Teacher Wellbeing

Strengthening Teacher-Student Connections Through Speaking Routines

Valentina Garcia
Sep 25, 2025
5 min read

Strengthening Teacher-Student Connections Through Speaking Routines

Strong relationships are the foundation of every successful classroom. For language teachers, that connection goes beyond classroom management. It directly shapes how willing students are to speak up, make mistakes, and keep trying. 

A safe, supportive bond often means the difference between a silent class and one that thrives with conversation.

👉 Sign Up Free

📚 Why Relationships Matter in Language Learning

When students feel seen and understood, they are more likely to take risks. In a language class, that often means raising a hand, testing out new vocabulary, or speaking in front of peers. The more trust you build, the more your students lean into speaking practice instead of holding back.

⏰ Small Daily Routines That Build Trust

Relationships do not depend on grand gestures. Simple, repeatable routines create space for students to connect with you and with each other.

  • Personal check-ins: Begin class with a light question. “What is one song you have had on repeat?” or “What is the best snack you have had this week?”

  • Student voice moments: Give students the chance to suggest a prompt or topic. When their ideas make it into class, they feel ownership.

  • Reflective exit tickets: Ask students not only to respond to a prompt, but to share how they felt while speaking. These reflections open doors for deeper understanding.

⚖️ Balancing Structure With Authenticity

Students thrive on consistency. Using the same type of warm-up or exit ticket each week builds a sense of safety. At the same time, sprinkling in unexpected or playful prompts keeps the classroom energy fresh. It is less about reinventing lessons and more about showing up with small, reliable patterns that communicate: your voice matters here.

🤖 How AI Can Support Without Replacing Connection

Technology cannot replace relationships, but it can create more space for them to flourish. 

With AI feedback handling the technical side of speaking practice, such as pronunciation checks, grammar corrections, and fluency scores, teachers can focus on what matters most: encouragement, motivation, and human connection. Students feel supported on two levels: academically through feedback, and personally through your presence.

Relationships in the classroom are not built in one moment. They grow through repeated, meaningful interactions that show students you value both their learning and their voice. Speaking routines make those interactions natural and sustainable, and they give you a window into how students are truly progressing.

Try setting up one of these routines in Speakable. 

In just a few minutes, you can create an activity that strengthens student connections while giving them authentic speaking practice.

👉 Create Your First Activity Free

Valentina Garcia
September 25, 2025
5 min read