1. Practice Activities and Tasks
Controlled and Freer Practice

2. What are practice activities and tasks?
These are activities and tasks that help students use the language they know and are learning, such as vocabulary or grammatical structures.
In this presentation, we will look at controlled/restricted practice activities and less controlled/freer practice activities.

3. Controlled/Restricted Practice Activity
In a controlled/restricted practice activity, students can only use certain items of language.
The focus is on using the language accurately.
A controlled/restricted practice activity is always included in the Presentation-Practice-Production (PPP) teaching model.
Drills, copying words or sentences, jazz chants, dictation and reading aloud are examples of controlled practice activities.

4. Controlled/Restricted Practice Activity -Example: Can and Can’t - Gap-fill
Teacher: Now that we have learned about CAN and CAN’T, I would like you to tell me things you CAN do and things you CAN’T do. (Hands out worksheet to student)
Teacher: I have given you a gap-fill with sentences about yourself you must complete. Complete the sentences about yourself using CAN or CAN’T.
I _____________ swim three kilometers.
I _____________speak Mandarin Chinese.
I_____________ play the piano.
I_____________ use a computer.
I _____________ eat a whole pizza by myself.

5. Less Controlled/Freer Practice Activity
In a less controlled/freer practice activity, the language the students will use is not carefully limited or controlled.
The focus is on communicating a message.
These activities are always part of Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT).
Examples of these are: discussions; solving problems through exchanging ideas; information-gap activities; sharing or comparing ideas, information, or experiences; writing s, stories, letters, etc.

6. Less Controlled/Freer Practice Activity – Example: Foods your friends like/dislike
Teacher: Now that I have told you about foods I like and dislike most, I would like you to get in groups of three and survey what foods your friends like and dislike most. After the task, you will report the results back to me.
Student 1: What food do you like most?
Student 2: I like cheese pizza most. How about you?
Student 1: Cheese pizza is good but I like kimchi soup most. What food do you like most?
Student 3: I like spinach most. What food do you dislike most?
Student 1: Actually, I love spinach. The food I dislike most is seafood. I don’t like any of it.
Student 2: Really? I love seafood.

7. Sequencing Instructions
When preparing students for an activity, it’s very important to sequence your instructions so students understand what to do.
Sequencing means you use language in a logical order. If you do this, the activity will be more effective and the students will feel more confident in their understanding of English.

8. Sequencing Instructions – Example: Role-play with role cards
Teacher:
We are going to do a role-play.
Please sit beside your partner now.
I have given you each a card. Some of you have Card A and some of you have Card B
You are are going to do a use the card I have given you for the role-play.
Let’s look at the cards together before you begin. Card A says, “Your friend has a problem. Give him/her advice for this problem. Card B says, “You have a problem. You want to go to get a good grade on the next math test, but are having trouble studying for it. Ask your friend for advice.
So, one person asks for advice and one person gives advice. Does anyone have any questions? (pause) No? OK. You may begin.