Pairwork is one of the most powerful tools a teacher has. When students work in pairs, every student is active at the same time. Instead of one student answering while thirty others listen, all of them are speaking, thinking, and practising together.
But pairwork does not always go well. Sometimes one student does all the work. Sometimes the class becomes noisy and loses focus. Sometimes students finish in one minute and have nothing to do.
Think about pairwork in your classroom. How often do you use it? And when you do — does it really work?
Q2: Which of these problems do you experience with pairwork? (Tick all that apply)
Good pairwork does not happen by accident. It depends on three things: a clear task, the right amount of time, and a real reason to communicate.
A clear task means students know exactly what to do. A time limit keeps students focused. A reason to communicate means students need each other to complete the task. When all three are present, pairwork works. When one is missing, problems appear.
The most effective pairwork tasks have an information gap. This means each student has something the other does not know. To complete the task, they must communicate.
For example: Student A has a picture of a room. Student B has a different picture of the same room with some objects missing. Without showing each other their pictures, they find the differences by talking. This creates a real reason to communicate — students cannot finish by copying or staying silent.
Compare this to a task like: discuss this question with your partner. There is no information gap, so students often say very little and finish quickly.
Even simple tasks can have an information gap. One student reads a short text. The other does not see it. The first student explains what they read. The second student asks questions. Both students are active, and both need the other to complete the task.
Be honest — this helps you see where to focus your attention.
Each technique below solves a common pairwork problem. Read through all six, then use the table in Q4 to plan how you will use them.
A very common mistake is to say “work in pairs” and then give the instructions. By the time you finish explaining, students are already talking and not listening.
Give all instructions before students turn to their partner. Then say: “Now, begin.” Ask one student to explain the task back to you before starting.
When students have no specific role, the more confident student usually does most of the talking. The quieter student listens or does very little.
Give each student a role. Student A speaks for one minute. Student B listens and asks two questions. Then swap. Clear roles mean both students are always active.
Open tasks — discuss this topic — often end very quickly or go off-task. Students are not sure when they are finished, so some stop early.
Give a specific time limit and a clear product. For example: “You have three minutes. At the end, you will share one idea with the class.” The product keeps students focused until the end.
In classes where students share a first language, it is natural for them to switch during pairwork. This is not laziness — it is the path of least resistance.
Make the task easier so English feels achievable. Give students key phrases before they start. Move around the class and gently redirect students who switch. Do not punish — encourage.
Random pairs sometimes create problems. A very strong student paired with a very weak student can be frustrating for both. Students who do not get on may not cooperate.
Vary your pairing strategy. Sometimes pair students of similar ability. Sometimes pair stronger with weaker — but assign roles so the weaker student stays active. Avoid always pairing the same students together.
Some pairs always finish before others. If they have nothing to do, they talk off-task, distract other pairs, or simply wait.
Always have a follow-on task ready. For example: “If you finish early, write down three words you used in the conversation” or “Think of one more example.” Fast finishers stay productive and the rest of the class is not disturbed.
Be specific — write the activity, the problem you usually have, and the technique you will try.
Q5. Watch the video below. Think about which teacher’s change you would most like to try.
Host: Listen to three teachers who had issues with pairwork. First, they share the problems they had. Then, they share what they changed.
Teacher 1: My pairwork always felt chaotic. I would say work in pairs and then explain the task. By the time I finished, students were already talking and had not heard the instructions. The activity never really worked.
Teacher 2: In my class, one student always did everything and the other just listened. I could see it happening, but I did not know how to stop it.
Teacher 3: My students always switched to their first language the moment they started working in pairs. I felt like the English practice was not really happening.
Teacher 1: I changed the order. Now I give all the instructions first, ask one student to explain the task back to me, and only then say begin. The difference was immediate. Students actually knew what to do.
Teacher 2: I started assigning roles. Student A speaks. Student B listens and asks two questions. Then they swap. Now both students are always active. The quieter students participate much more.
Teacher 3: I made the task simpler and gave students key phrases to use before they started. I also moved around the class more and encouraged them when I heard English. Slowly, the balance shifted.
Host: Pairwork is a skill — for teachers and for students. Pick one technique and try it in your next lesson. The second time will always be better than the first.
Q6. For each technique, choose the option that best describes where you are now.
Pairwork improves with practice. Pick one change, try it, notice what happens, and adjust. You do not need to change everything at once.
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