social'. Allow your students to be flexible when it comes to their social lives.

Make Quiet Time Happen

When planning a school day, make sure to include some quiet time. This is especially important for younger pupils since they're more likely to suffer from an overstimulating environment of a classroom. Allot some time for quiet reading every day and adapt your classroom furniture to help students find a quiet corner. Write a schedule and post in in a visible place – this will provide a sense of structure and security to your environment.

Provide More Options

When planning a restorative activity, teachers usually settle for going out and letting their students run around. This is restrictive and even pupils who normally enjoy this kind of activity might at some point be interested in alternatives. Give your students more choices. Doing this, you're allowing them to choose the exact amount of stimulation they need at the moment.

Limit Group Work

There are lots of alternatives to group work – individual work or working in pairs will be fine with both extroverted and introverted students. The 'think-pair-share' technique can accommodate both personalities as well – ask a question, give your students two minutes to think about it and then pair them up so they can exchange their thoughts with other students.

Try Engagement Instead of Participation

Quantitative approach towards measuring class participation is popular, but it isn't perfect. Instead of participation, aim for engagement and remember that there are various ways to engage with class material. Students who provide insightful comments or are good at listening should be recognized in the same way as students who always raise their hand.

In short, the key to providing a classroom environment where all kinds of personalities feel good and relaxed is knowledge and awareness of what it means to be an introvert and how it changes the concept of classroom participation.