If They Talk More During Lessons, Will They Achieve Better? Unlocking the Reciprocal Relationship Between Student Verbal Participation and Achievement

This study investigates the relationship between student verbal participation and achievement in sixth-grade language arts. We conducted an intervention in six classes to enhance and equalize student talk while reducing individual disparities in participation. The design of the study involved measuring talk time and administering reading literacy tests before and after the intervention, with similar measurements in six control classrooms. The results indicated increased and more evenly distributed verbal participation in the intervention classrooms than in the control classrooms. However, no significant differences in student achievement were observed between the two groups. A path analysis examined the link between participation and achievement, confirming that verbal participation is a predictor of student success. The study suggests that the impact of increased verbal participation on achievement might be more pronounced over the long term, necessitating further research with delayed post-measurements to fully understand this relationship.