Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Students talk too much There is this girl who talks entirely too much throughout the day. I tell her to be quiet, but when she isn't quiet, all she does is talk. I don't know how to approach it, especially because it's annoying. Help! Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) For this student, you could allow a few minutes before you start your mini lesson for the class to have free discussion time where they talk to their groups or friends about anything they please. Make sure you tell your students that this is the ONLY time they can speak freely without permission. After the free discussion time, have a cue such as a countdown or clap cue to indicate free discussion time is over and to focus their attention on your for the beginning of your lesson. The clap cue is when I announce "if you can hear me, clap once! If you can hear me, clap twice!" I continue numbering the claps until every student is clapping. This strategy works for my girls' classroom because girls are natural talkers. Allowing them free discussion time at the beginning of class helps students feel independent and once class starts, your talker shouldn't have much to say.