Ensure your students know your classroom standards regarding talking in class excessively and give them a compass to guide them through the school year. "The Everything Class Room Management" recommends creating your list of rules, including rules surrounding your policy on talking in class, making copies for each student and distributing the list the first day of class. In addition to individual copies, create a poster-sized list of your rules and post them in a central location in your classroom.
Positive reinforcement will help your students understand when you permit talking in class. When the class collectively has trouble maintaining a quiet demeanor while you give a lesson, let them all know how much it pleases you on the days when they settle in and prepare to listen attentively. If you have one or two students who repeatedly talk during class, let them know individually how much you appreciate their adherence to your classroom rules.
Ask your students to agree on a book that they would like for you to read to them. Inform them that you will read this book on the condition that they remain quiet and listen, and that you will all have a discussion at the end of the story to see what they learned. Stop periodically throughout the story to note a particularly interesting fact or detail the students may find surprising.
Quell the classroom chattering by asking students to write a story. Ask your students to describe their favorite part of the school day, their favorite family vacation, their favorite animal, or what their role as a student may be. This approach works to help improve your students' writing skills while complying with class rules.