How to increase Student Talking Time. План урока Ideal Job

“We learn by practice. Whether it means to learn to dance by practicing dancing or to learn to live by practicing living, the principles are the same.”
Martha Graham

According to this statement, if you want to become a good dancer, you don’t just watch or read about dancing, you should practice things the dancers do. The same is true for becoming an English speaker – the students need to speak English in order to learn English.

In this article I would like to suggest the ways to increase the amount of Student Talking Time (STT) and quality of student practice of English speaking. These techniques include using pair and small group work, creating problem solving activities, minimizing teacher’s explanation and information-giving, developing questioning and drill techniques, using interactive games, choosing the appropriate topics for conversations.

No doubt the most teachers understand that students should have as much opportunity to speak as possible when learning English as a foreign language. Those students who don’t live in English speaking countries may only have the chance to practice English during the 45 minutes in the classroom. That’s why the more students speak English at the lesson, the better English speakers they become.

Teacher talk time (TTT) denotes how much the teacher talks during a lesson. However, this will vary according to the aims of the lesson. For example, the teacher needs to speak more when providing explanations and examples of the grammar structures or giving important information. Overall, however, the teacher should limit her speaking to 30% of the class time. On the other hand, Student Talk Time (STT) should be around 70% during the course of the lesson.

The following shows some benefits of increasing STT and reducing TTT:

• When students speak more, they have great opportunities to practice the new material. Students have more chances to experiment with new vocabulary, idioms, phrasal verbs or grammar structures. They can mix previous vocabulary and grammar structures with the target language of the lesson, as well as spontaneous conversations concerning their individual interests.
• As the teacher speaks less, students have opportunity personalize the language and get a lot of practice of real life communication.They have more chances to listen to and speak not only with their teacher, but with other students as well.

From the above, it should be clear that the class greatly benefits from limited talking by the teacher.However I don’t always have the conversational lessons. Sometimes, I want my studentsto analyze listening, or to summarize briefly, or to respond in writingan opinion essay, but I always want them to develop their abilities to think in English, in other words to “make the most” of their practicing time and to learn expressing their ideas in English fluently and logicallycorrect.

The main problem to the teacher for planning the conversational classes is how to deal with “talk about what?”What kinds of topics will keep students involved? Knowing that our learners like computers,music, movies, sports etc, is a good start to talk about, later, we can choose the topics that relevant tostudent interests: those that let them share their personal experiences. Students won’t speak in a foreign language without a model, a clear task, and motivation. Learners are motivated to speaking if they have and want to tell something on the topic.Also theywant to feel confident every time they practicing language.

What Are Some Ways to Increase Student Talk Time?

First it is important to think about:

• Do students know the vocabulary needed to speak on the topic?If not,present or review the key language.
• Are the teacher’s instructions clear enough for the learners to know exactly what to do? So, always provide a support to complete speaking tasks. Good Speaking Activities should be motivating and should build confidence in the students; this will encourage them to try harder.
• Is the seating arrangement appropriate in the classroom? Are there any other reasons that might prevent student’s talking and fail the task completion, such as a task that embarrasses a learner, or problems with partners? In this situation try to avoid awkward learning activities.

Be careful of the following:

• Low level students benefit from a silent period of understanding, and responding to instructions, before being involvedin fluent communication that might make them feel embarrassed.
• Students are worried about how others will react on their speaking. In this case I always ask shy students to try their speaking first in pairs, then in small groups and only later I involve them in an open class discussion.

In my teaching practice I have tried a variety of techniques that help maximize talk time for everyone in my classes; I’ll share some of them with you.

1.“Find someone who”

This warm-up activity which I like very much help you to find out more personal information about your students and help learners to practice asking questions.

Formulate questions which will solicit affirmative answers to the prompts provided below (for example, “Have you ever eaten with chopsticks?”). Continue asking the question until you find someone who can answer “yes” and then write that person’s name in the space provided.

2. “Job Skills”

Students figure out classmates’ assumed occupations by asking questions about qualifications and skills necessary for each job.

Make a list of the occupations sheet. Cut out the separate slips. Give one occupation slip to each student. Tell students not to let anyone else know what is written on their slips. The task to the students to discover which classmate has which occupation by asking questions about the qualifications and skills necessary for that job. Typical questions might be:

• “Do you have to read music for you profession?”
• “Do you need to be athletic?”
• “Have you got to change your appearance for your job?”
• “Is it necessary to wear a tie?

You must not ask directly, “Are you a telephone operator?” or “Are you a basketball coach?” When time is over, the student who has correctly identified the professions of the largest number of classmates wins.

3. This teaching activity based on the topic: School Life. By answering a few simple questions and carrying out some easy tasks, students will get to know one another in a comfortable and co-operative environment.

1. In small groups design the ideal school.
2. In pairs, list the qualities of the perfect teacher.
3. Design a suitable timetable for your class. Show it to your
   classmates.
4. Homework is necessary. Discuss.
5. Tell your classmates a funny story/situation that has taken place in your school.

In conclusion I would like to say that one of the most effective ways of increasing communication and maximizing student’s talk time is to create comfortable classroom with positive atmosphere where spontaneous speaking is valued and everyone has a chance to talk. It’s also to say that the effective language teacher, like all effective teachers, realizes that it’s not the teacher’s role in the classroom that’s central, but the roles of students. I’m sure that practice is the best tool of learning and as English language teachers we should give our students every chance to practice their language in the classroom.

References:

1. Harmer, J. 1991. The practice of English language teaching. New York: Longman
2. Oxford,R. 1990. Language learning strategies: What every teacher should know. New York.
3. Wenden, A. L. 1986. Incorporating learner training in the classroom.
4. Zimmerman, B. J. 2000. Self-Efficacy: An essential motive to learn.
5. Cohen, A. D. 1998. Strategies in learning and using a second language. London. Longman
6. Kealey J. 2002. Grammar-Focused Interactive ESL Activities and Games.
7. Krieger D. Teaching ESL Versus EFL: Principles and Practices. Forum Volume 43 number 2, 2005.
8. CotterHue“Improve Teaching Skills”
9. Mikami M,Stende B, 2007 “Maximizing Student Talk Time”
10. Ellis, R. (1999). Learning a Second Language Through Interaction.Philadelphia, PA: John Benjamin (2002).
11. www.teachingenglish.org.uk
12. www.betterlanguageteaching.com

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