UNIT17

Practice activities and task for language and skills development

 

These activities are designed to give learners opportunities to use the new content of the language such as vocabulary, grammatical structure or of the subskills like reading, listening, speaking or writing.

The controlled activities allow students to make few mistakes, guide students using the target language like: drills, choral drills, copying words or sentences.  On the other hand, free activities students can use any language in order to complete the task, therefore, teacher isn´t able to predict what language will be used. This activity focus on fluency and give chances to interact to students. Some examples of the kind of activities are.  Writing e-mails, prioritizing, problem-solving activities.

Activities that are between free and controlled are called freer activities as for example: role plays, information-gap activities, surveys. Sometimes these activities can change from controlled to free and vice versa. If I give students what questions use on a survey then it´s controlled but I don´t control what language will be used to answer them, therefore it changes into a freer activity. Like this and other varieties, some teaches manipulate the activities and that makes a Leeson more interesting and motivating.  

For more information check this links:  

Heads up English, Chris Cotter, lesson structure, controlled to free activities, lesson structure, Retrieved from:

http://www.headsupenglish.com/index.php/esl-articles/esl-lesson-structure/310-controlled-to-free-activities

 Prezzi, Controled and free practice activities,(2014), Celeste Lemus, Retrieved from:

https://prezi.com/wmhrgroztcv3/controlled-and-free-practice-activities/