Some classes are quiet. Some classes talk through everything: directions, videos, tests, fire drills. If you have one, you already know that asking them to stop talking works for about forty seconds.
Stop fighting the talking. Schedule it.
Talkative students aren't trying to ruin your lesson. They want to talk. Give them structured times to do it and the unstructured talking drops.
Build in a turn-and-talk every ten to fifteen minutes. Ninety seconds, a clear question, then back to you. When students know a chance to talk is coming, they're more willing to wait for it.
Use one signal and keep it
Pick one attention signal and use it the same way every time. A countdown, a call-and-response, or a raised hand all work. What doesn't work is a different method every day. See 3-2-1-Done for a countdown that turns quiet into a class goal.
Give directions in writing
Talkative classes miss spoken directions. Put the steps on the board before you say them. Then you can point instead of repeating.
Shrink the dead time
Talking fills empty space. Transitions, passing out papers, and waiting for the last student are when it starts. Tighten those moments and the room settles. More on that in Classroom Transitions Examples.
Use the seating chart
You can't change a talkative class, but you can change who sits next to whom. Move a few key students and the volume shifts.
Recognize the quiet moments
When the room is focused, say so. "That was a great five minutes" costs nothing and tells students what you want to see again.
For more ideas, read Classroom Management Strategies for a Talkative Class at Elevate the Norm.
Want it ready to print?
Everything above is free. If you’d rather skip the prep, my TPT store, Teacher Emergency Toolkit, has ready-to-use resources for grades 6–12. Start with Classroom Management & Behavior or SEL & Team Building, and check the Free Resources section first.