Every teacher has a student who talks during class. It’s hard to know how to deal with this problem because it can be so different for every person. There are many ways you can discipline the talkative student, but they all depend on your personality and what type of classroom environment you want to create. Some teachers yell at the students or give them detention while others may try not talking back or ignoring them until they stop talking. These are just some ideas that might work in certain classrooms, but there is no one way to handle all cases of talkative students. Every teacher needs to figure out what works best for their own style and the culture they want in their classroom!
What Are the Causes of Talkativeness of Students?
Talkativeness in the classroom can be a serious problem for teachers, especially if it is constantly happening or happening all the time throughout the school year. Knowing its cause can help them handle this behavior more effectively.
There are many reasons why students might be talkative when their teachers are trying to teach them. Here is a list of 12 possible causes for this behavior.
1. Students may not be mature enough to handle instructions given in class or understand what they mean. Some may lack the skills to pay attention in class and focus, while others might be more interested in socializing with their peers than paying attention to the lesson.
2. Some students might not know how to listen carefully, asking questions only when they do not understand something instead of trying to make sense of it first on their own. They might want instructions given more clearly or slowly, asking the teacher to repeat themselves if they do not hear them or do not understand what they said.
3. Some students might be bored by the class and try to get attention from other students in the room instead of paying attention to their teacher’s instructions.
4. There can also be a lack of motivation for some students, especially if they find the subject uninteresting or feel that their efforts will not lead them to good grades.
5. The classroom atmosphere might not be very conducive to learning and students can feel left out or ignored by other students at times. Some students might want the teacher’s attention constantly.
6. The student’s family background might also play a role. Some students act this way because it is what they are used to at home. This might be due to the behavior of their parents or siblings, especially if one or both were talkative as well.
7. Students may feel uncomfortable with their teacher and choose socializing instead of listening to their instructions. This happens when they do not like their teacher or trust that they will treat them fairly.
8. Some parents might also be the root of the problem, trying to micromanage their child’s schoolwork and putting too much pressure on them.
9. Students might not want to disappoint themselves or feel ashamed in front of their peers or teacher for not understanding something or doing poorly.
10. Some students might think that the class they are in is too easy and might seem talkative to make it seem like they are struggling, even if they understand everything perfectly well. They might also want to be challenged more by the subject matter or do better than other students.
11. Sometimes students struggle with behavioral problems such as ADHD that lead them to talkative behavior. They may not be able to control their impulses and behavior, changing the subject constantly or talking about something else without focusing on what is happening in class.
12. Finally, some students might be unaware of how their behavior is affecting the classroom atmosphere and the teacher’s ability to teach. They may not know what they are doing wrong or feel that their teachers are nitpicking at their behavior, annoyed by their constant talking without thinking about how it disturbs other students in the class.
How Does Students’ Talkativeness Affect Classroom Management?
All teachers will agree that it is important to make sure their students are focused on the classroom. For some, this can be a bit more of a challenge than others. Children who are talkative by nature present an additional problem for instructors. Here is information about the ways that students’ talkativeness affects classroom management.
1. They can be a distraction to their classmates.
2. Their talking may cause the teacher to lose control of the classroom environment.
3. The students do not pay attention while they are shifting from one activity to another.
4. Their talking represents an interruption in a lesson or activity.
5. Their talking can make it more difficult for the teacher to teach students who are not talkative.
6. They may contribute to their classmates’ distraction or loss of focus on an activity or lesson.
7. The teacher will have less time to work with quiet students if he/she spends time dealing with talkative students.
8. It can be difficult to remind a talkative student when they forget to raise their hand before speaking in class.
9. Teachers must remember that talkative children typically have many great ideas and thoughts that should be shared in the classroom setting.
10. Children who are talkative tend to have more energy, which they need to release in order for them to be able to follow directions.
All students are not quiet by nature. Having some students who are talkative can be a challenge for many teachers. However, there can be benefits in having children who are talkative in the classroom. They can make the class more interesting; they can share their ideas with the rest of the students in the class, and it is often easier to redirect them than children who are less talkative.
How To Avoid Talkativeness in Your Class?
One of the biggest challenges for a teacher is to avoid talkativeness and maintain an engaging and effective classroom. Gone are those days when teachers had more than 40 students in their class. Now, it’s common that there will be around 25 – 30 students in one class. This means that you have a lesser number of students who can listen attentively to what you are saying.
So, here are some strategies that can help teachers avoid talkativeness in their class.
1. Read Out Loud Class Material from The Board Instead of Copying It Down
One of the most effective ways to avoid talkativeness is by reading out loud all the material from the board instead of copying it down. It is an engaging and enjoyable task for students if everything is read out loud from the board rather than copying it down.
2. Use Visuals Instead of Charts and Tables
If your class material consists of charts, tables, or any other type of visuals that you want to discuss with your audience then avoid writing them on the whiteboard and instead use visuals such as PowerPoint.
3. Use Story Telling Technique to Avoid Talkativeness
The storytelling technique is a great way to avoid talkativeness in the class. In this technique, questions are asked about the story that makes students speak up. This will help you as a teacher to know whether students’ attention towards your teaching is decreasing or not.
4. Make Use of Audio Recordings in The Classroom
Audio recording of your teaching in the class will help you to know how effective your teaching was and whether students were listening to you carefully or not. If there are any points that need improvement, then you can focus on those areas for a better result.
5. Use Group Work in The Classroom
Group work is one of the most effective ways to avoid talkativeness in the classroom. It will not only help students to interact with each other but also prepare them for the job market once they complete their courses and get a good job.
6. Ask Questions from Students Often to Avoid Talkativeness
You can avoid talkativeness in your class by asking questions from students often. This will help you as a teacher to know whether students’ attention towards your teaching is decreasing or not.
7. Use Video Recordings of Your Class to Know Which Strategies Worked the Best And Which Didn’t
Video recording of your classroom discussion and activities will help you to know which strategies worked the best and which didn’t. You can make use of these video recordings during your next class.
8. Set A Rule for No Interruptions in The Class
One of the most effective ways to avoid talkativeness is by setting a rule that there won’t be any interruptions in the class. This rule will focus students on your teaching rather than making them speak about something else.
9. Make Use of Brainstorming Activities in The Classroom
Brainstorming is one of the most effective ways to avoid talkativeness in the classroom. In this technique, class material is sent out and every student gets a chance to add their own point to it. This strategy will help you as a teacher know whether students’ attention towards your teaching is decreasing or not.
10. Use Games in The Classroom to Stimulate Your Students’ Attention
Using games in the classroom will not only stimulate your students but also prevent them from lack of attention. It is very common for students to get distracted when teachers are not interested in their teaching.
11. Don’t Make Negative Comments About Your Own Teaching in The Classroom
Don’t be critical of your own teaching when you are in front of students in the class. It will decrease the morale of your students and they might think that you don’t have much belief in your teaching skills.
12. Make Students Teach Other Students to Avoid Talkativeness
Teaching is one of the most powerful methods to avoid talkativeness in your class. If you make students teach other classmates, then it will help them to not only increase their confidence but also improve their speaking skills during teaching.
13. Avoid Visual Clues That Indicate You’re About to Teach an Uninteresting Concept
Visual clues will help students to know that you are about to teach an uninteresting concept. It will make them more distracted, and they might get into some other topic which will increase talkativeness in your class.
14. Make Use of a Timer in The Classroom
Using a timer in the classroom will help you as a teacher to know how long students can concentrate on your teaching without getting distracted. If they become talkative then you can decrease the time and restart the timer.
15. Use Classroom Games to Avoid Talkativeness in The Class
Using games in the classroom is one of the most effective ways to avoid talkativeness. This effective strategy will help you to increase your students’ engagement towards learning rather than making them be distracted.
Final Thoughts
If you are a teacher who is struggling with talkativeness in your classroom, we hope these 15 strategies will help. They range from creating group work opportunities for students to using games and brainstorming techniques that create engaging learning environments. If none of this sounds like it would be helpful or if you want more guidance on how to use these ideas effectively, reach out today. Which of the above tips has been most useful when trying to discipline or deal with a student who talks too much? Find our articles here.
