Talk less, learn more: Boosting student talk time in the ELT classroom

Do you ever feel that you’re doing all the talking while students just nod along? If you’re the one doing all of the talking, who’s actually getting the language practice?

Feel familiar? It might be time to shift from teacher talk time (TTT) to student talk time (STT).

Set up your class for STT success! 🪑

The way students are seated can make a big impact on how interactive the class is.

• Arrange the desks in a horseshoe pattern. 🧲 That way students can interact with each other more easily. They’ll be able to see each other when participating, rather than staring at the back of heads.

• Arrange desks into groups of four. In this configuration, students can easily pair up, and the teacher can walk around and monitor.

Walk around your classroom🚶🏻

Try not to always be at the front of the classroom. Encourage students to make eye contact 👀with their peers when giving answers or commenting on each other’s ideas. Students will often naturally address the teacher, even when they’re answering a classmate’s question. Gently redirect them: “Try telling Ana that, not me.” By encouraging them to direct their answers to the correct person, you’ll signal that the class isn’t just for the teacher’s benefit.

Give thinking time ⏳

“Silence is golden” - or is it? 🤐 Sometimes we teachers like to fill in the silence with our own thoughts, or we answer our own questions. Be patient and wait for students to answer. Give thinking time before answers are expected. Use techniques like Think-Pair-Share. 🛠️

Create an accepting environment where students can take language risks 🫶

• Don’t overemphasize error correction. Speaking perfectly shouldn’t be the end goal.

• Use lots of pair and group work. Working with peers builds students’ confidence.🤩

• Always start class with a warmer. It breaks the ice and gets students engaged in the topic from the start of the lesson. Guessing games are popular with young learners and low levels.

• Use Task-Based Learning (TBL). When students have a problem to solve, they focus more on the task than on worrying about making mistakes.

🔑 Takeaway Tips

• 🪑Rearrange your classroom to encourage interaction. Horseshoe or small group setups work best.

• Step away from the front. Move around the room to shift the focus off you and onto peer-to-peer communication.🗣️

• Embrace silence. 🤫 Give students time to think and respond instead of jumping in with answers.

• Build a safe space🛡️for speaking by focusing less on perfect accuracy and more on meaningful communication.

• Use pair and group work often. 👯 Collaboration lowers the pressure and boosts confidence.

• 🔥Start strong with a warmer. Get students engaged and ready to speak from the very beginning.

• 🧠 Incorporate tasks and problem-solving. Task-Based Learning keeps students focused on using language to achieve real goals.

What has helped you get your students speaking more? Share your tips in the comments! 💬

Happy teaching! ✨

Kari