“Unreliable teacher” – how to check gap-fill tasks

Shared by Mark

In fact this technique can be used to check any kind of task. The rationale behind it is that it helps to undermine the “teacher knows all” attitude of some students. It will definitely work best in classes consisting of young English learners as it encourages students to think and process what the teacher say a little more carefully. Young learners too often treat teachers as the omniscient authority…

Teaching idea

A gap-fill exercise can be checked in a regular fashion by asking students around the class for answers and then telling them if they are right or wrong. An alternative is to say I’m going to read my answers. Listen carefully and tell me if I am right or wrong.

Then proceed to slowly read out the answers allowing time for students to confirm that each one is OK. After one or two correct answers deliberately read a wrong answer. Just make sure your answer is definitely wrong and not another possible alternative. Control your body language! Don’t smile or wink or indicate in any way that there is a problem. Wait for them to notice and correct you.

Allow discussion if feasible. Demand that students give you good reasons why they are right and you are wrong. Argue back. Make them think a bit and doubt themselves. Make sure you eventually clearly confirm the correct answers and congratulate the brave students who argued.

The credit goes to the authors of Straighforward Intermediate coursbook ».