Interactive Dictation in the Foreign Language Classroom-Improves Writing and Spelling

Students can progress in their foreign language writing skills, spelling and identification of sound-letter (or letter combination) correspondence by doing dictations.  The traditional use of dictation in the language class did not provide much opportunity for student engagement or interaction.  Below is a dictation process that I have created to make the process of doing dictation in the foreign language classroom that is more engaging and interactive for students.  The 5 steps can be done in one class or spread out over two or three days.  The topic should include vocabulary and verb forms that are familiar to students.

Step 1:

• The teacher reads the entire dictation at a fluent speed.
• The teacher then reads each sentence slowly, word by word, so that students can write the sentences.
• The teacher finishes the dictation by reading the entire dictation a last time at a fluent speed.

Step 2:

• Students copy the dictation from a handout, the board or a projected screen without referring back to the dictation that they wrote in the first step.
• Students should be expected to write the dictation perfectly as they are copying it.

Step 3:

• Students read through the dictation that they wrote in step 1 and correct any mistakes they made, using the dictation text that they copied as a reference.

Step 4:

• Students pair up and take turns reading the dictation (that they copied in step 2) to each other and writing it out.
• Students then trade and correct each other’s work using the dictation text that they copied in step 2.

Step 5:

• The teacher repeats step 1.
• The teacher then grades the final written dictation.