
133 ¦ Principle 4: Effective pairs to boost engagement
From The Motivated Classroom by Dr. Liam Printer
June 12, 2026 · 26 min · Season 1 · Episode 133
About this episode
This episode discusses effective pair work strategies to enhance student engagement in the classroom.
Principle Four of Six for a Motivated Year in the 'Back to School' series: Principle 4: Effective pairs This episode is all about maximising the effectiveness of pair work in class by setting students up for multiple small wins, using scaffolded and psychologically safe output tasks in groups of two. You'll learn about: - Rotating pairs - Changing seating plan - Turn and talk versus pair discussion - The Köhler Effect Whether you’re just heading back to school or already half way through the year, this episode is another step towards a motivated language classroom! 💪🎓 Don't miss the rest of the six principles which are on the way every Friday for the next five weeks: 5. Creating a class yearbook 6. Running effective routines 🔔 Tune in every Friday right here or wherever you get your podcasts from: Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast . Keep in touch and share widely! Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram @themotivatedclassroom and Facebook @themotivatedclassroom . I'd love to know what you think…
People in this episode
Host: Dr. Liam Printer
Topics covered
- pair work
- student engagement
- scaffolded tasks
- psychological safety
- classroom strategies
Keywords
- effective pairs
- Köhler Effect
- rotating pairs
- seating plan
- turn and talk
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The Motivated Classroom, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Facebook, www.liamprinter.com/podcast
More episodes of The Motivated Classroom
- 132 ¦ Principle 3: Five-minute input blocks · June 11, 2026 · 27 min
- 131 ¦ Principle 2: Getting the Motivation-Acquisition balance right · June 10, 2026 · 18 min
- 130 ¦ Principle 1: Embedding and assessing a CI approach within the curriculum · June 9, 2026 · 23 min
- 129 | Back to School: Six principles for a motivated classroom · June 9, 2026 · 23 min
- 128 ¦ Part 2 with Jonathan McBride: What I learned from watching six weeks of CI classes in three different countries · June 8, 2026 · 45 min
- 127 ¦ Part 1 with Jonathan McBride: What I learned from watching six weeks of CI classes in three different countries · June 8, 2026 · 35 min
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