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      TTT
      Submitted by Mohammad Arif on 13 October, 2009 - 05:19

      How do we increase students talking time?

      ‹ Teaching English in a multilingual and religious context in India a question to CELTA certified teachers ›

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      NikPeachey's picture
      NikPeachey
      Stop telling and start asking
      Submitted on 13 October, 2009 - 08:42

      The answer to this question is really already there in the title TTT (teacher talking time) and increasing students' talking time is really dependent on the teacher trying to do less telling and a lot more asking.

      Here are a few quick suggestions for improving the balance of student vs teacher talking time.

      • Try to get students to collaborate and work things out and discover things for themselves, then they can tell you.
      • Ask them questions instead of telling them things, but ask them 'real' questions about their responses, not just ones that you already know the answers to.
      • Be a good listener and make sure that students know you are listening when they do speaking activities. You can do this by monitoring  discreetly without interrupting and taking notes to make sure that speaking activities are followed up with some feedback - positive comments from your notes + a little correction and feeding in of useful language.

      Hope these quick suggestions are helpful

      Best

      Nik Peachey | Learning Technology Consultant, Writer, Trainer
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      karin9al's picture
      karin9al
      Students' Talking Time
      Submitted on 15 October, 2009 - 02:34

       Interesting!

      Much has been said regarding students' talking time.

      I think it all depends on the level of the student. It is said that students' talking time should be 70% of the class (at least, at Teachers' Training College we were told so) 

      The problem is...How do we have our students talking for soooooo long? And here I think it's crucial that we take into account student's age as well.... It is always easier to have a grown up talking about any interesting matter than a teenager.... Do you agree with me?

      I guess we should try to investigate, to dwell on the latest topics teens are interested in...and arise controversial topics, so that students would feel like expressing themselves. It is essential that students feel under no pressure at all, that they feel that their ideas will be respected and that mistakes ARE NOT IMPORTANT, if the aim is to have them talking and communicating. Then, in the following lesson, teacher and students could work on the mistakes the teacher had jotted down previously

      What do you think?

      best

      girishseshamani's picture
      girishseshamani
      STUDENTS TALKING TIME
      Submitted on 17 October, 2009 - 13:49

      As far as the English Language is concerned, the students should do the major talking and you should ensure they are given constructive feedback which they will appreciate and get fully involved in the process of honing their skill sets.

      The culture that you set for the class plays a very critical role here. Inevitably you are bound to get a mixed group with respect to understanding and grasping the English Language. It is here, that the entire class should get the confidence that even if they make blunders, the outcome is going to be positive and they will not make fools of themselves. The students should develop the innate desire to come out and speak, without you initiating it. You need to be a faciitator and not a teacher.

      Once you gain their trust, your job is done.