Hi
@Gillian Ramkalawon! Good question. I can understand how using self- and parallel talk can feel a little forced or unnatural at first. I know you asked about self-talk, but I often think of self- and parallel talk going hand in hand, so I'll mention them both in my response!
I've heard that some teachers find success doing more parallel talk by thinking of it as "sportscasting" where the teacher puts herself in the shoes of someone narrating a sporting event.
Self-talk is a little harder because it probably feels a little less natural to narrate yourself! I think the key is to come up with ways to turn new behaviors into habits. Maybe it starts with a commitment to using self-talk in one specific part of the day for a few days in a row. Meal times are a great opportunity for self-talk since teachers are usually manipulating all kinds of foods, utensils, plates/bowls--so there are a lot of actions that can be narrated! After a while, hopefully self-talk is just a regular part of the meal time routine--and then you can choose another time of day to focus on.
Here is a great blog post from Teachstone on this topic that might be helpful to share with the teacher you're working with! It includes some tips on incorporating more of these behaviors into the daily schedule.
This is a great topic. I know there are plenty of coaches and teachers out there working on this, too, and I hope to hear from some of them!
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Emily Doyle
Director of Program Management
Teachstone
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