I don’t know who invented the Running Dictation but he or she was a genius. As an activity for the language class, it combines reading, writing, speaking and listening. It requires students to commit chunks of language to short term memory. It is fun, energetic, naturally competitive and it requires very little preparation time on the teacher’s part.
Texts
In the clip above, runners make repeated journeys between their groups and a text that has been stuck to a table. In order to avoid overcrowding around the text, three identical copies were used.
There are no rules about the types of text that should be used for a Running Dictation. For beginners, short texts might work best (such as the one that was used in Lesson plan 5: Chocolate Rain). For more advanced students, teachers shouldn’t be scared of using longer pieces. One possibility would be to use song lyrics. For example:
I once had a girl, or should I say, she once had me…
She showed me her room, isn’t it good, Norwegian wood?
She asked me to stay and she told me to sit anywhere,
So I looked around and I noticed there wasn’t a chair.
I sat on a rug, biding my time, drinking her wine
We talked until two and then she said, “It’s time for bed”
She told me she worked in the morning and started to laugh.
I told her I didn’t and crawled off to sleep in the bath
And when I awoke, I was alone, this bird had flown
So I lit a fire, isn’t it good, Norwegian wood.
After the Running Dictation, students can listen to the song and check what they have written.
For homework, students can be referred to the Wikipedia entry (see here) to find out for themselves what the song is about (i.e. not a Scandinavian Forest).
Instructions
It can take some time to set up a Running Dictation if students have never done one before. Instructions can get a bit complicated and confusing. Here is one way of getting around this problem:
- Show your students the Running Dictation clip at the start of this posting
- Ask them to recall the 4 things that are needed
- Ask them to hypothesise about what is going on
- Tell them whether or not they are correct and let them try the activity for themselves
In a Running Dictation, students are put into teams and teams are positioned as far away from the texts as possible.
Each team nominates a runner. It is the runner’s job to make repeated journeys between their groups and a text. On each trip, the runner should attempt to remember (accurately) a chunk of language and then relay it to his or her group members who write it down. It is important to point out that everyone should be either running or writing.
A group should change their runner whenever the teacher gives the signal (optional). If this is done, the runner should then take over the new runner’s writing.
Once everyone has finished the task, allow group members to compare what they have written before allowing everyone to correct their work by comparing it with the original texts. Make sure that the runners get a copy of the text to take away with them.
Of course, Running Dictations don’t have to be done outside. Texts can be stuck the board or on walls in the classroom or corridor. Make sure, however, that you move all potentially dangerous pieces of furniture and other objects out of the way.
Points
Some teachers award points. For example 100 points for the group who finished first, 90 points for second, 80 points for third, etc. Groups can then swap texts for marking and a point should be deducted from each group for each mistake that they have made.