Teaching Speaking

Hello! I completely agree — Think-Pair-Share works wonderfully. It creates a safe space, builds confidence, and encourages active listening. Personalised tasks are key as well: when the topic relates to students’ own lives, they speak more willingly and naturally.

Hello, Polina and everybody! The best strategy for encouraging reluctant speakers in my experience is Think-Pair-Share mode when we let the learners speak to their friends, so they fell more safe and confident. Then I ask one student from each pair to tell about their partner`s ideas and this gives them the reason for active listening. But the important point for the tasks is personalization, because students should be interested in the topic and thus willing to speak out

I usually start with very simple, low-pressure tasks. For example, I let students practise in pairs before speaking in front of the whole class. This gives them time to prepare and feel more comfortable. I also use sentence starters and speaking frames, so they don’t feel “lost for words.” Sometimes I let them record their answers on their phones first — it feels safer than speaking live.

I used mixed-ability group work, rotating roles, and low-pressure speaking tasks to help reluctant students feel more comfortable. Activities such as information-gap tasks, think-pair-share, and guided role cards allowed them to speak in small steps without fear of making mistakes. I also gave positive, specific feedback to reinforce their progress.

Dear colleagues,Let's focus on one of the most important — and sometimes most challenging — aspects of teaching speaking: helping shy or low-confidence students find their voice in English.Let’s share our experiences and ideas:

• What strategies have you used to encourage reluctant speakers?
• How do you create a safe and supportive classroom atmosphere?
• What small changes have made a big difference in your students’ confidence?

Your insights can inspire others and help us all build more communicative classrooms.Looking forward to your thoughts and experiences!