I have gotten better at staying in the target language because of the Ten Minute Deal. I have only been doing it for a few weeks, but I am getting some really strong ten minute periods in the TL with only a few short four second clarifications. I can do comprehensible input in the TL for ten minutes but not for forty. That’s where I’m at with this. I would rather get four really high quality ten minute periods in a fifty minute period than do what I used to do, always lying to myself about how much I was staying in the TL.
Plus on the Ten Minute Deal the teacher-student bond I have with my timer is off the chart. He takes it very seriously, signals me at the five and ten minute marks in a serious way with a hand signal and a look, and the rest of the class gets really focused because they know that they only have to do it for ten minutes and then we let the air out of the balloon for a few moments before starting another ten minute period.