“No, I don’t want to say…” How can ESL students encourage each other to talk in class?

Teacher: “Do you know the answer, student A?”

Student A: “Um…I don’t know.”

Teacher: “Who can help student A?”

Students: *silence*

Has this happened to you? Sometimes, teachers will ask for other students to help their classmate in answering a question. Most times, no one will respond to the teacher. Then this may happen…

Student B to Student A: “It’s okay. Try.”

Student A: “No, I don’t want to say.”

Student B: “You can do it.”

Student A: “Well…okay.”

When students are asked questions from the teacher, they can feel intimidated, embarrassed, or shy. One way to help students feel more comfortable is when their classmates encourage them to speak in class.

In my classes, I used to tell students, “Try your best,” or “Take your time, you can do it.” I would encourage students to say this to their classmates when someone felt uncomfortable to speak.

From my ESL video series: How to encourage your students

Body language is another great way for students to encourage each other. Saying “good job,” or showing it by giving a thumbs up, can be motivating.

Here’s an example

Student A: “I don’t know.”

Student B: “It’s okay, try your best.”

Student A: “Okay, I think the answer is…”

Teacher: “That is correct!”

Student B: [giving a thumbs up] “Yay, good job!”

Student A: “Thank you.”

Encouragement is important for anyone who is learning something or trying to understand something new. It’s something both ESL teachers and students should do in class. This allows the shy student to feel a part of the class, build their confidence, and motivate him/her to try their best.

Please check out my video on how ESL teachers can encourage students here.