Teacher Talk and Student Involvement in Elementary School English Language Learning Classrooms

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the types of teacher talk that influence student involvement in elementary English learning. The study was motivated by the important role of classroom interaction in promoting active learning, while evidence regarding how specific teacher talk strategies shape student involvement in elementary English classrooms remains limited. A qualitative approach with a case study design was employed. Data were collected through classroom observations, field notes, lesson videos, and observation sheets and were analyzed thematically using ATLAS.ti. The analysis focused on identifying teacher talk types and examining their relationships with indicators of student involvement, including attention, verbal response, active participation, concentration, enthusiasm, instruction following, and classroom interaction. The findings revealed that the most prominent teacher talk types were asking questions, giving information or explanations, affirming students’ contributions, giving directions or instructions, and stimulating students’ motivation and interest. Among these, asking questions most effectively encouraged active participation by eliciting verbal responses and promoting classroom interaction. Giving information or explanations sustained students’ attention to lesson content, whereas clear directions and instructions supported students’ understanding of learning activities and maintained their engagement throughout the lesson. These findings demonstrate that teacher talk functions not only as a means of content delivery but also as a pedagogical strategy for fostering student involvement and creating interactive English learning environments in elementary classrooms.