New Horizon Consultancy ServicesP. O. Box 1675-80200,

Malindi.

Mr. J. Bosire

Promoting classroom talkWhat kind of environment do you think will encourage children to talk?1. EncouragementYou can encourage your pupils to talk through the use of positive responseYou can encourage participation by:Giving them practical work to doLetting them plan experiments or investigations togetherAsking questionsAsking them to comment on others’ ideasAsking for their opinionsAsking them to report on eventsPlanning learning games for themMaking them know that wrong answers are not a crimeGiving them opportunity to work in pairs or groups.

2. Positive atmosphere

Your pupils need to learn in an atmosphere that isrelaxed. Make sure that your relationship with the classis good.

3. Providing a stimulating environment for talk

Make sure that your classroom is interesting andstimulating. E.g. you can do this by creating centers ofinterest like: our shamba, our shop, the post office etc.

4. Improving your own use of language

If the pupils do not understand your spoken language there will be poor learning. If your written language is also poor the problem will be compounded. You need to take measures to improve your language in the various areas.

Example:

Parent: what is the matter? Didn’t you like it at school, then?

Child: the teacher never gave me the present

Parent: present? What present?

Child: she said she would give me a present

Parent: well now, I’m sure she didn’t

Child: she did. She said: “you are Ali Juma, aren't you? Well, just sit there for the present”. I sat there all morning but I never got it. I am not going back there again

You can see that the word “present,” which is ambiguous, was used, making the pupil mistake the intended meaning

5. Use appropriate level of language

As a teacher you should use language that is appropriate for the class and the tasks. You can use known vocabulary to teach concepts that are complicated.

6. Use the right tone

Using the correct tone of voice is important. After all a lot of meaning is carried by the change in tone.

For example: the tone can indicate whether the words “thank you” are used in good faith or sarcastically. The way the level of the tone changes will tell you how the speaker feels

7. Being audible

Your voice should be well projected so that it is heard in thewhole class by all the pupils. Try not to mumble. Do not swallowyour words. Speak all the words clearly. If you are not heardwhat will the pupils do?

8. Use of body language

This is the silent language where we use our body to sendsignals to add meaning to our spoken words. Research hasshown that 70% of our meaning is carried by our non-verbalcommunication methods.

9. Removing barriers to effective talk in class

Noise and any disturbance that prevents learning from takingplace should be minimized. Rain on corrugated iron sheetswill interfere with classroom talk, so suspend the talk until therain subsides.

10. Use of resources

If you don’t use resources well this can be a barrier to talk. Donot crowd the pupils at a corner because you have storedirrelevant items all over your class. The children should sit sothat all can see and speak to each other clearly.

END

Thank you for listening and learning