Scenario Response 9

In my classroom, I’ve noticed a few students who are clearly field-dependent—they rely heavily on peers and structure to complete tasks—and others who are in between. My goal is to help them grow in field-independence, particularly in speaking and listening. Here’s how I plan to support that transition in each setting:

Whole Class:
During whole-group discussions, I’ll use structured routines like “Think-Pair-Share” and sentence stems to gradually build confidence. I’ll pose open-ended questions and allow quiet think time before asking students to share out loud. This gives more dependent learners time to process and reduces the pressure. I’ll also model academic language and encourage all students to use it when responding.

Buddies:
I’ll strategically pair students with partners who are slightly more independent. Buddy conversations will include roles—like “question asker” and “summarizer”—so each student has a voice. Over time, I’ll gradually remove the sentence stems and question cards to build autonomy.

Small Groups:
In small groups, I’ll incorporate more student-led roles such as discussion leader, note taker, and reporter. These roles will rotate so all students have a chance to step out of their comfort zone. I’ll also provide discussion cards or prompts to keep conversations focused, and slowly reduce scaffolds as students gain confidence.

Individual/One-on-One After School:
After school, I’ll work individually with field-dependent students by using recording tools like Flip or simple audio recordings so they can practice responding to questions independently. I’ll offer positive feedback and guide them through self-reflection: What did they do well? What could they say next time? These individual sessions will help build confidence in their ability to speak and listen without relying on others.

By providing gradual release and targeted support in each setting, I believe all of my students can become more independent thinkers and communicators.