‘Wow, they’ve been talking for a long time, I wish they’d give someone else a chance to speak…but I don’t want to seem rude.’ 

‘Hey, they just interrupted that person. And I really wanted to know what she had to say!’ 

‘I mean they’ve got a good point, but they that was a really rude way of saying it’ 

Working with others isn’t always easy and sometimes it’s just straight up difficult. And if you regularly take part in seminars or tutorials, chances are that you’ll eventually encounter some behaviours that make it difficult to get the most out of the situation, or that just seem plain rude. But it can be hard to know how to respond when there are people dominating the conversation, or not giving enough space for others to speak or interacting in a confrontational way. You might feel like you want to address the behaviour but don’t know how to do so without creating an uncomfortable atmosphere. Or you might notice yourself doing some of these things every now and then – we’re all human and we all pick up bad habits every now and then. 

The key thing to remember, is that it’s everyone’s responsibility to ensure that seminars are spaces where people feel comfortable contributing and participating. You can’t control anyone else’s behaviour, but you can take active steps to identify and address unhelpful behaviour. 

If you want to find out more, follow this link to hear Academic Skills tutor Nicky talk through some strategies for managing unhelpful behaviours in seminars and tutorials. 

You can also book a 1-1 appointment with the Academic Skills Team if you’d like some more tailored guidance on seminar participation or other academic skills.