Lessons From the Field: Words Matter

Remember your student teaching days? 

Last year, I had the privilege of mentoring and supervising 12 student teachers. Their internships spanned from PreK to middle school and were located across the state. I was so proud of each one, the risks they took, and the growth they experienced. We have some incredible teachers coming up! 

The process also highlighted common threads needing attention - among both student teachers and their host teachers. And, I image you and I could also sharpen these up a bit! 

Because... our words have power.

At the beginning of the school year we spend considerable time establishing expectations, teaching routines, and building relationships. One of our most impactful teaching tools is also one of the simplest: the words we use.

Small changes in teacher language can transform a student's sense of safety, growth and participation, as well as your classroom culture. Purposeful words clarify expectations, focus attention on positive actions, and help students see themselves as capable members of the classroom community. 

Here are some tips to help sharpen the power of words in your classroom.

1. Clearly state the expected action

Our goal is direct, respectful language to tell students what they need to do or the response we're asking them to give.

• “Please put your materials away.”
• “Bring your notebook and join us at the carpet.”
• “Tell us what your team discussed.”

Direct statements are especially helpful for multilingual learners because they reduce the linguistic load and make the intended action clear.

Phrasing an expectation as a question opens the door for doubt and the 'easy out' of responding, “No.”  

• “Can you put your materials away?”
• “Can you come to the carpet?”
• “Can you tell us what your team discussed?”

“Can you?” is technically a question. When the action is an expectation, show students that you believe they CAN do what you’re asking.  State the expected action with confidence, clarity, and kindness.

2. Focus on the positive

Help students name positive actions

Project GLAD® Scouts and Literacy Awards give students meaningful opportunities to recognize and describe the Three Personal Standards in action:

• Make Good Decisions
• Solve Problems
• Show Respect

When presenting a Literacy Award, the scout identifies:

1. Who earned the award;
2. Which Personal Standard the student demonstrated; and
3. The specific action that demonstrated it.

For example, “Maria earned a Literacy Award for showing respect by listening while another student was sharing.”

If a scout describes what the student did not do, help the scout identify the positive action instead:

Student: “Maria earned a Literacy Award because she wasn’t talking to her neighbor while the teacher was talking.”

Teacher: “If she wasn’t talking, what was she doing?”

Student: “Maria earned a Literacy Award for showing respect because she listened to the speaker.”

Consider posting a sentence stem to support this rich language opportunity:

“_____ earned a Literacy Award for _____ by _____.”

This process gives multilingual learners authentic practice using complete sentences, precise verbs, past-tense language, and cause-and-effect structures. More importantly, when students learn to name positive actions, they are better prepared to recognize and choose those actions themselves.

Tell students what success looks and sounds like

We can reinforce the same practice throughout the day by clearly describing what successful participation looks and sounds like:

• “Listen to the speaker.”
• “Turn your eyes toward the person speaking.”
• “Place your books inside your desk and then line up at the door.”

These directions give students a clear, actionable picture of what to do.

Statements such as “Don’t talk,” “Stop messing with your materials,” or “Don’t leave your books on the table” draw attention to unwanted behavior without necessarily communicating the desired alternative.

The language we use helps create the mental picture students carry into action. When we clearly articulate—and invite students to articulate—what success looks and sounds like, we make the next positive action easier to understand and carry out.

This same intentional wording is embedded in the Three Personal Standards. For example, Solve Problems positions the problem as something separate from the student. Asking, “How can you solve that problem?” helps students see themselves as capable problem-solvers. In contrast, “Solve your problem” can unintentionally suggest that the student is the problem.

The student is not the problem.

The student is a capable person learning to make good decisions, solve problems, and show respect. We show our students that we truly believe that by the words we use. 

3. Return the thinking to students

When students ask us questions, it’s another opportunity to choose our words wisely (as well as our tone and nonverbal expressions). Questions are an open door to communicate confidence in students’ ability to think, revise, and solve problems – with another question!

• “If it isn’t 10, what could it be?”
• “What would you like to recheck—the hundreds, tens, or ones?”
• “Which tool could help you?”
• “What is another possibility?”

Listen to what student are communicating behind their question and direct your response or counter question to that area of focus.  

4. Make your words count

Give students the essential information in language that is direct, concise, and comprehensible.

Before speaking, (i.e before using the Zero Noise Signal) ask yourself:

• What do students need to know?
• What do they need to do?
• Which words are essential?
• Would a gesture, visual, model, or demonstration make the meaning clearer?

Then use your signal, honor students by waiting until they can all focus on the message, and then make your words count. 

Be direct. Be concise. Be comprehensible. Say it once.

Excessive teacher narration can make the most important information difficult to identify. When directions, explanations, and reminders run together, the teacher’s voice may begin to sound like the teacher in Charlie Brown: “Wah, wah, wah, wah.” For multilingual learners, this creates an additional barrier as they work to sort through a large volume of language to find the words that matter.

Repeating a lengthy explanation does not necessarily make it more comprehensible.

Intentional language, paired with visual and physical supports, does. Think before you speak, choose the words students need, and then give them the space to act.

You got this!

No teacher uses perfect language all day, every day.

The goal is not perfection; it is awareness.

As you establish your classroom community, listen closely to your own words:

• Am I giving multilingual learners concise language supported by visuals and modeling?
• Am I articulating the positive behaviors I observe and expect?  Are my students doing the same?  
• Are my responses and subsequent questions returning ownership of thinking to students?
• Am I giving my words the attention they deserve?

Pick one of these to become your focus. Practice until it becomes second nature. And watch the impact your words have on the students.

We have the power to choose words that create a picture of success, communicate confidence, and inspire positive action—because words matter.