compcheck

The Purpose of Comprehension Checks

1. The teacher needs to check for comprehension of both content and directions (e.g., Please summarize what we said about the "first paragraph of a composition." Who can tell me what you are going to do in the pair work?)

2. Comprehension checks provide a good opportunity for the studens to practice language skills.

3. It gives the students an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge.

4. Without comprehension checks, the teacher doesn't know if the students understand and/or if they can
apply and use the language appropriately.

During and After Students perform a Comprehension Check

1. There are times when the teacher wants to reinforce the student's task by repeating what the student has said. This will allow other students who have first heard the student say it to hear it again but focus on the teacher's "more natural" language. It will also help the speaker compare his/her utteance with the teacher's model. As with all techniques, the teacher should be careful not to overuse it.

2. The teacher should not interrupt or correct the student while he or she is summarizing (unless requested). If the student asks for help, offer it. If theare are content and language errors, the teacher can correct them after the student has finished or in some cases, the teacher can just ignore them.

Students Answer Individually
(one at a time)

1. Many times the teacher asks a question and the students all shout out the answer more or less at the same time.

2. There are many reasons why the teacher should allow only one student (at a time) to answer questions.
a. Allowing the students to answer together is not very productive.
b. Answering chorally is not natural language. It's only done in religious
       ceremonies and political rallies.
c. When the students answer chorally, the teacher is not able to evaluate their
        comprehension of the question or the accuracy of their language.
d. The students learn by listening to each other (C. Curran - "overhear"). This
        is not possible if they are all answering at the same time.
e. If the teacher has students answer chorally, it should be done only one or
        two times per class--students answering individually should be the norm.

Students Answer in Complete Sentences

1. When individual students answer in complete sentences, the teacher is able to check for content and language accuracy.

2. Answering in complete sentences also gives the students the opportunity to practice and try out the language.

3. Answering in complete sentences is much more effective than a grunt or a one-word answer.

4. For foreign language students, the classroom is the only place where students get to practice and try out the language.

5. Answering in complete sentences is one way that grammar and syntax are practiced and reinforced. This is just as good as (or even more effective than) doing grammar exercises on a test. Both are important.

6. Answering questions and summarizing is one of the most important techniques of the Communicative Language Teaching approach.

7. The teacher should always encourage the students to answer in compete sentences, but if they are unable to do so, th teacher should allow them to answer in short phrases or even one-word utterances. All are real communication.

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