Interaction Patterns

Interaction patterns describe who talks to whom during a classroom activity. They are the social architecture of a lesson: changing the pattern changes the dynamics, the amount of language produced, and the cognitive demands on learners. Skilled teachers vary patterns throughout a lesson to maintain engagement and serve different learning purposes.

The Main Patterns

Pattern	Code	Description	Best for
Teacher → Whole class	T-Ss	Teacher addresses everyone; students listen	Instructions, modelling, presenting new language
Teacher → Student	T-S	Teacher interacts with one student; others listen	Eliciting, nominated questioning, individual feedback
Student → Teacher	S-T	Student initiates; teacher responds	Questions, clarification requests
Pair work	S-S	Two students work together	Controlled practice, information gaps, peer checking
Group work	S-S-S	Three or more students collaborate	Discussions, projects, problem-solving, jigsaw tasks
Mingle	S-S (rotating)	Students move around, interacting with multiple partners	Surveys, find-someone-who, speed dating activities
Individual	S	Student works alone	Reading, writing, reflection, test conditions
Whole class discussion	Open	Any student can speak to any other or the teacher	Debates, brainstorming, feedback stages

Why Variation Matters

A lesson conducted entirely in T-Ss mode means students spend most of their time passively receiving. A lesson entirely in S-S mode may lack sufficient input or teacher guidance. Variation serves three purposes:

1. Maximises Student Talking Time: pair and group work multiply speaking opportunities exponentially compared to T-Ss interaction
2. Matches purpose to mode: accuracy work often benefits from T-S or T-Ss interaction (teacher can model and correct); fluency work benefits from S-S and S-S-S (students practice autonomously)
3. Sustains attention: switching patterns creates natural breaks in routine; even a 30-second "compare with your partner" between teacher-fronted stages refreshes focus

Choosing the Right Pattern

Consider these factors:

• Activity aim: fluency practice needs maximum student interaction; a grammar explanation needs teacher-fronted time
• Class size: large classes benefit enormously from pair work; whole-class discussions become unmanageable beyond ~12 students
• Level: lower levels may need more T-Ss support; higher levels can sustain longer S-S-S work
• Physical space: fixed rows constrain grouping options; movable furniture enables mingle and group configurations
• Task type: information gaps require S-S; ranking tasks work well in S-S-S; dictation requires T-Ss

Common Mistakes

• Defaulting to T-Ss: the most common pattern globally, and the least productive for language practice
• Pair work without purpose: "Discuss with your partner" is not an activity; students need a specific task, outcome, and time limit
• Never changing pairs/groups: students get comfortable and stop pushing themselves; regular reshuffling creates productive discomfort
• Ignoring the transition: changing from pairs to groups or mingle requires clear physical instructions; otherwise chaos

Practical Tip

Plan interaction patterns explicitly in your lesson plan. Write "T-Ss" or "S-S" next to each stage. If you see the same code three times in a row, restructure.

See Also

Interaction patterns directly determine the balance of Student Talking Time and Teacher Talking Time. Pair work and group work are the two most important student-centred patterns, each with distinct management considerations and optimal use cases.