An ELT Glossary : Instruction Check Questions

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Instruction Check Questions are questions asked to the learners after a teacher has set up a task to ensure that they have fully understood what they have to do. For example, in a lesson where the learners have been studying ways of making, rejecting and accepting suggestions, there might be a final roleplay:

T : OK listen -  Marilena - you're A, Elna - you're B, Juan - A, Kristina - B (and so on round the class.) Now, you and your partner have a problem. You want to go to the United States for six months, but you have a dog and a cat. You need to decide what you want to do about them. OK, if you’re student A put your hands up … Right OK.  Kristina - wh0's your partner?

K : Juan.

T: OK, and Marilena - where do you want to go?

M: To the United States.

T. To the United States, yes. How long for? Juan?

J : For six weeks.

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T: Not six weeks, no. Anybody?

K : Six months. 

T: Exactly, six months. And what’s your problem? Elna?

E: We have a dog.

T: Just a dog?

M: A dog and a cat.

T: Yes, a dog and a cat. So what do you have do do? Roberto?

R : Decide what we can do with the dog and cat while we are in the United States.

T: Yes. And are you speaking or writing?

R: Speaking

T: OK. Can someone give me an example? What could you do about the dog and cat?

M: We could take them with us.

T: OK - nice example. A reason why it's not a good idea?

K: They are very old - it's not a good journey for them.

T: OK. Any other questions before you start? No? Ok, talk to your partner