What is a Talk Ticket?
There are very few times throughout the day when a teacher has the opportunity to talk to a particular student about an event that has happened. This event can really be anything, and here are some examples: something happened at the bus stop, in the hallway, or even something exciting that happened for the student the night before. Usually a talk ticket would be used for an event that needs some problem solving, but it can really be used for anything. This intervention is also directed towards a specific student, but it can be used as a whole classroom. As a "good" teacher, we want to take every opportunity to talk to each student and to take interest in their lives. When we do not have time to talk to the student at a certain time, we can give the student a talk ticket to ensure them that they will be given the opportunity to talk with a teacher or a trusted adult. Intervention Central mentions that, "the "Talk Ticket" assures the student that he or she will have a chance to talk through the situation while allowing the teacher to schedule the meeting with the student for a time that does not disrupt classroom instruction". Not disrupting classroom instruction is a big deal because a lot of learning time can be lost even from having a conversation. The conversation should take place at a time when other students are actively engaged in something else, such as free-writing time. A talk ticket will help with students who becomes upset when they don't have a chance to share, or a student who wants to tell you everything, and it builds a trusting relationship.
Tips for using the talk ticket:
Tips for using the talk ticket:
- For students that like to share stories, try limiting the amount of talk tickets they can use
- When using a talk ticket to solve problems, determine the factors the led up to the problem and how the student might avoid the problem in the future
Visual Representations
This image is an example of a talk ticket that can be used with older students. The student makes a list of adults they feel comfortable talking to, the date and time of the conversation, what will be said in conversation, and on the bottom it gives a list of student expectations.
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In the talk ticket reflective planner the student writes down their own thoughts of the conversation just held. The student might talk about what they did or maybe some next steps they must take.
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For copies of these talk tickets visit the Intervention Central website: http://www.interventioncentral.org/behavioral-interventions/challenging-students/talk-ticket
Student Profile
There are certain times in the day when teachers simply do not have enough time to talk to a specific student at a certain time. In my field experience classroom, I have a student who gets very upset when he doesn't get the opportunity to share something to me. It can be as simple as telling me what happened at his soccer game or something more serious such as a why he didn't complete his homework. This student will often shut down and gets fixed on the fact that he didn't have the chance to share something that happened. With a talk ticket the student is reassured that he can talk to me but at a time when it is appropriate.
Content Area Examples
A talk ticket can be used in all content areas, and what is on the talk ticket doesn't really need to change. The specific teacher can decide what he or she wants on the talk ticket.