Teacher Talking Time

TEACHER TALKING TIME

INITIAL TEACHER TRAINING

BEYOND EDUCATION CENTRE​

​“Ok class, we’re going to do an activity to practice prepositions. Does everyone know what prepositions are? Yes? Good!

Right, I’m going to give you all a piece of paper and I want you to keep it a secret. Actually some papers are labeled ‘A’; it’s written at the top. And some are labeled with the letter ‘B’.

Ok, so now, look at your paper, A or B. you have to describe where the things are in your picture to your partner.

No, don’t show your paper to your partner please! Now sit opposite your partner. Ok, everyone move their chairs now, that’s right. Now, describe where the things are in your picture, so that your partner can see what’s different in his/her picture. When you find something different, draw it in your picture. Oh, and by the way, you must agree with your partner about what’s different. Later we’ll put all the pictures on the wall so you can have a look at them. Ok, now does everyone understand?”

​How successful do you think the teacher will be in setting up the activity?

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How successful do you think the students will be in carrying out the instruction?

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WORK ON ImprovING

the instruction.

The first step of reducing teacher talking time is simply to be aware of it.

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#1 GIVING INSTRUCTION

The first step of reducing teacher talking time is simply to be aware of it.

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​#1 GIVING INSTRUCTION

• Only include the essential information needed for the activity.

• Make sure you have the whole class attention before instructing.

• Use simple vocabulary & structures – imperatives are very useful.

TEACHER TALKING TIME

​#1 GIVING INSTRUCTION

• Break the instructions into short sentences containing each step.

• Make sure the students know what they have to produce (sentences, letters, etc).

• Make sure the steps are in order & no step is missing.

TEACHER TALKING TIME

​#1 GIVING INSTRUCTION

• You decide who works with who and tell the students.

• Don’t instruct while handing out materials (“task before text”).

• Pre-plan your instructions & try them out beforehand.

TEACHER TALKING TIME

​#1 GIVING INSTRUCTION

• Plan which gestures you can use to accompany the steps.

• Always model the activity / parts of activity if possible.

• Don’t forget to check students’ understanding,

  but not “Do you understand?”.

• ​Organize the students into the seating arrangements needed for the activity before telling what they’re going to do.

TEACHER TALKING TIME

​#1 GIVING INSTRUCTION - IN SUMMARY

• ​Clear

• Concise

• ​Complete

• Checked​

TEACHER TALKING TIME

​#1 GIVING INSTRUCTION - IN SUMMARY

• ​Clear

• Concise

• ​Complete

• Checked​

TEACHER TALKING TIME

​Speak clearly, naturally

Use imperatives

Who, what, how long, where ......

Yes or No Questions, specific targeted question​

PRACTICE

#2 THREE MAIN CULPRITS

​#2 THREE MAIN CULPRITS

• The Over-explainer

• The Self-answerer

• The Pause-eater

HIGH TTT CULPRITS

Less talking,

more prompting-eliciting,

and a lot of practices-activities.

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#3 ELICITATION

#4 QUESTIONING

​#4 QUESTIONING

• Display questions

• Genuine questions

QUESTIONG

​#4 QUESTIONING

INITIATION - Response - FEEDBACK

QUESTIONG

​#4 QUESTIONING - ASK TO JUSTIFY

​“How do you know?”

“Where did you find the answer?”

“Does anybody have a different answer?”

QUESTIONG

​#4 QUESTIONING - TIPS

• ​Script your questions in your LP

• Try not to ask one-word-answer questions

• Use expressions such as “Tell me about…”

QUESTIONG

CONCEPT CHECKING

​TIPS ON GIVING INSTRUCTION

​4C ON GIVING INSTRUCTION

C C C C​

3 CULPRITS of HIGH T-T-T

2 types of questioning

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2 types of questioning

& Sample​

TEACHER TALKING TIME

INITIAL TEACHER TRAINING

BEYOND EDUCATION CENTRE​