Teacher Talk Time (TTT)
Teacher Talk Time (TTT)
The aforementioned Teacher Talk Time (TTT) is the time spent by the teacher to explain something in the classroom as opposed to the time the students are free engaging in dialogue or activities. A good balance of TTT is important because too much teacher talking could result in the students being less active and not realizing their full potential in language learning, while the right amount lets them be more involved in the learning process and interact with each other.
What is the ideal Teacher Talk Time in a classroom?
The suitable Teacher Talk Time is different in every classroom environment, although sometimes the teachers are advised to spend only 30% to 40% of the time of the lesson for TTT. The students should take up the rest of the time around 60% to 70%. For instance, if there are 60 minutes in a class, the teachers should primarily spend 18-24 minutes talking and these will be the lessons that include a promotion of the student-centered activities that enhance learning.
How does excessive Teacher Talk Time affect student learning?
Too much Teacher Talk Time can promote passive learning which students lose the interest and participate less actively. For example, if a teacher presents a lecture most of the time with no interaction from the students, it can lead to the following: students remember less information, lack motivation, and miss opportunities to practise language skills or critical thinking.
What strategies can teachers use to reduce Teacher Talk Time?
A teacher can easily cut TTT by using different techniques such as open-ended questions, collaboration among students, and student-led discussions. For instance, instead of a long explanation, the teacher could ask a question that triggers students to solve it together and then, as a result, makes the class a more engaging one.
How can teachers assess their own Teacher Talk Time?
In the beginning, teachers can prove their TTT by recording their classes and checking whether the time of speech given by them or students' interaction rate is higher. Also, using time-tracking tools or peer observations can provide inputs. For example, after having had a lesson, a teacher can look at the recording and measure the time of his/her speech as compared to the time students devoted to discussions or other activities thus getting the possibility to change their style of teaching.