Teachers talking less helps multilingual pupils talk more

Teachers should talk less to help the growing number of pupils who speak another language, according to researchers at the University of Reading.

The advice comes from the Talk-Rich Teaching Toolkit, a new guide developed in collaboration with Hampshire County Council's Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Service, which launches today (Tuesday, 3 November). 

The free, tried-and-tested resource shows teachers how to step back so pupils can talk more, helping children who are still learning English build their language, confidence and sense of belonging. The approach works particularly well for multilingual pupils, and is in line with recent policy requiring teachers to increase use of oracy in the classroom, as announced by Education Secretary Lucy Powell.

The tips and techniques included in the toolkit gives teachers practical ways to support the more than one in five pupils in England (21.6%) that has English as an additional language (EAL) - a figure that has risen every year since 2020/21, according to the Department for Education. 

Professor Naomi Flynn, Professor of Multilingual Education at the University of Reading and co-creator of the toolkit, said: "The number of children who speak another language at home has grown year after year. Children who don't have English as a first language need support, but teachers tell us they feel ill-equipped to help them.

"We are now giving every teacher that expertise, for free. A few small changes, like talking less so children can talk more, can give every child a voice in the classroom. When every child can join the conversation, the whole class learns more, and children build the shared values that hold communities together."