Increasing Student Talk Time in the Online Classroom

Today’s Plan

Today’s Plan

Why STT?
Leads to greater speaking skills
Provides chance to actively use the language
Motivates students
Builds community and relationships

What challenges have you faced when trying to incorporate speaking into your online classes?

Today’s Plan

Best Practice #1
Aim for at least 50% STT

Best Practice #2
Reduce Teacher Talk Time (TTT)

Best Practice #3
Utilize small groups
>
4 minutes each
40 seconds each

Best Practice #4
Praise

Best Practice #5
Set up for equitable participation
Wheelofnames.com
A few classroom management tools

Best Practice #6
Don’t interrupt
Yesterday I go—
went

Which of these best practices are you already doing?
Which could you improve upon?
Yesterday I go—
went

Today’s Plan

Synchronous – Whole Class

Mystery Object
One person selects object related to unit of study
Class sets question limit
Assign S to keep track
Ss take turns asking yes/no questions until they correctly guess mystery object
Variation
S selects object from list
T allows any type of yes/no question
?
Is it…?
Does it…?
V V
Yes, it is.
No, it isn’t.
Yes, it does.
No, it doesn’t.

Stand Up/Sit Down
Hot
Each S prepares one true and one false statement related to unit of study
T calls on S to say one of their statements
If true, students stand.
If false, students sit.
Variation
Ss raise sign, use chat, or use annotate to show true/false

Scenario 1: You introduce “Mystery Object” or “Stand Up/Sit down” to your class, but when it’s time to participate, no one speaks.
What can you do?

Model example
Add scaffolds: brainstorm and write possible things to say, then Ss read when called
Sing/chant together to warm up
Do movement together to warm up
Have safe classroom where mistakes are welcome and praise is given to all who try

Scenario 2: You introduce “Mystery Object” or “Stand Up/Sit Down,” and when it’s time to participate, one S does all the speaking.
What can you do?

Set expectations (e.g. “everyone can speak twice”)
Give silent time for Ss to prepare
Call on Ss (e.g. list, name wheel, sticks)
Ask Ss to mute until called

“Ask a Classmate” Drills
Hot
T provides question/answer frames and vocabulary
T asks S a question
S answers, then T instructs them to ask a classmate the next question
Ss continue drill until T determines
?
___.
?
___.
?
___.
?
___.
?
Teacher
David
Arwa
Tuan
Ai

“Ask a Classmate” Drills
Hot
Do you like ___?
Yes, I do.
No, I don’t.
V
David, do you like juice?
Yes, I do. Arwa, do you like milk?
No, I don’t. Tuan, do you like tea?
Yes, I do. Ai, do you like soda?
No, I don’t.
…etc.
Teacher
David
Arwa
Tuan
Ai

“Ask a Classmate” Drills
Hot
Do you prefer __or __?
I prefer __.
David, do you prefer tea or juice?
I prefer tea. Arwa, do you prefer milk or soda?
I prefer soda. Tuan, do you prefer water or milk?
I prefer milk. Ai, do you prefer tea or coffee?
I prefer coffee.
…etc.
Teacher
David
Arwa
Tuan
Ai

Teacher
David
Arwa
Tuan
Ai
“Ask a Classmate” Drills
Hot
David, have you drunk any water today?
Yes, I have. Arwa, have you drunk soda today?
No, I haven’t. Tuan, have you drunk juice today?
Yes, I have. Ai, have you drunk tea today?
Yes, I have.
…etc.
Have you drunk any __ today?
Yes, I have.
No, I haven’t.
V

What are other ways we can get students talking when the whole class is together?
?

Synchronous – Breakout Rooms

Discussion
Reserve time for Ss to speak freely in every class
Link discussions to content or language target
Ask open-ended questions
Make effective groupings (more advanced or techy Ss can provide leadership)
Consider time (older/more advanced Ss can discuss longer)

How can instructors motivate students to stay on task and speak English during breakout room discussions?

Games
Which is Different?
T models activity
T provides list of vocabulary words
Ss write words in notebook
T writes words in chat
T shares document
In breakout rooms Ss decide which word is different and why
Encourage critical thinking. There’s more than one answer!
Ss prepare to share reasoning

Debates
Breakouts for Preparation
AAA
AAA
BBB
BBB
CCC
CCC
To Prepare
T assigns Ss to groups that share same opinion
Ss prepare support for their side
Option to flip: Ss read article or watch video before class

Debates
To debate!
T provides language and expectations for debate
T makes new rooms with representative from each side
Breakouts for Debate
ABC
ABC
ABC
ABC
ABC
ABC
“The Great Mini-Debate” English Teaching Forum