C&I Ph.D. candidate Kay Rosheim challenges traditional ideas about student engagement in JAAL publication

Kay Rosheim, a Ph.D. candidate in the Literacy Education program in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and sixth-grade teacher, recently published an article “A Cautionary Tale About Using the Word Shy: An Action Research Study of How Three Quiet Learners Demonstrated Participation Beyond Speech,” in the Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy which summarizes her research conducted over the course of a year on quiet learners.

This research challenges the common perceptions of students who are often silent in the classroom. Rather than labelling students as  shy or disinterested, Rosheim encourages teachers to work with quiet students and find new ways to engage with them outside of just talking. Acknowledging the different ways students engage in class beyond verbal communication is crucial to supporting their success. Students are often judged, or misjudged, if they are quiet as not comprehending coursework or as disengaged. There should be room made for students who prefer to observe and write versus talk in a group setting.

Learn more about the literacy education programs and literacy research in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.