Hello colleagues, I have found that learners usually love dictation. I'm not exactly sure why this is the case, but it is one of the reasons I include dictation in my classes. I often structure dictation so that peers dictate to one another. For the peer dictation activity, I create a cloze of a text we have been working with for a while. Using a familiar text has clear benefits. I have several goals for peer dictation, i.e., to give students practice with listening, pronunciation, and spelling.
Another dictation technique I have used is dictogloss, which is similar to dictation, but has some important differences. In dictogloss, students listen and take notes as the teacher dictates and then collaborate on refining the text based on their notes. When engaged in dictogloss student are listening, taking notes and then speaking together about the vocabulary and the structure of the sentences. The text can include a focus on specific points of grammar the learners have been studying. Those who are interested can check out Diane Tedick's steps for dictogloss. Tedick also summarizes some of the research that has shown the efficacy of the dictogloss technique.
It would be great to hear from teachers who have used peer dictation or dictogloss as well as other dictation techniques in the classroom.
Cheers, Susan Finn Miller
Moderator, English Language Acquisition CoP
Comments
My students absolutely love dictation. An additional benefit of peer dictation is the opportunity to work on clarification questions that go beyond, "Can you repeat?" Depending on the level of the class, I add more phrases or questions for students to use as part of the dictation activity, i.e. What was the last part?, I missed the first part of the sentence., Would you speak more slowly, please?, etc. Thank you for the article on the dictogloss technique, Susan!
Hi Norma and all, I love the emphasis on clarification questions during a dictation activity. Thanks for passing along this valuable tip!
Susan
A variation of peer dictation we use is walking dictation. The text (usually one paragraph) to be dictated is at the back of the room and one partner walks over to read a few words. They must remember these words for their partner to write down. We give a time limit (perhaps 10 minutes) which can turn this into a running dictation if students are competitive. The focus is on accuracy, including spelling and punctuation, and the students compare their text to the original at the end of the time. Then they switch roles with a new text, perhaps the second paragraph. It's a great activity to get students moving, while also encompassing all four skills. We usually use a new text that is related to the topic of the lesson (last night it was a warning about highway deaths since we had been studying giving warnings). Silly or funny texts are also popular with our students.
Hi Kat, Walking dictation is one of my favorites, too. Thanks for explaining the steps. Sometimes we even post the text outside the classroom in the hallway! You're right, at times the activity becomes competitive, which a lot of students enjoy.
Walking dictation can be done with all levels, including beginners. For example, the teacher can choose a short sentence related to the current theme and write each word on a separate index card. The cards are then attached to the wall in random order. Students dictate the words one at a time to a partner, and then they work together to put the words in order to make a sentence.
Looking forward to more variations on dictation!
Cheers, Susan Finn Miller
Moderator, English Language Acquisition CoP
My students enjoy doing what I call charades dictation. We use it to practice a specific grammar point. One (or more) student(s) silently act out an activity and students at their seats write the sentence using the target grammar. For example, “Ali brushed his teeth,” for past tense or “Sara is brushing her teeth,” for present continuous. While students are writing the sentences at their seats, one or more student volunteers write it on the board and another student types it on the computer, which is projected on the screen. Students at their seats help students at the board and computer make corrections, and then check their own written sentences , and onto new volunteer actors and writers. It’s a fun way to end the day’s class.