10 Ways To Give Feedback in English Conversation Classes

A teacher may have one of the best lessons of all time prepared, but without providing feedback, learner development can only go so far. 

Feedback in the context of TESOL is providing information to improve English language use. This information can be grammatical, lexical, or phonetic. 

When a dull pencil does not produce fine print, we use a pencil sharpener to get back that fineness. Feedback in an ESL lesson is the pencil sharpener that hones the skills of your students. Without it, their English simply becomes dull, lacking, and fails to improve.

Many teachers equate feedback with correction, but they are different. Correction points out errors, but feedback is meant to assess and provide both positive and negative reinforcement. Teachers can use feedback to collaborate with their learners and assist them in developing their skills. Correction simply tells them they are wrong and what the right answer is.

The nice thing about feedback is that it does not always have to be given in an in-your-face manner that may embarrass students, especially those from save-face cultures. There are a variety of ways feedback can be shared. 

1. Real-Time Feedback

Real-time feedback is providing it as students speak. It can be typed or spoken. Providing real-time feedback requires skill and should be used when needed. 

Teachers who interrupt their student’s train of thought can appear as if they are cats waiting to pounce on every word that is not produced perfectly. This impacts student confidence—having the reverse effect on what we are trying to accomplish in an ESL classroom. Therefore, teachers will need to learn to address the big stuff and leave the little things for another time.

2. Echoing

Echoing is a discreet kind of feedback. It is a casual activity that happens in many conversations where one person says something, and the other person repeats it.

In teaching, we can use this common conversation behavior to reinforce more accuracy or clarity. It looks something like this:

S: I go to the store last day!

T: Ah, you went to the store yesterday?

T: Ah, I went to the store yesterday (an alternate version using direct speech).

Ideally, the student picks up on it and repeats the new version. By doing this, we can reinforce the more appropriate forms without interrupting the conversation.

3. Direct Feedback

Direct feedback is the feedback that gets the attention of the students. It is stopping communication and injecting feedback that is intended for immediate improvement.

Direct feedback goes something like this:

T: We can say: ‘I went to the store yesterday.’

T: Remember, we use the past tense when talking about the past

You may want to use this type of feedback sparingly.  However, it can be necessary when students repeatedly produce gross issues such as mixing verb tenses.

4. Typed Feedback

This works well in an online classroom or with a large traditional class where a projector screen or a visible monitor is present (I did it when teaching at Samsung).

It is very much like echoing but typing, as much as possible in real-time, what has been spoken in order to show the person another way to say what was spoken (e.g. more practical, more economical, more accurate, clearer, etc.).

5. Delayed Feedback

Delayed feedback requires patience because as teachers, we have an inherent desire to immediately ‘correct’ issues we encounter. It allows for more free-flowing conversations that focus on developing fluency and building confidence. 

You can tell your students that you will be providing feedback but at the end of the class, after the class, or even in another class. You can also explain the reasoning behind it for learners who want to know.

The following ideas represent methods of packaging delayed feedback.

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6. End-of-Class Feedback

Teachers can wait until the end of the conversation or discussion time to provide feedback. There are two benefits to doing this: (1) Students are not interrupted thus gain more confidence and are permitted time to develop their fluency. (2) Students are given a mini grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation lesson towards the end of class.

Be sure not to single out specific students. Treat it as general, overall feedback based on the lesson. However, this will require you to discreetly write or type notes so as not to throw students off when they are speaking; i.e., seeing you writing whenever they speak, may lead them to be self-conscious and embarrassed.

7. General Feedback for Classes

Teachers can provide general feedback for the entire class. In that sense, everybody is helping each other. What one person lacks another person may learn from as well. Be considerate though, and do not name names.

Keep feedback generalized as much as possible and try not to use exact quotes in your feedback so as not to readily identify the class member. General feedback can be presented in a typed format and displayed on a screen or monitor.

It can also be handwritten on the whiteboard.

It can also be delivered orally without using a screen or monitor. It’s your call.

Each method has its merits and demerits.

8. Feedback Classes/Tutorials

This is where the teacher creates an entire lesson based on the feedback gleaned from a previous lesson. She can break the lesson into grammar, lexical, and phonetic components to target the ‘actual’ needs of the learners instead of perceived needs. It is a surgical approach versus a shotgun approach.

9. Records Feedback

You can provide feedback through individual student records that each student has access to—a kind of report card. Take note of learner-specific issues and include them in their grade sheets. This provides not only personalized but private feedback for each learner. You can also use this type of feedback to plot individual needs.

10. Reports Feedback

You can provide feedback through class records by jotting the key issues noted in ‘today’s’ class and posting them in a common area. This provides a record for you to refer to over a period of time to identify patterns and allows the learners to see real areas that need improvement.

Wrap Up

Feedback is different than correction and is vital for helping learners acquire the language at a level of proficiency that they need in English-speaking environments. As such, teachers have options in terms of real-time and delayed delivery that suit different circumstances. You can adapt them to your needs or for the situation, but at least now you have some options.

__________

Author: Jerry S. 

This is an update of a blog post I wrote for the OnTESOL blog several years ago. 

Author bio: Jerry is a marketplace English language trainer of 21 years and Senior TESOL Certificate Instructor affiliated with Midwest Education Group, with a wide range of experience and education ranging from bachelor to doctorate degrees in various fields, who writes articles, blogs, ESL e-learning materials, academic papers, and more. 

Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

Dr Smith TESOL Tip 4

 

5 Tips for Teaching Business English Learners

Business English learners can be critical and have high expectations of their teachers. In addition, they can sometimes be hurried (in class) because of deadlines or meetings. They’ll likely expect professionalism from their teachers—and why not: these learners are professionals. 

They may want to take charge of or give input into their learning though not intending to be rude. They will probably expect noticeable improvements since they operate with a business mindset. And they may not always be up-to-date on pop or modern culture.

Business English learners are typically seeking to develop their English skills for promotions, to gain more business, to survive in the global market, to entertain clients, to interact with customers or colleagues, or to connect with new markets, customers, or other business ventures. 

With those purposes in mind, we may want to conduct classes that meet their needs rather than simply entertain or teach them about the language. The following five tips can help you facilitate improved Business English class time. 

1. Be Professional

Treat business English learners with respect and courtesy. You can model it in your interactions with them during class. You’ll also want to teach them as adults with purposes as if their goals are your goals for them. Be professional, and everything else will fall in line.

2. Be Focused

Focus lessons on one point of the language, on the language they need, on the environments they encounter, and on helping them improve weak areas.

3. Have a Purpose

Find out what your business English students need and give it to them. Assess them and make suggestions. Ask them what they want from their classes and deliver it. Observe them and offer feedback. 

4. Keep Things Interesting and Relevant

They may not care about the latest TV show or pop songs. But they’ll likely be interested in talking about the latest trends in their business field. They may also be uninterested in talking about home life though personal interests may come up. Discover how to keep things real for them and use it toward their goals. 

You’ll want to bring them into the situations they encounter. Begin with a general sample of a setting they may be exposed to that includes fixed content and dialogue. For business or marketplace English clients that could be anything like job interviews, meetings, presentations, socializing, negotiating, and the like. The idea here is to warm them up to the language they’ll be using.

5. Help Them See Their Improvements

Business people are used to seeing results, so they look for results. They need to measure progress and know their investments are paying off. If they can see their improvements, you will likely make long-term and or satisfied customers. Simply telling them what they used to do and how it’s better now is a good place to start.

Final Thoughts

Remember, with business people, understanding them is the key to teaching them. If you know more about them, your lessons will be focused; they’ll have a purpose. Your lessons will be relevant and match them. Your speech will be courteous and model appropriate business language. Plus, your class members will feel as if they learned something. In the end, you’ll have satisfied clients.

END

__________

Author: Jerry S. [Updated from a previously written article.]

Author bio: Jerry is a marketplace English language trainer of 21 years and Senior TESOL Certificate Instructor affiliated with Midwest Education Group, with a wide range of experience and education ranging from bachelor to doctorate degrees in various fields, who writes articles, blogs, ESL e-learning materials, academic papers, and more.

Photo by Adeolu Eletu on Unsplash

Dr Smith TESOL Tip 3

 

Shifting TESOL Perspectives in a Business Environment

Regardless of the acronym we use to describe the field we work in (TESOL, TEFL, TESL, …), it is, in essence, helping people achieve their English language goals—whatever form that may take. 

For some people we meet, it is to do well on an English proficiency test, so that they may study or work abroad. For others, it is to be able to do their jobs more efficiently. And still, for others, it is to simply be able to participate in the world of English language in the form of Hollywood movies, chatting with other English speakers, or simply as a way of learning about different cultures. Whatever the case, people come to us for help with their language goals, and pay for that help. 

In that respect, they are more than students—they are our customers. As customers, do they encounter a teacher who views her role as being the authority in class; a teacher who feels it is the ultimate goal of each class to finish the lesson; to focus on the procedural aspects of getting through the lesson, instead of the learner’s needs? A teacher who simply tells the learner what is right and wrong, black and white? Or, do our customers encounter a teacher who sees themselves as someone helping another achieve their English language goals?

We can view English language teaching from the three perspectives discussed below. 

Teacher Over Student

Figure 1 represents three perspectives on teaching. The first perspective views class members as simply students under my authority; students should listen to me and follow the lesson that I have been given to present. This teacher teaches the lesson as it is presented without deviation. 

Teacher to Learners

The second perspective views class members as learners who should learn English a certain way—the way I think they need to. And why not—I have studied and learned teaching methods, and the learner should follow my lead as I know what is best. 

Facilitator and People 

The third perspective views class members as people … people with human goals who are seeking the help of a professional to help achieve those goals. As such, this teacher collaborates and works with a customer, and adjusts the lesson to fit their needs. This teacher uses lessons as opportunities to assist people in meeting their goals. 

That being the case, we ought to exercise courtesy. Instead of teachers saying, tell me..., listen to..., look here..., say it like this..., you must..., and the like, we could say, can you tell me..., let’s listen to..., let’s look here..., you could also say it like this..., you may want to..., and the like. But that's another article. 

Think About It

A change in perspectives works for all of us. Rather than view class members as students only (which tends to have stereotypical connotations), we can view them as people with needs, as customers we serve, as fellow humans with personal goals. 

Remember, to facilitate rather than dominate, we want to establish a connection before expecting perfection from our students in a business environment. 

_______________

Author: Jerry S. 

Author bio: Jerry is a marketplace English language trainer of 21 years and Senior TESOL Certificate Instructor affiliated with Midwest Education Group, with a wide range of experience and education ranging from bachelor to doctorate degrees in various fields, who writes articles, blogs, ESL e-learning materials, academic papers, and more. 

Image created by author

Dr Smith TESOL Tip 1

 

Should Free-Talking Lessons Be the Norm?

 

Free-Talking Lessons vs. Focused Conversation Lessons. Image by author.

Free-talking lessons have their place, but should they be the norm? As much as possible, we should be guiding our learner-customers into what will help them most, not what is easiest to do. 

Over the course of my career as an English language teacher both independently and on various platforms, I’ve noticed teachers offering free-talking lessons increasing with greater frequency. 

As I dig into the history of each of my students, I often observe a commonality—that lessons often become free conversations. But I wonder how much of that is by student request, and how much of that is actually teacher prompted.  

I ask this because I’ve routinely encountered confused students in my classes who equate ESL conversation classes with free talking. Learners seem to be unaware that free talking may not be the best strategy for their English skills development. And they often comment that their teachers don’t usually get into regular lessons—apparently ignoring focused lessons in favor of free talking.

We Are the Professionals

As English language teachers, we’re professionals. Our students enroll in classes seeking help achieving their English language goals. That means, just like doctors treating patients and lawyers counseling clients, we guide learners into best practices to achieve sufficient English language acquisition to meet their goals. But, constant free-talking lessons may not be best practice.  

It’s safe to say that students enroll in English classes with the idea that they’ll have English “lessons.” As such, they can reasonably expect that you or the company you're with provides lesson materials that guide learners from BEG (A1) levels to ADV (C2). 

And, if we as teachers, follow that flow, we can provide specific goals for our students along with step-by-step progression. However, if we routinely offer free conversations while dismissing quality lessons for free talking, what does that say about our materials?

Focused Lessons Provide Structure

The image above (taken from a screenshot of an actual lesson where I addressed this subject) offers a visual on what follows. 

Targeted lessons and materials are often created by professional teachers or people who have backgrounds in the field of learning materials development. Therefore, these lessons typically focus on specific language topics and goals. 

Free conversation classes do not. They are exercises in randomness; that is, they’re more or less spent talking about nothing or about everything, but rarely about something—that is, there’s no language target. So, by the end of the class, what goal has been reached for the student to look back and say, “I’ve accomplished this today”?

Parts of a Whole

What many students need is structure. They need to build their vocabulary, expression, and understanding of grammar in specific areas. As they do it in one class, they build on it in another. That’s why we say language learning takes time. There aren’t any shortcuts. 

Language points are built upon language points until the language is acquired. In time, and after a number of lessons, they’ve built a foundation of skills that can be integrated into other lessons, and from which they can branch into others. 

Finally, after enough regular topical or focuses lessons, they will have built their skills sufficiently for the level they’re in and move on. They’ll be able to measure their progress and enroll in more lessons to achieve more advanced goals—it’s win-win for them and you!

Imagine for example, if a student repeatedly talks about the subject of travel in several free-talking lessons, they’ll have become fluent talking about travel, but what about any other area? How will they improve if they aren’t challenged outside of their comfort zones? 

Something to Consider

The beauty of focused lessons and targeted lesson materials is that in the hands of capable teachers, they can be utilized both communicatively and structurally to help learners improve. 

At the very least, if a student understands the merits of regular lessons, yet still chooses free talking, perhaps they could be guided to request specific topics. In that way, there would be something to talk about, focus on, and build on.

__________

Author: Jerry S. 

Author bio: Jerry is a marketplace English language trainer of 21 years and Senior TESOL Certificate Instructor affiliated with Midwest Education Group, with a wide range of experience and education ranging from bachelor to doctorate degrees in various fields, who writes articles, blogs, ESL e-learning materials, academic papers, and more. 

Image created by author.  

Are You Teaching English As a Subject or a Language?

Are You Teaching English as a Subject or As a Language?

If you’re an ESL, EFL, or ESOL teacher, English is likely your first language or a strong second language. That means you probably studied English in primary and or secondary school. 

During those days, it may have been referred to as English class; more particularly, a subject class, much along the lines of other subjects such as math, science, and history classes.

In math class for example, you were taught:

• 1 + 1 = 2
• 2 x 2 = 4
• 24 ÷ 8 = 3
• 10 apples minus ½ = 5 apples

In science class, you were taught:

• Cells have a nucleus.
• Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius (at sea level).
• Mammals are warm-blooded creatures.

In history class:

• Alexander the Great was an exceptional military strategist.
• World War II began in 1939 and ended in 1945.
• NATO was formed in 1949.
• The Berlin wall came down in 1989.
• And the like.

Interestingly, in English class you were also taught a few facts:

• Basic parts of a sentence.
• Adjectives come before nouns.
• Prepositions have nouns as objects.
• The past tense is used to refer to an action that began and ended in the past.
• Etc.

There’s nothing wrong with learning facts; in fact (pun intended), we need rules to form the foundations of communication. But what often happens, is ESL teachers inadvertently bring this formal mindset to their classrooms—that English is a subject, instead of a language. 

The result is that instead of preparing students for life outside the classroom, we’re teaching them only academic points of the language. And you’ve probably encountered these types of learners. They can tell you much about English grammar, but when it comes to using English, they stumble or cannot express themselves.

That’s likely because they’ve been taught in terms of right and wrong, correct and incorrect language use and are too busy formulating “correct” sentences in their minds to be fluent. They’ve learned the "facts" of the structure of the language but haven’t been encouraged to use the language fluently. 

Instead, they’re drilled with the rules and pass tests instead of being shown the possibilities. English for them is more of a subject to be mastered than a language to be used. They must have picked that up from somewhere [smile].

Reflect on Your Practices

The following checks will help you determine if you treat your class as an English subject class or as a language class:

1. Do your class members sit in rows and receive your instruction?

2. Do you think in terms of correct or incorrect answers, mistakes, and errors?

3. Do learners pass or fail English language tests in your class?

4. Do your class members do well on tests and quizzes but cannot speak fluently?

5. Do you pounce on learners’ “errors” even while they’re speaking?

6. Do you often teach the “proper” way of saying things?

7. Do you use such expressions as, “you must say it like this,” “you mustn’t say it like that,” or “that’s not the proper way to say it,” etc.?

If these points ring true or sound familiar to you, it’s quite possible you’re treating your classes as English subject classes. As a result, your class members are learning about English but not necessarily learning to use English. 

To treat your ESL class as a language class, try the following ideas to sort of recondition your thinking:

1. Try viewing English as a language for communication.

2. Realize that there are multiple ways to express the same message (e.g., the elevator is on your right, the elevator is to your right, the elevator is on the right side, the elevator is on your right hand side, etc.).

3. Give your class members more opportunities to use English than to learn about it.

4. Try speaking in terms of, “I understood what you said quite well, but you can also say it like this.”

5. Offer ESL learners multiple options for how something can be expressed.

6. Seek to understand what a learner is saying and help them express it on their terms instead of what you think they should say.

7. Remember, when you treat English as a formal academic subject, your learners will too—they’ll clam up so as not to give the wrong answers. So, try creating an environment where expression is welcomed and feedback is provided in a gentle manner.

8. Show learners that even native speakers don’t use English perfectly. In fact, is there a perfect English?

If this already sounds like you, congratulations! You’re working with your class members toward them being able to use English.

Final Thoughts

We must remember that many, if not most of the people we teach need to use English to accomplish a goal. That goal could be anything from getting a good score on an English proficiency test, studying in an English-speaking country, working abroad, career advancement, professional development, business expansion, chatting with new friends in other countries, or even something as simple as wanting to enjoy Hollywood movies. 

Whatever their reasons, they need to be able to use English outside of our classrooms. That means, we need to prepare them for those times. The question is, are we?

If you put these ideas into practice, in time, you’ll find that you’ve transitioned from teaching English subject classes to English language classes. You may discover that your class members are becoming more confident and capable of expressing themselves.

Share your experience either as a student in an English subject class or teaching ESL classes.

END

This is an update of a blog post I wrote for OnTESOL several years ago. 

_____

Author: Jerry S. 

Author Bio: Jerry is a marketplace English language trainer of 21 years, with a wide range of experience and education ranging from bachelor to doctorate degrees in various fields, who writes articles, blogs, devotions, e-books, academic papers, and more. 

Photo by Sam Balye on Unsplash.

Helping Unmotivated Students Improve Their English Skills

Helping Unmotivated Students Improve Their English Skills

Question: How do you handle students that are unmotivated to improve their English? How do you reach someone that is only taking classes because their job demands it?

In my opinion, we shouldn't have to "reach" students. English language teachers are not typically social workers. Adult English language learners should be "adult" enough to understand that they are the ones who enrolled in English classes for their own purposes. Therefore, they should be meeting us halfway.

Many of our learners want to use English, not just learn or hear about it from teachers.

On the other hand, perhaps these customers are the victims of classroom experiences where the teacher simply focuses rigidly on the lesson. Many of our learners want to use English, not just learn or hear about it from teachers. 

As a result, they may become demotivated in this type of learning environment and think every English class and every English teacher is the same. I’ve encountered this far too many times. 

A third reason is that some teachers may overcorrect their students. As a result, these students feel they can’t say anything right, and just remain quiet, giving little effort.

That said, when I encounter customers with this lack of motivation (and it is fairly often), I look for their interests. I try to find something practical to talk about whether it’s branching off from their introduction or asking about their interests. 

... adult ESL learners may actually be interested in the lesson topic rather than free-talking.

And perhaps to the surprise of some teachers reading this, adult ESL learners may actually be interested in the lesson topic rather than free-talking. So that may be another demotivator as well.

But it doesn’t stop there. Language learners must be allowed to respond. As ESL teachers, we need to find ways to provide non-disruptive, discreet feedback. I often use the chat feature in classrooms or other meeting software to accomplish this. 

Instead of interrupting students while they speak, I type feedback in the chat. That permits them to continue speaking while seeing where they can make improvements (even incorporate it into their responses).

There are more things we can do such as ... 

(1) simply being quiet enough to let learners speak, 

(2) politely encouraging them to answer questions with more detail, and 

(3) challenging them to give more information in their answers by telling them that it offers them more opportunities to practice using the language while the teacher can give them feedback (i.e., the more they speak, the more feedback we can provide to help them improve), and so on. 

But that's another answer. 

END

__________

Author: Jerry S. 

Author bio: Jerry is a marketplace English language trainer of 21 years and Senior TESOL Certificate Instructor affiliated with Midwest Education Group, with a wide range of experience and education ranging from bachelor to doctorate degrees in various fields, who writes articles, blogs, ESL e-learning materials, academic papers, and more. 

Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

5 Reasons Why the 70-30 Rule Is Still Needed in 2024 

There is a long-standing guide known as the 70-30 rule that many veteran ESL teachers are aware of. If you need a refresher, check out more below. 

The 70-30 rule is the ratio of student talk time (STT) to teacher talk time (TTT). Total class talk time during one ESL conversation class period can be anywhere from 60 minutes, to 50, to 45, 30, 20, etc.. 

The class time represents 100% of the potential opportunities to speak by English language learners and English language teachers. The 70-30 rule states that 70% of the lesson talk time should be student talk time. The remaining 30 percent should be teacher talk time. 

Seventy-thirty provides a formula for monitoring who might be speaking more in ESL conversation classrooms. Ideally, the learners are afforded more opportunities to use the language and gain confidence while allowing teachers to provide more feedback. And it is an effective method for gauging yourself as a teacher.

Although the 70-30 rule isn't a hard and fast mandate in the TESOL industry, where measurements need to be made, it is a good rule of thumb that can help teachers manage their conversation classes. However, there are some teachers that believe it is an archaic concept. What follows are five reasons why the 70-30 rule is still needed in ESL classrooms. 

1. More Opportunities for Feedback

The more learners talk, the more feedback you as a teacher can provide, the more you can focus on their needs. A class dominated by the teacher’s voice offers very little in giving students real feedback. And it is feedback that matters. 

Students need to know more about how they can improve instead of learning more about the language. When a teacher talks beyond 30, the tendency is to talk about unimportant matters. The 70-30 rule gives students more possibilities to receive relevant feedback for their specific needs. 

2. It Limits the Amount of ‘Teaching’ Teachers Do

Keeping talk time to 30 inhibits excessive teaching on the part of the teacher. Human minds can only receive a certain amount of information in one sitting. Because of that, a 70-30 rule prevents teachers from overwhelming students with ‘information.’ Teachers who speak more than that tend to overtalk points.

English language teachers sometimes add more than is necessary for the target language of the immediate lesson. So instead of being allowed to exercise the target points, they have been given, students listen to more than they need to. 

As a result, they lose time using English. The 70-30 rule pushes teachers to focus on the important issues—the areas that need improvement. And it allows students more opportunities to use the language. 

3. The 70-30 Rule Promotes Fluency

Like practicing the hula-hoop, the more you do it, the more proficient you become. The 70-30 rule invites students to not only speak more, but it also gives them opportunities to develop fluency. By restraining ESL teachers from much speaking, learners are gently encouraged to add more information in their answers.

When language learners are prompted to speak further, they must access more vocabulary and structure. This in turn helps build more ability to use the language in a fluid manner. When learners are afforded ample amounts of time to practice the language, they gain the confidence that leads to improved fluency. The 70-30 rule can be thought of as a teaching aid in that respect. 

4. More Satisfied Students 

One of the biggest complaints I have heard over the years is when students say the teacher talks too much. And in many cases, it's true. Another complaint I hear is students saying that their teacher never gives them opportunities to speak. In fact, most ESL student complaints involve something to do with speaking. They feel that they never have a chance to speak.

Teachers must be aware that they are not just teaching students but managing customers.

Why? Because the teacher has ignored the 70-30 rule. Teachers must be aware that they are not just teaching students but managing customers. As such, he/she must be concerned about what the student not only needs but wants. And they want to be able to talk when they pay for a class. They want to maximize their investments. By giving people what they pay for, the 70-30 rule helps teachers improve student satisfaction. 

5. Why Not Let Students Talk More? 

The class is not about you the teacher, but about the learners. Since the class is for them, it just makes sense to give them more opportunities to speak. They may want to share their answers to questions. They may want to share their life experiences. They may want to express their opinions about a matter.

Whatever they want to share, it is their time to do so. They paid for it. The ESL classroom is not a platform for teachers to share their opinions, thoughts, experiences, or ideas. That belongs to students. 

It may be difficult at times for teachers to remain quiet when they have an opinion about something that comes up in class. It takes practice—believe me, I know. But it's better to deflect the response to class members, giving them opportunities to interact with each other. 

Remember, your role as a teacher is to support not oppress; to facilitate not dominate. 

If it is a one-on-one class, the 70-30 rule ensures that the teacher’s opinions are kept to a minimum. Share just enough to provide an example of how a student can respond, but don't take center stage. Remember, your role as a teacher is to support not oppress; to facilitate not dominate. 

6. What About Low-Level Learners? 

One argument I hear against the 70-30 rule is that the teachers ‘must’ speak more in lower-level classrooms. But is that true? The teacher may feel he/she needs to talk more. But it just means lower-level learners need more time, encouragement, and structure to produce their thoughts.

They need more patience—i.e., there will be more need for silence, not more need for teacher talk (TTT) to fill the silence. Some teachers are uncomfortable with silence. However, silence is a necessary part of language development as language learners take time to think about their responses. If an ESL teacher must speak, perhaps he/she could give a brief example answer or gentle prompting.

Conclusion

The 70-30 rule is a necessary component in conversation lessons. It gives teachers more opportunities to give feedback and students more feedback. 

It keeps the teaching to the bare necessities. The 70-30 rule promotes fluency by allowing students more time to speak. It helps ensure a more satisfied customer. And it just makes sense to let English language learners speak more.

Even at lower levels, students can be afforded the courtesy of 70-30 by giving them the time to create statements in their minds then produce them without interruption. The 70-30 rule is useful, it works, and is still needed today.

END

This is an update of a blog post I wrote for ontesol several years ago. 

_____

Author: Jerry S. 

Author Bio: Jerry is a marketplace English language trainer of 21 years, with a wide range of experience and education ranging from bachelor to doctorate degrees in various fields, who writes articles, blogs, devotions, e-books, academic papers, and more. 

Photo by Sam Balye on Unsplash.