If you want to be a good English teacher, you have to monitor a lot. Monitoring (and error correction) is one of the most important tools in your arsenal as a language teacher. Monitoring is often overlooked by ELT/ESL teachers who prefer to just stand an observe their classes. Don't do that! Instead, circulate, crouch and get involved with your English language students.

Getting high student talking time (STT) is just part of the equation. Once you have your students talking, it all goes to waste if you are not engaged with them on a personal level.

Monitoring not only allows you to error correct, but it also keeps your students on task with the activity. Another benefit is that it shows your students that you care. Once your students see that there's a purpose to the speaking activity (you're involved in their learning), they tend to speak a lot more!

Successful monitoring involves a few key components.
1. You should be at eye-level (don't stand in front of them).
2. You should circulate from group to group (avoid staying with just one group).
3. Error correct often (there's a video on this topic too). Without error correction, there's no point.
4. Interact and participate with your students. They want to chat with you too. This is an effective way to push your students to use the language you want them to use (and sound the way you want them to sound).
5. Control for L1 (language 1). If you hear your students speaking another language, get them to speak English.
6. Work on language training. This means natural speech, using contractions, working on speed/tone...etc.
7. Keeping them on task. If students stray from the activity, you'll be there to focus them again. You'll also be able to check that they are doing it correctly in the first place.
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