When students work in pairs, their talk time increases. For example, a five-minute activity with two students speaking together would mean each person has roughly two-and-a-minutes of student talk time. Compare this with a group of five people who, in the same activity would only talk one minute each or less. There are a lot of opportunities for practice with high talk time, which then results in increased chances to make the new language automatic. And making the language automatic is a key step to improving accuracy, fluency, and communication skills.

But what should a teacher consider when placing students in pairs?

When it comes to ability, pair up students of equal ability. A weaker student with a weaker student will focus on producing only the target language in the activity. Two stronger students who work together will use not just the new grammar and vocabulary from the lesson, but also material from past lessons. They will ask additional, follow-up questions to engage in real, meaningful conversation. In short all students will work at their level of ability and get the most out of the activity.

However, it can also be a good idea to pair up a weaker student with a stronger student from time to time. The stronger student helps his partner with the target language. As a result, the stronger student confirms his understanding of and ability with the language because he must teach, correct, and guide his weaker partner. The less-able student can also see what can be achieved with study and practice. This acts as a very effective motivator.

It's important to note that these pairs should be used sparingly If a stronger student pairs up with a weaker student throughout an entire lesson, both will have poorer ability with the new language at the end of the class. In addition, both students may feel frustrated. The strong student didn't have the opportunity to work at his level. The weaker student simply can't speak at the same level as his peer.

In addition to the above, the teacher should also consider gender, age, background, and interests whenever placing students in groups. For example, some older people don't want to work with younger people. Some people have very different interests, which makes connecting difficult. Some people may even bring a general dislike for a particular nationality, perhaps the result of some past conflict between their nations.

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