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Jackie Partington, Argentina
The teacher starts with a diagnostic activity to establish how much of the target vocabulary students know. This activity is usually student-centred, to allow for peer teaching (eg: matching words to pictures/definitions, categorising words or phrases, role playing). The teacher monitors closely to establish which areas she will need to focus on most in the subsequent 'teach' stage. At this stage, the teacher checks meaning, form and pronunciation of any language items that students were unsure of. The final 'test' stage is a practice activity which allows students to use the target language - now with more confidence and accuracy.
Angela Evans, China
I use it in class to encourage students to learn vocabulary in pairs. Each student picks five words recently studied in class and checks the meaning and pronunciation. He/she asks his partner to give the meaning. If his/her partner doesn't know the meaning, then the student teaches it. When all five words have been covered, the student retests his/her partner on any words that were wrong.
Then the students swap roles.
Students enjoy this activity and it helps them to revise vocabulary in an active way. I also suggest that they use it out of class as well as in class.
Manal Eweis, Egypt
In our classes, I usually follow this way to know to what extent our students are learning how to use the language, especially in writing. I use some pictures and after dividing the class into groups I ask them to describe them, speaking or writing. I monitor and can see their weaknesses and then I try to set ways to overcome them. Then, this way, when they are given more exercises of description, they should use the target language more effectively.
Les Hender, China
I have been using the teach-test method for the last two years and it has been a great success. The main reason, I believe, is that it gives students more confidence when they realise they have actually learned something. My students actually ask me to test them!
Christine, Tunisia
Especially when teaching adults, this approach often works very well. Give the students a task to do requiring use of the target language, both vocabulary and grammar, and monitor carefully. They may succeed in completing the task successfully without using the target language, or they may struggle to remember the things they studied in school. This way, you can assess exactly how much (if any) formal teaching they need and provide explanations and exercises covering their needs. Why waste time doing grammar exercises if they have already acquired what you are focussing on?
Sometimes, the grammar/vocabulary students produce is correct, but not what native speakers would say. A good example of this is modal verbs of deduction: French native speakers are able to express the meaning without producing a single modal of deduction, but if they complete the first task correctly, using the target language, there is no need for detailed explanations. Why spend a lesson on the correct form of regular simple past tenses - if they are getting it correct, use the time to give them lots of practice in irregular forms. Even first time round students, if they are exposed to a lot of English, absorb a lot of grammar and vocabulary, and if they are getting it correct, sometimes detailed explanations are counter-productive, as they begin to make errors!
Isa Tirado, Mexico
What I know is that the three steps that the TTT approach involves are:
Assign students a task (usually in pairs or small groups) that requires them to use a specific language item you have not taught yet. It could be grammar or vocabulary. This is for the teacher to find out how much the students already know about that language item. For example, to check "going to", the task could be to talk about plans for the next weekend.
The teacher presents the target language item, in this case "going to" with as little or as much information as necessary, depending on the results from step 1. If students know how to use "going to" already, the teacher may simple ask comprehension check questions about form, meaning and use. If students do not have a clue about "going to", the teacher needs to give a more complete presentation.
Students are given a new task for them to practice the language item. They may start with "controlled practice" or go directly into "free" practice depending on their initial knowledge of the structure in question.
Lead In (not always used, but I'd highly recommend it)
Test 1
Teach
Test 2
(then repeat steps 2 and 3 if necessary)
Practice
More detailed:
Lead In (not always used, but I'd recommend it) 3-5min to warm Ss up and, most importantly, establish a context for the language (ie. When, where & why do we use the TL? Brief Qs on one of those situations).
Test 1
A controlled practice task. Ss do a writing or speaking task that requires use of the target language. The teacher monitors to see what they know & don't know, can do & can't do in relation to that language.
Teach
The teacher reviews the points that the Ss did well at or knew already, then clarifies (teaches) the points that the Ss didn't do very well at or didn't know.
Test 2
A second controlled practice task. This time the teacher monitors to check that the Ss now understand what the teacher just clarified (focusing on accuracy and error correction).
If still unsuccessful, go back to the Teach stage and re-clarify the bits they're having difficulty with, then test again.
Practice
A less controlled or freer practice task. Ss practice using the language in a communicative context (role-play, etc) to improve fluency (no focus on accuracy here).
To make effective use of a TTT lesson:
When planning the lesson, think about what Ss need to know and/or be able to do with the language. List these points. For example - A: Oh no, what've you been doing? B:I've been painting a picture. A: From the looks of it, you haven't been painting a picture, you've been painting yourself! Ss need to understand/know:
The key concept: A recent action with a present result (B recently painted a picture; his clothes are covered in paint as a result).
Additional concepts: The 'wh' question form can be used to express surprise/shock.
The structure of:
positive statements: sub + have/has + been + V-ing.
negative statements: sub +have/has + not + been + V-ing.
questions: ('Wh' question) + have/has + sub + been + V-ing?
The contractions: I + have = I've, have + not = haven't, etc.
When to use the contractions and when not to (eg. no contractions in formal or semi-formal written English; contractions in spoken English; don't contract 'you + have' in the negative form because 'have' contracts with 'not' in that case, etc.
How to use sentence stress, intonation & connected speech properly.
etc, etc...
Try to ensure the first Test stage tests each of these points.
Prepare materials on each of these points for use in the Teach stage.
When monitoring during the first Test stage, pay attention to which points the Ss are strong at and which points need re-clarification.
Decide in class, during the first Test stage, which points you will clarify during the Teach stage.
Briefly review the points they're already good at but clarify/teach only the points that they had difficulties with during the first Test stage.
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Jackie Partington, Argentina
The teacher starts with a diagnostic activity to establish how much of the target vocabulary students know. This activity is usually student-centred, to allow for peer teaching (eg: matching words to pictures/definitions, categorising words or phrases, role playing). The teacher monitors closely to establish which areas she will need to focus on most in the subsequent 'teach' stage. At this stage, the teacher checks meaning, form and pronunciation of any language items that students were unsure of. The final 'test' stage is a practice activity which allows students to use the target language - now with more confidence and accuracy.
Angela Evans, China
I use it in class to encourage students to learn vocabulary in pairs. Each student picks five words recently studied in class and checks the meaning and pronunciation. He/she asks his partner to give the meaning. If his/her partner doesn't know the meaning, then the student teaches it. When all five words have been covered, the student retests his/her partner on any words that were wrong.
Then the students swap roles.
Students enjoy this activity and it helps them to revise vocabulary in an active way. I also suggest that they use it out of class as well as in class.
Manal Eweis, Egypt
In our classes, I usually follow this way to know to what extent our students are learning how to use the language, especially in writing. I use some pictures and after dividing the class into groups I ask them to describe them, speaking or writing. I monitor and can see their weaknesses and then I try to set ways to overcome them. Then, this way, when they are given more exercises of description, they should use the target language more effectively.
Les Hender, China
I have been using the teach-test method for the last two years and it has been a great success. The main reason, I believe, is that it gives students more confidence when they realise they have actually learned something. My students actually ask me to test them!
Christine, Tunisia
Especially when teaching adults, this approach often works very well. Give the students a task to do requiring use of the target language, both vocabulary and grammar, and monitor carefully. They may succeed in completing the task successfully without using the target language, or they may struggle to remember the things they studied in school. This way, you can assess exactly how much (if any) formal teaching they need and provide explanations and exercises covering their needs. Why waste time doing grammar exercises if they have already acquired what you are focussing on?
Sometimes, the grammar/vocabulary students produce is correct, but not what native speakers would say. A good example of this is modal verbs of deduction: French native speakers are able to express the meaning without producing a single modal of deduction, but if they complete the first task correctly, using the target language, there is no need for detailed explanations. Why spend a lesson on the correct form of regular simple past tenses - if they are getting it correct, use the time to give them lots of practice in irregular forms. Even first time round students, if they are exposed to a lot of English, absorb a lot of grammar and vocabulary, and if they are getting it correct, sometimes detailed explanations are counter-productive, as they begin to make errors!
Isa Tirado, Mexico
What I know is that the three steps that the TTT approach involves are:
Heath
In short:
(then repeat steps 2 and 3 if necessary)
More detailed:
3-5min to warm Ss up and, most importantly, establish a context for the language (ie. When, where & why do we use the TL? Brief Qs on one of those situations).
A controlled practice task. Ss do a writing or speaking task that requires use of the target language. The teacher monitors to see what they know & don't know, can do & can't do in relation to that language.
The teacher reviews the points that the Ss did well at or knew already, then clarifies (teaches) the points that the Ss didn't do very well at or didn't know.
A second controlled practice task. This time the teacher monitors to check that the Ss now understand what the teacher just clarified (focusing on accuracy and error correction).
If still unsuccessful, go back to the Teach stage and re-clarify the bits they're having difficulty with, then test again.
A less controlled or freer practice task. Ss practice using the language in a communicative context (role-play, etc) to improve fluency (no focus on accuracy here).
To make effective use of a TTT lesson:
Decide in class, during the first Test stage, which points you will clarify during the Teach stage.