Research School Network: From Silence to Confidence: How High-Quality Talk and Sentence Stems Transform Learning Our ELE, Rob Maher, walks us through the EEF evidence base to show us the importance of structured talk in the classroom

Picture a lively classroom where every student’s voice contributes to learning. Instead of a teacher posing a question to a sea of silence, students confidently debate, ask each other ​“why?”, and build ideas together. This is the power of high-quality talk: it transforms passive listening into active thinking. When classroom talk is intentional and well structured, everyday discussions become powerful drivers of learning: ​“Talk matters: both in its own right and because of its impact on other aspects of learning.” (EEF, 2018, p.5).

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) consistently highlights high-quality classroom talk as a key factor in improving pupil outcomes. Within the Teaching and Learning Toolkit, oral language interventions are rated as high impact for very low cost, with pupils making around five to six months’ additional progress over the course of a year. This evidence reinforces the idea that talk is not a ​“nice to have”, but a core component of effective teaching: ​“While all students benefit from classroom discussion activities, talk also appears to be particularly beneficial for low attaining students and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.” (EEF, 2018, p.25).

There is no single, universal definition of high-quality talk, but the EEF is clear that the most effective approaches are structured, purposeful, and curriculum-focused. High-quality talk involves pupils explaining their thinking, justifying ideas with evidence, questioning one another, and making links between concepts. The EEF notes that these dialogic approaches are particularly effective when teachers explicitly plan how talk will support learning, rather than relying on spontaneous discussion.

One of the most powerful tools for enabling this kind of talk is the use of sentence stems. Sentence stems scaffold pupils’ responses, reducing cognitive load and supporting them to focus on reasoning rather than searching for language. For example, pupils might begin with, ​“One possible reason could be… because the text shows…” or ​“A key factor was… since historians argue…”. The EEF highlights that scaffolding talk in this way is especially beneficial for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, as it ensures they have a clear entry point into discussion: ​“If the teacher is supporting a pupil with SEND, that scaffold may be in place for longer to promote confidence and competence that can be sustained once the scaffold is removed.” (EEF, 2020, p.26)

Research funded by the EEF into Dialogic Teaching further strengthens this case. A large-scale trial involving over 4,000 pupils showed that improving the quality of classroom talk led to two additional months’ progress in English and science, with even stronger effects for pupils eligible for free school meals. Crucially, these gains were linked not to more talk, but to better talk: pupils were expected to explain, justify, and build upon ideas rather than offer brief answers.

In practice, this looks purposeful and carefully structured. In a history lesson exploring the causes of the First World War, pupils might start with independent thinking before discussing in pairs using stems such as, ​“One factor was… because alliances formed…”. When ideas are shared, the teacher probes further: ​“How does that link to the arms race?”. Through this process, high-quality talk evolves from simple statements into a shared exploration of interconnected causes. This aligns closely with EEF guidance which stresses that talk is most effective when it is explicitly linked to subject knowledge and guided through questioning. (EEF 2023, Supporting Pupil Independence).

This structure is particularly powerful within routines such as think – pair – share. A hesitant pupil who might otherwise remain silent can confidently begin with, ​“One factor I noticed was…”. As peers respond with stems like, ​“I’d like to build on that idea…”, the discussion deepens. The EEF notes that such structured talk approaches support participation, improve reasoning, and help close gaps for disadvantaged learners. (link).

In my own classroom practice, I learned that planning for high-quality talk was just as important as planning content. I began mapping out where pupils would reason aloud and selecting sentence stems that would support this thinking. The EEF strongly supports this approach, emphasising that talk must be deliberately planned, modelled by teachers, and revisited regularly to maximise impact. (EEF, 2025)

This was particularly evident in a Year 6 geography lesson on earthquakes. Using stems such as, ​“One way an earthquake impacts a community is…”, pupils moved from describing immediate damage to analysing long-term effects and recovery. Questions like, ​“Why do some communities recover faster than others?” emerged naturally.

After that lesson, engagement shifted noticeably. Pupils did not just recall facts; they demonstrated empathy, critical thinking, and the ability to transfer ideas to new contexts. The EEF notes that when pupils are taught to articulate thinking through structured talk, they are more likely to retain knowledge and apply it across the curriculum. (EEF, 2025)

For teachers wishing to develop high-quality talk, the EEF recommends starting small: select one lesson, plan a short sequence of sentence stems, model their use, and reflect on impact. Over time, these evidence-informed routines create classrooms where every pupil can articulate, justify, and connect ideas with confidence.

Aligned with EEF guidance, structured talk supported by sentence stems is not an add-on. It is a powerful, inclusive, and evidence-based approach that moves classrooms from silence to confident, thoughtful learning.

References

Education Endowment Foundation (2018) Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools guidance report. London: Education Endowment Foundation

Education Endowment Foundation (2025) Metacognition and Self-regulation guidance report. London: Education Endowment Foundation

Education Endowment Foundation (2020) Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools guidance report. London: Education Endowment Foundation