Reducing TTTOnline version The rationale behind the importance of decreasing our tutor talking time. by Gabriela Berto 1 What’s TTT? 2 Why do we need to reduce TTT? 3 How do we reduce TTT? 4 How will less TTT improve my classes? TTT refers to the amount of class time the teacher spends speaking to the class, either as part of a lecture or in discussions. Tutor Talking Time Excessive TTT limits the amount of STT (student talking time). Student under-involvement inevitably leads to loss of concentration, boredom and reduced learning. TTT often means that the teacher is giving the students information that they could be finding out for themselves. Student autonomy is limited. Too much TTT can make your class boring. Using elicitation rather than explanation. Instructions should be kept simple, while explanations need to be carefully worded and repeated if necessary rather than paraphrased. Simple concept questions should be asked to check understanding. The use of body language, mime, gestures and facial expressions rather than words. The position of the teacher in the classroom can also indicate to the students what is expected of them at a particular stage of the lesson. Getting students to give feedback on tasks to each other rather than to the teacher. This is often done in pairs, but answers can also be checked against a key. Organising activities as pair/group work means that all the students have the chance to work on the topic and share experiences. When students are able to freely express their opinions in a class, they’re more satisfied with the outcome. While your students are talking more during classroom activities, you’ll have the opportunity to make more corrections that they can learn from. They’ll get used to making mistakes and being okay with that. This means that they’ll be even more receptive to hearing those corrections and picking up what they need to do in the future.
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