5 Tips for Home Tutoring Introverted Students

Home Tutor in Singapore

There are many different types of students a home tutor will come across during their career in home tuition. These different types of students also have their own ways of how they prefer things to be done both in school and in home tuition. There are some students who prefer collaborating with their peers and flourishes in an academically noisy environment. While there are also others who prefer to work as quietly as possible and focuses better when they are alone and prefer it that way. When a student prefers their own company when working and focuses better in silence, most commonly these students fall under the criteria of introverts.

Introvert vs. Extrovert

When people talk of personality types, there are two traits that are generally brought up and one can’t be spoken without the other. When talking about introversion, extraversion probably comes into the conversation as well. But what are their differences?

Extroverts are mainly individuals who receive gratification from external sources which can lead to them seeking out others, making them more outgoing and sociable than introverts. While introverts prefer working in silence, extroverts are generally talkative, bubbly, and frequently seeking out group interactions, and have no trouble socializing with people.

Introversion is characterized by their preference for solitude or quieter environments and doing things on their own. In contrast to this spectrum, introverts receive more gratification from within. There have been researches about the brain chemistry of extroverts and introverts with introverts having more reactive nervous systems. This can mean that many extroverts find self-reflection more compelling than socializing and can also explain why they are less fulfilled with external stimuli.

Are introverts just shy?

There are many misconceptions about this personality trait and probably the biggest of them is thinking that introverts are just shy people, and most often people want to “correct” this in some way or another. In this article, Louis Schmidt explains that the two get confused often as they are related to socialization. However, lacking the interest to socialize is not the same as fearing it. Introverts lack the motivation to socialize whereas shy people are more uncomfortable in socializing. This is why there are also some extroverts who may suffer from bouts of shyness.

How to know if the student is introverted

While indicators of introversion can be very clear, there are still some signs a tutor can look for in their student to tell if they are introverts or not.

  • Reflective and enjoys thought-provoking activities that allow them to reflect and for introspection
  • Independent and often wants to complete tasks and activities alone, when they are faced with social interactions, they tend to feel drained after more so than the actual work they have to put for the task or activity
  • Focuses well and shows strong concentration skills, they are also good listeners and often comprehend more through listening
  • Appreciates when the tutor delves deeper into the topic rather than skimming multiple topics
  • Favors observations in conversations but depending on who they are speaking with, they can also be more engaging

Why is it important to know if the student is an introvert?

As a home tutor, it’s important to know not just the student’s learning style or their weak areas but also their behavior and even their personalities. This can help the tutor and student with making the tuition sessions easier, more approachable, and, ultimately, more effective. For the tutor, they can keep in mind the trait their student displays thus pushing with activities or tasks for them more effective as they already understand what makes their student tick. As for the student, they would be more comfortable with their home tutor and be more open to learning. Making the student comfortable can set off a chain of events for effective home tuition.

Tutoring introverted students

As it’s important to consider if the tutor’s teaching style fits well with introverted students, here are some strategies to help adjust the approach to help introverted students flourish and maximize their potential.

1. Create a space for them

As we’ve already mentioned before, the student’s working or study space is an integral part of their tuition sessions. This is why it’s also important to make sure that the space created for the student is at par with what they need. Since introverted students thrive more in silence, it’s important to keep this in mind and make sure to give them a quiet space to work on.

The space should be free from the usual distractions such as TV, electronics, gadgets, etc. For introverted students, they value the quiet comfort the most so this lack of distractions helps them focus better on the task at hand. As such, when the tuition session is over, the place can remain as their refuge when they want to seek a comfortable, quiet space. It’s better to discuss with the parents, especially to put emphasis on the child’s introversion. This can not only help the child during tuition sessions but even outside of it. Remember that social interactions can be draining for them so these spaces can be their means of comfort.

2. Provide options and ask for their preference

Introverts spend more time in their thought process and contemplate things before they make their actions which also makes them want to have more choices when it comes to their tasks. There are many ways for the tutor to cater to the student’s personality trait without compromising the effectiveness of the lesson or tuition. As a tutor, it’s essential for the teaching style and strategy to adapt to the student’s preferences. The home tutor can ask the student what they prefer to help them match it. Tutors can ask the student according to all sorts of things that relate to their learning such as the environment, the style, the pacing. These can all contribute to making them comfortable and personalizing the lessons and teaching style for them.

3. Let them take their time

While it’s important to maximize time in tuition sessions, it will also help introverted students if their tutors don’t rush them, especially in answering questions. They need the time to develop their answers when asked a question and they often feel pressured when they are asked to give an answer immediately. The more time the tutor can allot for them to gather their thoughts and construct their answer, the better answer they can give their home tutors. This technique isn’t just for introverted students. All students, regardless of their behavior or personality traits, can benefit from this. When they are given ample time to answer questions, they wouldn’t have to give rushed answers as well and give more satisfying, well-thought answers instead.

As such, tutors should also note that since introverted students may take longer in answering questions, they should keep this in mind when planning for the activities and lessons for a certain tuition session. If the tutor allots the same length of time for a student who isn’t introverted as one who is, they can go overboard with their schedule. Discuss with the parent and the student the pace of the tuition as well so there wouldn’t be any misunderstanding with the use of time for each session.

4. Set for a quiet time

There should be periods of time during the tuition session dedicated to the student’s thoughtfulness and contemplation. These quiet times can help the student absorb the lessons without through their own way and can also help them retain their lessons more. These quiet times can include them reading a book and discussions of passages they find interesting, watching videos, and even short quizzes. This can be means to provide them with breaks that can also help them cope with the interactions they are facing. Since they are less inclined to socialize, it helps that the tuition session doesn’t rely heavily on conversation-based activities and tasks.

5. Provide encouragement

Just because introverts aren’t more inclined to external gratification doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be provided positive reinforcements and encouragements at all. introverts may not often get recognized for their skills and talents because they prefer to keep quiet. As such, they may also not get enough attention and often feel underappreciated by their teachers and even fellow students. To be a great home tutor, it will be good for them to have their strengths, skills, and talent appreciated and even just seen. It doesn’t have to be grand praises; it can be just small ones or acknowledgments that they have done well. It can even be just smiling at them and giving them encouraging gestures such as a thumbs-up. They can feel appreciated through these gestures and help them realize their potentials and talents.

Conclusion

In order for us here at Family Tutor to be as effective as possible, our home tutors take the time to get to know and understand their students. It helps for tutors to understand different personality types, how they differ, what works for them, and how to adapt the way of teaching for them. Tutors can see huge improvements with regards to the success of the home tuition when they set their mind on aligning the lessons with the student’s learning style. If tutors find themselves with an introverted student, they shouldn’t give up on the student so easily just because of this trait. It may take them some time to understand the student but once they discover the different quirks and ways a student learns, teaching them also becomes easier. By understanding them, home tutors will be creating an environment for them to support their success.

Carelle

Carelle

Carelle is a teacher who has been through the ups and downs of the teacher and learner life. She wishes for every learner to gain educational satisfaction that will help embody the people they want to be in the future.

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FamilyTutor is an established home tuition agency in Singapore! We match suitable home tutors for our clients not just to improve the students' academic grades, but also to build a strong rapport and meaningful relationship with the students and even the their whole family. FamilyTutor put every student in good hands!

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