What are talk partners?
Talking partners, also known as talk partners, are a collaborative learning strategy where students are paired up to discuss their thoughts and ideas on a particular topic or question. This approach encourages active participation and helps to develop speaking and listening skills in a structured manner. By regularly rotating partners, students get the opportunity to work with different classmates, fostering a more inclusive and supportive classroom environment.
Benefits of using talk partners
- Enhanced communication skills. Talk partners help students to articulate their thoughts clearly and listen actively to their peers. This practice gradually improves their verbal communication skills, which are essential for academic success and personal development.
- Increased engagement. When students are given the chance to discuss their ideas with a partner, they often become more engaged in the lesson. This increased engagement can lead to a deeper understanding of the material and greater retention of information.
- Confidence building. For students who are shy or reluctant to speak in front of the whole class, talk partners provide a safer and less intimidating platform to express their ideas. This can significantly boost their confidence over time.
- Peer learning. Talk partners promote peer learning by allowing students to share different perspectives and solutions. This collaborative approach can lead to a richer learning experience as students learn from each other.
Challenges you might face
- Off-task behaviour. One of the common challenges is that students may go off-topic during discussions. To mitigate this, set clear expectations and provide specific questions or prompts to guide the conversation. Regularly monitor pairs and provide feedback to keep them focused.
- Unequal participation. Sometimes, one partner may dominate the conversation while the other remains passive. Encourage equal participation by implementing strategies such as the ‘talking toke’ method, where each student must contribute a certain number of times before the discussion ends.
- Varied abilities. Pairing students with different abilities can be challenging. However, this can be turned into an advantage by using mixed-ability pairs to foster peer tutoring. Ensure that higher-ability students are coached on how to support their peers effectively without taking over the discussion.
Examples of good listening and speaking skills
Instructions for good listeners
- Active listening: Show interest in your partner's ideas by nodding and maintaining eye contact.
- Paraphrasing: Repeat what your partner has said in your own words to confirm you understand.
- Asking questions: Ask questions to clarify or learn more about what your partner is saying.
Instructions for effective speakers
- Clear articulation: Speak clearly and at a pace that your partner can understand.
- Staying on topic: Keep your discussion relevant to the question or prompt.
- Respectful communication: Express your ideas respectfully and do not interrupt your partner.
How to use the talk partner approach in lessons
Introduction
Begin by explaining the concept and benefits of talking partners to your students. Set clear expectations for behaviour and participation.
Pairing students
Rotate pairs regularly to ensure students interact with different classmates. Consider using a random pairing method to keep the process fair.
Providing prompts
Give specific prompts or questions to guide the discussions. This helps to keep students focused and ensures that the conversations are meaningful.
Monitoring and feedback
Circulate the classroom to monitor discussions and provide immediate feedback. Highlight examples of good practice to reinforce positive behaviours.
Reflection
After the discussion, take time for reflection. Ask students to share what they learned from their partner and how the conversation helped them understand the topic better.
Dos and don'ts of giving feedback to talk partners
Dos:
- Do be specific. Provide clear examples of what the students did well. For instance, "I noticed you were actively listening by nodding and making eye contact with your partner."
- Do be positive. Highlight positive behaviours first to build confidence before suggesting areas for improvement. For example, "You did a great job staying on topic. Next time, try to ask more questions to understand your partner's perspective better."
- Do encourage reflection. Ask students to reflect on their performance and identify what they think they did well and what they could improve. This promotes self-awareness and personal growth.
- Do offer constructive suggestions. Provide actionable advice on how students can improve. For example, "Try to speak a bit more slowly so your partner can follow your ideas better."
Don'ts:
- Don't be vague. Avoid general comments like "Good job" or "Try harder" which don’t provide clear guidance on what they did well or how to improve.
- Don't focus only on the negative. Ensure that feedback is balanced. Criticism without positive reinforcement can demotivate students and hinder their progress.
- Don't interrupt. Allow students to finish their thoughts before giving feedback. This shows respect and models good listening behaviour.
- Don't compare students. Avoid comparing one student’s performance to another’s. Focus on individual progress and improvement to foster a supportive learning environment.
