The author reports on perceptions of East Asian international graduate students (EAGS) regarding active classroom participation, as revealed through two focus group interviews with 15 EAGS at a large Midwestern research university in the U.S. The findings indicate that most EAGS shared similar views with their university instructors and American classmates, associating active class participation with verbal participation. At the same time, some EAGS argued that remaining silent, but listening attentively, is another way to engage actively in class. Some students, especially during the early stages of their academic study in the U.S., wanted to remain legitimately silent through peripheral participation. The results suggest several pedagogical implications for university instructors to help them create more inclusive classroom environments where the linguistic and cultural diversities of EAGS are understood and their participation is encouraged. (Contains 1 table and 3 footnotes.)