Getting quiet students to speak English

Lower the stakes

Speaking alone, in front of the whole class, with the teacher waiting, is the most stressful situation possible. Build up to it instead:

1. Choral: everyone says it together. Nobody stands out.
2. Groups or rows: half the class answers the other half.
3. Pairs: one partner, one listener, no audience.
4. Small groups: three or four classmates.
5. Individual, by choice: volunteers speak to the class.

Most of a lesson's speaking should happen in the first four steps. By the time you ask for volunteers, students have already said the sentence many times.

Give them something to say

Open questions like "What did you do on the weekend?" can freeze a beginner. Provide a model and a frame: "I went to the ___ . It was ___ ." Put the frame on the board, with picture choices underneath. Students only have to choose, not invent.

Give them time

• Wait time: after asking a question, wait at least five seconds before taking an answer. It feels long; it works.
• Think-pair-share: think alone for 30 seconds, tell a partner, then share with the class. Students are rehearsed before anyone speaks publicly.
• Rehearse with a buddy: let pairs practise an answer before you call on anyone.

Make the reason to speak bigger than the fear

Games change the goal from "say English correctly" to "win the round". A student who would never volunteer an answer will shout it to help their team. Information-gap activities, where each partner has information the other needs, create a genuine reason to ask and answer.

Respond to meaning first

When a quiet student finally speaks, respond to what they said before how they said it. If they say "I go park yesterday", reply "Oh, you went to the park yesterday? Nice!" You have modelled the correct form without a correction, and the student learns that speaking is rewarded.

Random selection, done kindly

A random name picker feels fairer than the teacher choosing, and keeps everyone alert. Make it safe: let the chosen student "phone a friend" from their team, choose from two options, or answer a question they have already practised with a partner.

Tip: Track who has spoken. Over a few lessons, make sure every student has had at least one low-pressure chance to speak, especially the ones who never volunteer.