Mastering Structured Talk in the Classroom

Mastering Structured Talk in the Classroom

From Helping Teachers Thrive by Tem Ezimokhai

February 18, 2026 · 8 min · Episode 175

About this episode

Tem Ezimokhai shares insights on implementing structured talk in the classroom to enhance student engagement and discussion quality.

DESCRIPTION: In this episode, Tem revisits the structured talk method sharing her experience and insights on how to effectively implement this technique in lessons, emphasising the importance of clear instructions, sentence starters, and active student engagement. Tem also highlights the need for differentiation in questioning based on students' abilities and the significance of planning to ensure successful outcomes in classroom discussions. If you would like to enquire about trauma-informed training, please contact Tem at tem@helpingteachersthrive.com or book a call: https://calendly.com/tem-helpingteachersthrive/60 KEY TAKEAWAYS: Structured Talk is a refined version of think-pair-share. Clear instructions enhance student focus and engagement. Using sentence starters helps guide student discussions. Active monitoring during discussions allows for better understanding. Engaging students face-to-face fosters better communication. Keywords can enhance the quality of student discussions. Structured Talk can replace traditional discussion methods. BEST MOMENTS: "It works really well." "It makes them focus a lot more." "It improves the quality of their discussions" VALUABLE…

People in this episode

Host: Tem Ezimokhai

Topics covered

  • structured talk
  • classroom engagement
  • differentiation
  • student discussions
  • teaching methods

Keywords

  • structured talk
  • think-pair-share
  • student engagement
  • clear instructions
  • sentence starters
  • active monitoring
  • differentiation
  • classroom discussions

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