Shy children in the classroom: From research to educational practice.

Abstract

Researchers have long been interested in the links between children's socioemotional functioning at school and their academic success (McKinney, Mason, Perkerson, & Clifford, 1975). Historically, much of this work has focused on children who either display prosocial and other positive behaviors (e.g., Caprara, Barbaranelli, Pastorelli, Bandura, & Zimbardo, 2000), or children prone to externalizing problems, such as aggression and inattention (e.g., Hinshaw, 1992). However, in recent years, researchers have begun to examine the unique academic and social challenges faced by shy children at school (Evans, 2010). Shyness is a temperamental trait characterized by wariness, fear, and self-consciousness in social situations (Rubin, Coplan, & Bowker, 2009). Goldsmith et al. (1987) provided a seminal definition of temperament as consisting of "relatively consistent, basic dispositions inherent in the person that underlie and modulate the expression of activity, reactivity, emotionality, and sociability" (p. 524). Contemporary views of temperament acknowledge that it results from interactions between biological and environmental factors (e.g., Shiner et al., 2012). Temperamental traits, including shyness, tend to be relatively stable across time-particularly from the preschool years and onward (Karevold, Ystrøm,

Teachers’ outlooks and assistance strategies with regard to “shy” pupils

“…As to the connection between shyness and language, different explanations were proposed, among which are the hesitant nature that is characteristic of these children and a lack of practice) Coplan & Evans, 2009). The phenomenon has other implications in the educational realm, such as the diversion of the children's thoughts from the realm of their studies to the impression they make on others (Kalutskaya et al, 2015), a low level of active participation in class, and consequently less correlation between the methods of instruction and the needs of the pupils. In addition, among these children, the circumstances under which an exam is administered have been found to affect the quality of performance: less successful face to face than in a group (Crozier & Hostettler, 2003).…”

“…Thus the goal of this article is to develop for shy pupils relevant interventions anchored in the school context. (Kalutskaya, Archbell, Moritz Rudasill, & Coplan, 2015;Rubin et al, 2009). The temperament that characterizes inhibited children refers to their being cautious and reserved in their evaluation of the situation and of their resources before action (Kagan, 1989).…”

“…On the educational plane, it is connected to the child's functionality in the realm of learning (Kalutskaya et al, 2015). Shy children tend to talk less.…”

The Role of Caregiver Support in the Development of Adaptive Approaches to Learning for Preschoolers Who Exhibit Anxious-Withdrawal

“…At the same time, for preschoolers exhibiting AW, increased social and performance demands can make the initial classroom experience intimidating and hinder their ability to succeed to their potential (Coplan et al, 2008;Kalutskaya et al, 2015). Hence, they are in particular need of support in this setting.…”

“…Due to the increased social demands arising from more frequent interactions with peers and teachers, expectations to perform tasks in front of others, and demands to display assertiveness in order to express needs, young children exhibiting AW require extra support to positively engage in the classroom (Kalutskaya, Archbell, Rudasill, & Coplan, 2015). For instance, young children who exhibited more internalizing problem behaviors, a category that subsumes AW, had more positive peer relationships when they experienced a more warm and supportive relationship with their teacher (Baker, Grant, & Morlock, 2008) and shy young children were more actively engaged in classroom activities when their teacher provided more emotional support (Buhs, Rudasill, Kalutskaya, & Griese, 2015).…”