Dictogloss Activity

For the next few weeks in ELL, we are going to do a dictogloss activity.

This is how a dictogloss activity works:

Dictogloss is a co-operative task where groups of two-four students try to recreate a text that the teacher has read to them. At the first reading the students just listen and then they take notes as the text is read twice more. By combining their knowledge the students then try to recreate the written text (not word-for-word) by using full sentences while trying to retain the meaning and form of the original text. Afterwards the students, with their teacher’s help, identify similarities and differences between their text reconstruction and the original text.

A dictogloss requires the students to use all four language modes and it helps the students to notice their own language gaps. It is a useful tool providing a focus on grammar.

Example:

Actual text

Child 1's text

Child 2's text