How to Make Your Voice Heard in Class

By: Isabella Scala

Do you ever feel intimidated in a college classroom setting? Do you ever feel like you try to participate in class, but no matter how hard you try, your voice never seems to be heard? Well, you are not alone.

There are many factors that influence student participation in class, especially in college. These factors can be both positive and negative. Probably unsurprisingly, one of the major factors of class participation is gender. While gender can be a positive influence in classes where equal participation is encouraged, it usually serves as a negative factor in women’s class participation, specifically. However, everyone deserves a chance to speak and have their voice heard.

Multiple studies have shown major discrepancies in female versus male participation in the classroom. According to this study by Allyson Jule, boys talk nine times more than girls in a classroom setting, and this kind of dynamic is set up early. Girls are generally praised more for being “quiet” and getting their work done, and while boys may be reprimanded for being disruptive, their participatory actions are more strongly encouraged than those of young girls. For example, teachers are more apt to repeat a comment made by a boy than a girl in the classroom.

Not only are girls encouraged to talk less from a young age, when girls do finally start participating, the nature of their class engagement is grossly over-exaggerated. When girls participate equally in any kind of discussion with men, both women and men alike believe that women are out-talking the men in the discussion. This is intriguing to think about, as women themselves even believe that they are overpowering the men in the discussion! This kind of mentality, while it is not shared by everyone, is widely felt enough by men and women alike that it can directly contribute to the amount of male-dominated conversations in the classroom, simply because the women themselves feel that they are talking over the men when they participate.

Everyone’s opinion has value, especially in a college setting. As such, everyone should feel comfortable participating in the classroom. While these ideas about female participation are definitely deep-seated, once we understand that they do not have merit, we can work towards equal classroom participation. Not only does equal participation allow for everyone’s voice to be heard, but it also allows the classroom conversation to cater to all students.

So, if you’re a girl reading this, don’t be afraid to speak up in class and speak your mind! And if you’re a boy reading this article, perhaps feeling like this doesn’t apply to you: listen to your female classmates. Respect their opinions. Then, we can all learn something from each other.