CONTROLLED EXERCISE*

*Submitted by Sophia Birdas

• Focus on form and accuracy.

• Often used to teach a grammar structure or language function in

conjunction with semi-controlled and communicative exercises.

• Controlled practice provides exercises that limit the students’ attention to

the target structure or function so that it can be accurately produced.

• Exercises should be meaningful and realistic (not isolated, unconnected

practice sentences); provide realistic/unifying context.

• Make sure that exercise is not simply a mechanical transformation where

the students could provide the correct answer without considering the
meaning of the whole sentence.

• Provide for pair or group practice wherever possible.

• During pair/group work, walk around the classroom and check students’
work and help if needed (make sure to provide enough practice
exchanges so that you have time to walk around to everyone).
 CONTROLLED SAMPLE ACTIVITIES

Recognition Students identify target structure.

Identification Students identify and produce specific

target structure.

Meaningful drill Involves fixed patterns of role

(w/unifying context) relationships and task types; regulated
sequence and form or responses, but
response choices are meaningful.

Question-answer display Teacher knows response or has limited

(for teaching grammar structure) set of expectations for appropriate
response.

Information transfer Students transfer linguistic components

(for teaching language function) into appropriate cell in grid.
 Controlled Exercise Examples

Example One

1. The puppy (run) _____________ across the field.

2. The teacher (write) ______________ on the blackboard.

3. The little boy (fall) ____________ down the hill.

4. The waiter (drop) ____________ the plate.

5. etc.

' Bad example! Why? It’s not good enough. The students can change
the verb without reading the sentence. Also, there is no unifying
context; the topics are random.

&Improvements:
• Take the verbs out of the sentences and put in a ‘verb box’ at the top of
the page. The student will have to select which verb to use as well as
decide on the proper form.

OR

• Provide a ‘forced choice’ so that the student still has to read the sentence
to determine the correct verb and answer.

Example: The puppy (run, speak) _______ across the field.

(tip: the blank lines should all be the same size so that the answers aren’t
given away)

AND

• Provide unifying context (i.e.: each sentence is part of a story about the
puppy; food; driving)
 SEMI-CONTROLLED EXERCISE

• Move away from focus on form and accuracy to focus on

meaning/communication.

• Often used to teach a grammar structure or language function in

conjunction with controlled and communicative exercises.

• Semi-controlled practice provides a stronger focus on the meaning

component.

• Be sure that exercises model realistic tasks and realistic language use
(i.e. this is what native speakers would do and say) and provide unifying
context.

• If possible, provide for the exchange of personal information.

 SEMI-CONTROLLED SAMPLE ACTIVITIES

Cued narrative/half dialogue Provide only half of dialogue. Students

produce language following
verbal/written/pictorial cues provided
throughout activity.

Unscrambling tasks Students assemble a dialog/story by

putting the relevant language pieces in
order.

Information exchange Short information gap tasks that help

practice the target structure or function.

Preparation Students plan, prepare and rehearse for

a later activity.

Question-answer referential Teacher does not know student

(for teaching grammar structure) response in advance.
 COMMUNICATIVE EXERCISE

• Typically for a grammar structure or language function lesson, the

communicative exercise will be some type of speaking activity.

• The communicative exercise should allow for genuine information

exchange.

• The new structure or function should be an integral part of the activity,

but should not be the focus so that the attention is shifted away from the
structure or function to a genuine exchange of messages among
students.

• The activity needs to be adequately prepared.

• The teacher should explain the purpose of the activity. This is best to do
at the end because otherwise the students will focus on the structure or
form too much.
 COMMUNICATIVE EXERCISE
SPEAKING SAMPLE ACTIVITIES

Information gap activities Longer, extended versions of semi-controlled

info gaps; students should focus on social
protocol of the entire situation)

Opinion gap tasks Students engage in cooperatively solving a

problem.

Role play/drama/ Students freely act out roles and situations

simulation after initial cues, often simulating real life
actions and experiences.

Interviews Students obtain information from each other.

Discussion Students discuss specified topics; sides may

or may not be assigned.

Games Students produce and use language in a

setting of a language game (should reinforce
lesson).