Minimizing Teacher Talk and Maximizing Comprehension

Minimizing teacher talk means not only limiting the number of words you use, but also thinking about which words you use. Here are some speaking tips to aid in communicating with your learners:

• Use gestures, mime and facial expressions to help clarify meaning.
• Use picture dictionaries, realia and visuals whenever possible.
• Slow down, but don’t talk down to your students.
• Enunciate, so learners are able to distinguish where one word ends and the next one begins.
• Use fewer reductions, especially with beginning level learners. Examples of reductions are: didja (did you), arentcha (aren’t you), gonna, wanna, etc.
• Avoid idioms. Have you ever realized how many idioms in American English come from sports?!
• Avoid slang. Monitor your choice of words. Is this something I’d say to my grandmother? If so, then it’s probably acceptable.
• Use simple words whenever possible, for example, “give me your papers” instead of “hand in your papers.” Multi-word verbs are more difficult for beginners to understand.

Be prepared to repeat and rephrase what you just said. Use synonyms and/or define new words.

The above points come from a series of excellent online presentations designed to help native speakers of English communicate better with non-native speakers of English. To listen to them all:

1. Go to Cornellcast.
2. Enter Watch Your Language in the "Search for Videos” space.
3. Click on one of the six video titles and enjoy.