I still get a little thrill when a roomful of people takes turns saying who they are, so yes — instructors absolutely can teach and guide students on how to introduce themselves. When I help folks with this, I start by making it low-pressure: model a short, friendly intro and invite volunteers rather than forcing everyone at once. Breaking it into parts helps — name, a tiny personal detail, and one thing they want from the class — and I often give two sentence templates to pick from so people don’t overthink it.
What’s worked for me in messy real-life settings is adding one playful twist: ask everyone to include a weird fact or a favorite character from something like a show or game. It loosens people up and gives follow-up topics that feel natural. If an instructor wants more structure, they can timebox intros to a minute, pair students to practice, or record optional short clips for shy folks. Really, teaching introductions is about creating safety, giving tiny scripts, and encouraging curiosity — and when it clicks, the energy in a group just changes.