Teacher Talking Time vs Student Talking Time

Teachers talk in the classroom when they give instructions, provide feedback, ask questions to elicit information and when they give explanations. Students on the other hand talk when they answer questions, prepare for a speaking task, perform a speaking task, asking questions and of course when side-talking to friends.

In an initial teacher training course, like the CELTA, one of the first action points many trainees may be asked to address is their teacher talking time. We are advised to reduce the amount and complexity of our talking time and let students do most of the talking in class.

Here I would like to add another dimension to think about when considering our TTT. What is to be considered effective TTT and what is to be considered as tangents? If students do most of the speaking, although mostly off the topic of the lesson, while the teacher is only listening and making notes, would that be a successful class?

Successful classes are those in which lesson goals are well-addressed. Addressing lesson goals of course should not happen at the expense of responding to students’ needs. If a teacher knows his class well, then chances are s/he’s going to create realistic goals for his/her lesson that clearly and specifically address the needs of his students as well as predict potential problems and provide solutions for them beforehand.

Based on the above description of a successful lesson, effective TTT can simply be described as talking that fills a need gap and achieves a certain goal that is directly linked to the proceedings and main goals of the lesson. Similarly, STT is considered effective when it fits nicely in the goals and proceedings of the lesson.

We sometimes find ourselves in a situation in which students talk about side issues but in English. Should we allow this or halt students’ open appetite for speaking?

We can claim that if students are carefully engaged in the lesson, they would remain on topic and do the rightful speaking.