Why does class size matter so much for speaking?
Speaking is a skill, like swimming or driving. You can read about it, and you can listen to other people do it, but you only get better by doing it yourself, making mistakes and adjusting. In a language lesson, the one resource every student is competing for is time: time to speak, and time for the teacher to listen and respond.
In a large class, most of that time goes to waiting. You wait while the teacher explains, while other students answer, and while the group moves from one activity to the next. In a small class, the same 60 minutes is shared between fewer people, so far more of it belongs to you.
How much more speaking time do you actually get?
Here is some simple arithmetic. Imagine a 60-minute lesson where around 30 minutes are open speaking: answering questions, discussing, giving opinions. If only one person speaks at a time, this is the most each student could speak:
| Students in the class | Maximum individual speaking time (30 open minutes) |
|---|---|
| 15 | About 2 minutes each |
| 10 | About 3 minutes each |
| 6 | About 5 minutes each |
| 4 | About 7 minutes each |
These figures are illustrations, not measurements, and a good teacher in any class will use pair and group work so that several people talk at once. But that is exactly where small classes win a second time: with six students there are only three pairs, so the teacher can listen to every pair, hear your mistakes and help you there and then. With fifteen students, most pair conversations happen without anyone checking them.
What does a small class give you besides speaking time?
Minutes matter, but they are not the whole story. In more than 30 years of teaching, I have found that these four things make the biggest difference in a small group:
- Feedback on your own mistakes. The teacher can notice that you say "I am agree" or "he don't", and correct it before it becomes a habit, rather than giving the whole class general advice.
- Follow-up questions. Real conversation is not one answer and stop. In a small group the teacher can ask "Why?" or "Can you give me an example?", which is how you learn to extend your answers.
- Nowhere to hide, in a good way. Shy students often stay silent in big groups. In a group of six, everyone is expected to speak, and the atmosphere is usually supportive because everyone is in the same position.
- Lessons shaped around the group. With fewer students, the teacher can choose topics and language that the group actually needs, whether that is work meetings, a SELT speaking test or everyday conversation.
What should you do in a small class to improve faster?
A small class gives you the opportunity, but you still have to use it. These habits help you get the most from every lesson:
- Answer in two or three sentences, not one word. If the teacher asks "Did you have a good weekend?", do not stop at "Yes." Try: "Yes, it was really relaxing. I went to my cousin's for lunch on Sunday, and in the evening I just watched a film."
- Ask the other students questions. Use phrases like "What about you?", "Why do you think that?" and "Have you ever...?" Asking questions is half of real conversation, and it is a skill you can practise.
- Write down your corrections. Keep a short list of the mistakes the teacher corrects, with the correct version next to each one. Read it before your next lesson.
- Reuse new language straight away. If you learn a useful phrase such as "to be honest" or "it depends on", try to use it twice before the end of the lesson.
- Say when you do not understand. "Sorry, could you say that again?" and "What does that word mean?" are perfectly natural. In a small group you have the time to ask.
Is a small group better than one-to-one lessons?
Not always: they do different jobs. One-to-one lessons give you the most speaking time and a programme built entirely around you, which is ideal if you have a specific goal or deadline. A small group gives you something one-to-one cannot: listening to and talking with other learners, with different accents, opinions and ways of expressing ideas. That is much closer to real life, where you rarely speak to only one patient, expert listener.
Many learners combine the two: private lessons for focused work on accuracy and personal goals, plus a small group for regular conversation practice. At ELS, the Flagship Private English Programme is £220 every four weeks for eight 60-minute lessons (£180 for the introductory first four weeks), and online programmes run from £120 to £500 every four weeks depending on how many lessons you want.
How do small classes work at Elite Language Solutions?
We limit all group classes to a maximum of six students, so everyone speaks in every lesson and gets individual feedback. Our Elite Speaking Club goes further, with groups of no more than four students at a similar level for live online conversation practice. Classes are taught by CELTA-qualified tutors, in London or online.
If you are not sure which option suits you, the simplest first step is a free 25-minute trial lesson. We will listen to you speak, assess your level and recommend a group, one-to-one lessons or a mix of both.
A quick plan for your first four weeks in a small class
- Week 1: Focus on extending every answer to at least two sentences. Start your corrections list.
- Week 2: Ask at least three questions to other students in every lesson.
- Week 3: Choose five phrases from your list and use each one in class.
- Week 4: Ask the teacher which mistake you still make most often, and make that your target for the next month.