These notes on dictation come from a talk presented by Edna Equihua

Correction techniques
A. Shadow dictation

Choose a writer and a listener
Teacher reads a paragraph (normal speed)
While one writes the other just listens Then have both re-construct the story
Teacher reads the story again so they can compare their version
For mixed-ability classes, you can use their skills putting weak-strong students together.

B. Passing the buck

Teacher dictates one sentence
The students pass the paper to the right
Then everyone underlines the mistakes they find in the sentence
Teacher dictates the second one
Students pass the paper to the right
Now they underline the mistakes on the second sentence and correct the ones in the previous one
Whole class review all the sentences dictated.

C. Word fields

Teacher dictates
One student writes, the other monitors
Then in pairs you ask them to circle all the words related to a certain topic.

For example,:

In the following story find the words related to sports.

She sat in the corner. She took a sip of her coffee and spat it out because it was foul. Her goal that evening had been to finish her essay, but there had been constant interruptions.

For a start, her boyfriend had dropped in. She had heard him whistling as he came up the path and jumped up like a shot to let him in.

But they had had a row that had just made him very defensive.

He had just put up what he called his wall and was ready for every move she made.

As he thought about it she tried to block his memory from her mind .

Sounds, spelling and pronunciation
1. Silent letter

a) Write the words and underline the silent letter

Christmas
Walk
Platform
Knee
Sandwich
Wrong
Half

b) Write the number of letters and the silent letter(s)

honest ...........................6...h
character........................9...h
daughter.........................8...u g h
cupboard.........................8...P
could...............................5...l

2. Listening for stressed syllables
Teacher says the words, students write in the appropriate column, according to the word stress.

FIRST SYLLABLE
coffee
forty
record

SECOND SYLLABLE
canteen
cassette
record

Liliana Borbolla, Mexico

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