Checking Understanding Submitted by TE Editor on 8 June, 2006 - 12 00 !

n a standard "anguage #ocus "esson #o""o$ing a %%% &'resent, 'ractise, 'roduce( or simi"ar #ormat, the target "anguage &structure or )ocabu"ary( is norma""y 'resented in conte*t, then iso"ated and ana"ysed+ ,na"ysis o# the "anguage consists o# t$o sub-stages, o#ten kno$n as high"ighting and conce't checking+ Highlighting is taking the mode" sentence and sho$ing, te""ing or e"iciting $hat the 'rob"ems are in terms o# #orm, #unction, and 'hono"ogy+ Concept checking is checking the understanding o# di##icu"t as'ects o# the target structure in terms o# #unction and meaning+ Conce't checking is )ita", since "earners must #u""y understand the structure be#ore any intensi)e 'ractice o# #orm and 'hono"ogy is carried out+

-ays o# checking understanding Conce't .uestions Some e*am'"es /earning to construct conce't .uestions Conc"usion

-ays o# checking understanding Conce't checking is norma""y achie)ed by the use o# a set o# .uestions designed to ensure com'rehension o# the target "anguage, raise a$areness o# its 'rob"ems, and to indicate to the teacher that the "earners ha)e #u""y understood+ The .uestion 0Do you understand?0, or the remark 0OK?0 do not achie)e any o# these aims, and are un"ike"y to recei)e a truth#u" ans$er #rom a"" the "earners+ Conce't .uestions are one $ay o# checking understanding, but are o#ten used in combination $ith other methods, o#ten )isua", de'ending on the nature o# the target "anguage in)o")ed+ 1ere are some other methods

Time "ines to estab"ish tenses+ Time "ines are not a substitute #or conce't .uestions+ Truth "ines to estab"ish 'robabi"ity e+g+ must be 2 cou"d be 2 might be 2 can0t be+ 3ea"ity "ines to estab"ish degree o# rea"ity or imagination e+g+ conditiona" sentences C"ines to sho$ grades or sca"es e+g+ ye""o$-amber-orange, #re.uency ad)erbs

%ictures to distinguish bet$een simi"ar ob4ects e+g+ cu' 2 mug, "ane2 road 2 high$ay 5iscrimination to check #unction and register e+g+ 5o ! say 0hey60 to my boss7 8egati)e checking e+g+ 5o ! say 0! $ere07 Trans"ation &$here a''ro'riate and 'ossib"e(+ E*tensions to conso"idate understanding+ 1ome$ork o#ten re)ea"s "ack o# understanding, as do guided 'ractice e*ercises+

Conce't .uestions Conce't .uestions themse")es are o#ten di##icu"t to construct since they in)o")e c"ari#ying #unction and meaning using sim'"e "anguage but not the target "anguage itse"#+ ,'art #rom their c"assroom )a"ue, thinking o# good .uestions a"so he"'s ine*'erienced teachers to understand the com'"e*ities o# #orm, #unction and meaning, and to 'ractise grading their "anguage+ Some basic ti's #or good conce't .uestions are

9ake sure the .uestions are sim'"e and that no di##icu"t "anguage is re.uired to ans$er the .uestion+ :es2no .uestions, either2or .uestions and sim'"e 0$h0 .uestions are 'articu"ar"y e##ecti)e 5on0t use the ne$ &target( grammar in your .uestions 5on0t use un#ami"iar )ocabu"ary ;ring out basic conce'ts such as 0time0 and 0tense0 in your .uestions Use as many .uestions as 'ossib"e to check )arious as'ects o# the "anguage and to co)er as many "earners as 'ossib"e+

Some e*am'"es These e*am'"es sho$ ho$ conce't .uestions cou"d be used to he"' di##erentiate bet$een the main #unctions o# the 'resent sim'"e and 'resent continuous+ Target sentence Look! They're painting the wall Checking .uestions Is it happening now? Can you see it? Is the painting finished? :es :es 8o

Are they painting now?

:es

Is this the past, present or future? %resent

Target sentence She's a shop assistant She works in a shop Checking .uestions Has she got a !o"? Is she working now #oes she work there e$ery day? :es 5on0t kno$ :es

Is this the past, present or future? %resent, but a"so 'ast and 'robab"y #uture+

This e*am'"e sho$s ho$ conce't .uestions can be used to c"ari#y the meaning o# more com'"e* structures Target sentence If I won the lottery, I'd "uy a new car Checking .uestions Ha$e I won the lottery? 8o A% I going to win the lottery? %robab"y not A% I going to "uy a new car? %robab"y not Has he got a lottery ticket? Is this real, or i%aginary? 9aybe !maginary

/earning to construct conce't .uestions <ne $ay o# beginning to think about conce't .uestions is to break the meaning o# a $ord or structure into com'onents+ , )ocabu"ary item might be diagramatica""y re'resented+ 1ere is an e*am'"e o# the conce'ts inc"uded in the $ord 0"ed&sit0

=uestions may be o# di##erent ty'es

:es2no .uestions+ 0Is a bed-sit a room?0, 0Are there other rooms in the house?', 'Can you sleep in it?'+ >02>0 chance .uestions+ 0Is it a room or a building?0, 0Is it cheap or expensive?0, 0Do you buy it or pay money every ee! or month?0 !n#ormation .uestions+ 0"ho lives in it?', '#o many people live in it?0 5iscrimination .uestions+ 0Do you only sleep in it?0, 0Can you coo! a meal in it?', 'Is it the same as a $lat?0 Shared e*'erience .uestions+ 0Is there a bed-sit in this building?0 /i#e e*'erience2cu"ture .uestions+ 0#ave you ever lived in a bed-sit?0 0Are there bed-sits in your city%country70 3emember that the ans$ers 0sometimes0, 0it depends0 and 0I don't !no 0 can te"" you as much as 0yes0 or 0no0+

,nother $ay o# constructing conce't .uestions is by $riting a sentence containing a"" the e"ements o# the conce't, #rom $hich .uestions can be #ormed+ This is a use#u" method $hen distinguishing bet$een t$o #unctions o# the same structure, 'articu"ar"y $here those #unctions $ou"d be e*'ressed by di##erent #orms or tenses in other "anguages+ ?or e*am'"e

'He's "een eating garlic ' Concept 1e isn0t eating gar"ic no$, and ! didn0t see him eating it, but ! kno$ he $as eating gar"ic because ! can sme"" it+ 'Harry's "een working here for two years ' Concept 1e started $orking here t$o years ago, he0s sti"" $orking here, and he0"" 'robab"y continue $orking here+

Conc"usion The )a"ue o# conce't .uestions shou"d not be underestimated, but many teachers either #orget to use them or #ind them di##icu"t to construct+ Teachers are o#ten satis#ied that the "earners 0seem to understand0 on the basis o# their 'er#ormance in 'ractice e*ercises+ , #e$ im'ortant 'oints to remember are

Conce't .uestions are 'articu"ar"y )a"uab"e a#ter the 'resentation and e*'"anation o# an item, and may be asked at any stage during a "esson+ They are )a"uab"e a#ter guided 'ractice, 'articu"ar"y i# the "earners seem not to ha)e gras'ed the target "anguage #u""y, and at the end o# a "esson, as a #ina" check and re)ie$+

Time "ines and other de)ices are not substitutes #or conce't .uestions+ They are aids to e*'"anation, but do not necessari"y check understanding+ Conce't .uestions, ho$e)er, may be used to e"icit a time"ine #rom the "earners+ Conce't .uestions are 'articu"ar"y )a"uab"e $here a conce't does not e*ist, or is di##erent in the mother tongue &e+g+ the 'er#ect as'ect, $ays o# e*'ressing the #uture(, and $here a "anguage item is cu"tura""y "oaded as in the case o# the $ord 0sub$ay0 $hich has )ery di##erent meanings in ;ritish and ,merican Eng"ish+ !n such cases, conce't .uestions o#ten #orm 'art o# the initia" teaching 'rocess+ Conce't .uestions are a"so use#u" #or raising a$areness o# association and connotation, and #or dra$ing attention to co""ocations and #i*ed e*'ressions+ They are a"so good "istening 'ractice #or "earners, and can e)en "ead on to c"ass acti)ities such as guessing games in $hich the "earners $rite their o$n .uestions+ The teacher does not ha)e to conce't check e)ery ne$ item+ !n many cases, #unction and meaning are c"ear because the "anguage has been 'resented in a meaning#u" conte*t+ -hen "earners 'er#orm 'oor"y in guided or "ess guided 'ractice, it is o#ten because they are not c"ear about the #unction or meaning o# the target "anguage+ This may $e"" be because the teacher has asked 0do you understand70 or 0is that c"ear0 rather than good conce't .uestions+

?urther reading @raham -orkman - Concept Questions And Time LinesA Chadburn %ub"ishing, 2006+ Ste)e 5arn B !an -hite, !Cmir Uni)ersity o# Economics, Turkey