Mind your CCQs… Emma Cresswell Please replace the IHWO logo in the bottom left corner with your school’s if you can .

Finding out if a learner has understood a new item What? Concept Checking Finding out if a learner has understood a new item

Why? A way to check students have understood a concept before starting intensive practice of form or phonology. Reduce Teacher Talk time Allows for a more interactive class and less spoon-feeding

How? Normally achieved through a series of questions: Ensure comprehension of TL Raise awareness of problems Often used in combination with other methods (often visual): Lines (time/truth/reality) Pictures Negative checking Elicit examples of the other methods – when? How?

How? How do we form concept check questions? Think of a natural context for the TL Write down what students need to know about the meaning of the exponents Reduce these to the essential meaning and simplify into simple statements Turn the statements into questions Add further questions to check other things (if relevant) Do activity!

Check your CCQs One way to check your CCQs before you teach them is by seeing if you can identify the TL by only looking at the questions: Lungs Do you have two of these? YES Are they inside your body? YES Does air go through them? YES (Vocabulary)

DOs & DON’Ts Have too many questions DON’T Repeat the TL in the CCQs Use language simpler than the TL Use yes/no questions & questions with one word answers Prepare your CCQs in advance Use a grammar book or student dictionary to research the meanings Ask “What does x mean?” DON’T DON’T DO DO DO DO DON’T

Things to remember: Before Class: Plan your CCQs and put them in your LP with answers In Class: Make sure you introduce the new language in a clear context Use the context to elicit or to identify TL Use your CCQs to check understanding Listen to your students’ answers – if they don’t understand go back to the context After Class: Reflect on your CCQs – were they successful? What could you change?

Resources International House Buenos Aires Delta Module 2 notes http://www.tefl.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=208 http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/knowledge-database/concept-checking http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/articles/checking-understanding http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/blogs/laura868/look-whos-talking-ways-increasing-student-talking-time