Why Don't Students Want to Speak?
Why Don't Students Want to Speak?
Cultural, psychological and linguistic barriers to language learning.
We've all experienced awkward silence in the classroom.
It’s your students’ time to speak, they hesitate, and silence grows. You ask more questions, and still silence. Now what?
These pits of silence can happen despite our most enthusiastic efforts to engage learners. Scott Thornbury’s observation from Big Questions in ELT cuts to the heart of the issue;
“Why are some learners unwilling to communicate? There are at least three likely sources of learner reticence: a social-cultural one, a psychological one, and a linguistic one.”
Let’s examine all three reasons, explore ways to overcome them, and get language flowing again.
1. The social-cultural reason
Social-cultural factors are often the most visible yet the least understood. In many cultures, speaking up in class may be seen as disrespectful, especially if students think they might get the answer wrong and look stupid in front of their friends. Often this happens to young learners in their teen years.
In other cases, students might come from educational backgrounds where rote learning is emphasized over interactive communication, so speaking out is not something they expect to do.
Solutions
Set expectations with your class, and build a classroom where participation is key.
Balance your classroom activities with good interaction patterns.
Build in more pair and group work to begin with, to build confidence.
2. The psychological reason for silence
Psychological factors are deeply personal and can vary significantly between students. Anxiety, fear of judgment, or a lack of self-confidence can all contribute to a student’s reluctance to participate. This can be particularly pronounced in language learning, where the fear of making mistakes in front of peers is a ‘danger’.
Solutions
Give feedback effectively, so students don’t fear it.
3. The linguistic reason for silence
At its core, language learning is about communication, but the fear of not having the “right” words or being understood can paralyze some students. Challenges are limited vocabulary, difficulty with pronunciation, or struggling with grammar.
Solutions
Scaffold tasks well to guide students better.
Use ‘gaps’ in language tasks for clearer guidance.
And again, create an atmosphere where students know their efforts to communicate are valued, even if their language isn’t perfect.
These last two dimensions actually weave together to create a fourth, known as the Silent Period
4. The ‘Silent Period’ reason for silence
The silent period refers to a phase during which language learners, especially beginners, do not produce spoken language but actively listen to and process the new language.
This is a normal part of language acquisition, particularly for children, and it aligns with the linguistic barrier because the learners might not yet feel ready to produce language. During this period, they absorb the language's sounds, structure, and patterns, building the foundation they need before they feel comfortable speaking.
Solution
All the previous solutions!
Final Thoughts
Understanding why learners don’t want to speak is the first step toward overcoming it.
Remember, the goal is progress, not perfection. With patience, empathy, and the right strategies, we can help our students find their voices. So I’ll leave with two questions that you can explore in your classes:
How can you encourage the quieter students to participate more?
How can you change your routines to ensure you speak to all students equally?
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