Often, kids who are reluctant to speak up in class or who appear ‘shy’ suffer from social anxiety. They would benefit from practicing and ‘prepping’ for moments when they might need to speak up or participate in class. Writing a script for a student to read or practicing beforehand can help her feel more confident about sharing in front of class. In addition, you may choose to break this into smaller steps by creating an ‘interview style’ platform for her to share first. For instance, you can ask the questions, and she can respond while looking at you. Or, simply standing next to her when she shares might make the task seem less formidable to her.
Emotional coaching might also help a bit. You can acknowledge that it is hard to speak in front of people, but you are confident she can do it. You might encourage her to take a few deep breaths before she begins or rehearse a positive self-talk script like “I can do hard things.” In fact, it is okay to feel nervous—it’s how we take care of that feeling that matters.
Ask your prayer partner to pray specifically for the child to make consistent progress in overcoming her anxiety.