Questioning and classroom talk
In many English lessons the teacher talks most, and a few confident children answer. Yet children learn a language by using it. A handful of small habits in how you ask questions and organise talk can change who speaks, how much, and how well.
The short version
- Evidence
- Oral language approaches add +6 months' progress on average, at very low cost, on extensive evidence (EEF Toolkit).
- Biggest change
- Pause after every question, let pairs talk first, then choose who answers. Every child prepares an answer.
- Structure
- Agree talk rules, give roles in groups, and put sentence stems on the board.
Why talk matters in English lessons
For children learning English, speaking is both the goal and the way they get there. Talking through an idea before writing it makes writing better. Explaining an answer to a partner shows you, and them, what they really understand. And talk is free: it needs no books, screens or printing.
Voice 21 and Oracy Cambridge describe good talk in four strands: physical (voice, body language), linguistic (vocabulary, grammar, register), cognitive (content, reasoning, building on others) and social and emotional (listening, turn-taking, confidence). It is a useful checklist when you plan a speaking task: which strand are you teaching today?
What the evidence says
- The EEF Toolkit rates oral language interventions at +6 months on average, with similar effects across age groups. Most studies aimed to improve reading, through vocabulary, structured questioning about texts and purposeful dialogue.
- An EEF-funded trial of dialogic teaching (2017) found two months' additional progress in English and science, as summarised by Voice 21.
- Rosenshine's principles of instruction include "ask a large number of questions and check the responses of all students".
Honest note: most of this research is from classrooms where English is the first language. For EFL learners the principle holds (more meaningful talk, more learning), but children need more language support, such as models, stems and rehearsal, to talk well.
Better questions
| Type | Example | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Closed recall | "What colour is the bird?" | Quick checks and confidence. Fine, but not all the time. |
| Open | "What do you notice about the bird?" | Many possible answers, so more children can answer. |
| Reasoning | "Why do you think the bird left?" | Longer answers with "because". |
| Building on | "Do you agree with Sam? Can you add to it?" | Children listen to each other, not only to you. |
| Probing | "How do you know? Can you show me in the text?" | Pushing a first answer further. |
Who answers, and how
- Wait time. After a question, pause and count silently to five before taking any answer. More children get to think, and answers get longer.
- Think, pair, share. Think alone, tell a partner, then share. Every child has said the answer once.
- No hands up for thinking questions. Choose with name sticks or cards, so everyone prepares. Keep hands up for children's own questions.
- Say it again, better. "Good. Now say it as a full sentence," or "Say it again with 'because'."
- Bounce, do not judge. Instead of "Right!", ask another child: "What do you think of that answer?"
- Phone a friend for children who are stuck, but they must repeat the answer afterwards.
Talk rules and roles
Agree three or four talk rules with the class and keep them on the wall: one voice at a time; look at the speaker; build on or challenge ideas kindly; everyone speaks once before anyone speaks twice.
For group talk, give roles that rotate each week:
- Starter: reads the question and speaks first.
- Questioner: asks "Why?" and "Can you say more?".
- Includer: makes sure everyone speaks.
- Reporter: tells the class what the group decided.
Sentence stems to put on the board
| To... | Stems |
|---|---|
| Give an idea | I think... because... / In my opinion... |
| Agree | I agree with ... because... / Yes, and also... |
| Disagree kindly | I see what you mean, but... / I'm not sure, because... |
| Ask | Why do you think...? / Can you say more about...? |
| Check | Do you mean...? / Can you say that again, please? |
| Sum up | We decided that... / Most of us think... |
Try it tomorrow: "Would you rather?" talk lesson (40 minutes)
Level: A1 to A2, ages 8 to 12. You need: the board, stems from above. Goal: every child gives an opinion with a reason and responds to someone else.
| Minutes | Stage | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 5 | Rules | Agree or revisit three talk rules. Put "I'd rather... because..." and the agree / disagree stems on the board. |
| 5 to 12 | Model | "Would you rather fly or be invisible?" You answer with a reason. A child agrees or disagrees using a stem. Drill the stems chorally. |
| 12 to 25 | Pairs | Four questions on the board (live in the sea or the sky, be a cat or a dog...). Pairs take turns: answer with a reason, partner responds with a stem. Wait time: 5 seconds to think before each answer. |
| 25 to 35 | Fours | Two pairs join. Roles: starter, questioner, includer, reporter. Agree on one question the group finds hardest and why. |
| 35 to 40 | Report and reflect | Reporters share. Class votes with thumbs: which talk rule did we keep best today? |
Frequently asked questions
What is oracy?
The ability to speak and listen well. Voice 21 and Oracy Cambridge describe it in four strands: physical, linguistic, cognitive, and social and emotional.
How long should wait time be?
A few seconds of silence after a question is enough to see more hands and longer answers. Counting to five in your head is a simple habit.
Is "no hands up" unfair to shy children?
Not if they always talk to a partner first, so they have a rehearsed answer before you choose them.
How do I stop pair work becoming noise?
Give a clear question, a short time limit, stems on the board, and a silent signal to stop. Listen in to two pairs each time.
Does classroom talk really improve results?
The EEF estimates +6 months on average for oral language approaches, based on extensive evidence, mostly measured through reading.
Speaking built into every week
Every week of our free Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 programmes includes planned pair and group talk. Litlings adds class tracking, free for up to 40 pupils.
Try Litlings freeRelated
- Oral language interventions (EEF Teaching and Learning Toolkit)
- Oracy across the curriculum: the evidence (Voice 21)
- What is oracy? and the Oracy Framework download (Voice 21; framework devised with Oracy Cambridge)
- Principles of Instruction (Barak Rosenshine, American Educator, 2012, PDF)